BILLY Slater will finish his career at Melbourne with the Maroons ace revealing he is poised to ink his final contract to keep him at the Storm until the end of 2017.

Slater, who had season-ending shoulder surgery in June, plans to begin running in a fortnight.

He is no hope of a shock finals cameo, but the Queensland flyer will officially launch his comeback with his maiden appearance at the NRL Nines in Auckland in February.

Slater’s future in the code has been clouded for several months, an uncertainty fuelled by the 2011 Dally M winner being off-contract three weeks out from the playoffs.

But the 32-year-old told The Courier-Mail he is a week away from formally committing to the Storm.

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Slater insists he can overcome three operations in the past year to reclaim his Queensland Origin jumper and remain a backline force in the NRL.

media_camera Cameron Smith and Billy Slater after winning State of Origin in 2015. Pics Adam Head

He said the medical advice saved him from a premature retirement this year.

“I just wanted to get the deal done, my future will be sorted in the next week or so,” Slater said.

“No other option really entered my mind. The Storm were keen to keep me and I was keen to stay.

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“Hopefully I have another two years in the game. My body was feeling really good until I got injured this year.

“I’m going to take it year by year and see how we go. If it goes on further than next year, great.

“I look at a guy like Anthony Minichiello (former Roosters fullback), he was playing great football at the end, just taking it year by year, and that’s my attitude.”

It is understood Slater will sign a one-year extension with an option, possibly in Melbourne’s favour, for the 2017 season.

The Maroons fullback missed Queensland’s 52-6 drubbing in Origin III after succumbing to shoulder surgery and he revealed the extent of the injury on Wednesday.

“I hoped to see out the year but the specialists said I needed to get it done if I wanted to continue my career,” Slater said.

“They said if I kept playing, it could have jeopardised my career and even my active life after football.

“It was quite tough not being out there (in the Origin decider), that night was something special.

“It will be hard to watch the finals but the operation was a success and I can’t wait to get back playing again.”

Slater has missed the past two Nines tournaments because of injury and is sure to be a revelation with his speed and fitness.

“I remember playing Sevens in my first year in Melbourne, the Nines will be a good test for me,” he said.

“There’s no end-of-season tour for the Australian side this year so I think you will see a lot more rep players at the Nines next season.

“It’s a great concept, you get that space to move so it’s the ideal tournament to make my comeback.”