WENDELL HUSSEY | Cadet | Contact

Retiring Origin great Billy Slater has been thrust back into the headlines again today, after controversially winning the Golden Ball overnight.

The Golden Ball is the award handed out to the best player at the FIFA World Cup, and at 3AM Queensland time last night, outgoing Maroons Fullback, Bily Slater was sensationally announced as the award’s recipient 2018.

This comes just days after the storied Melbourne Storm, Queensland and Kangaroos icon was announced as the player of the Origin series and handed the Wally Lewis Medal.

Slater, who is retiring from representative football this year, sent the Rugby League world south of the Tweed into meltdown last week, when he was given the Wally Lewis Medal despite only playing 2 of the 3 games in a losing side.

Those outside of the Sunshine State went into delirium, bandying around conspiracy theories about the veteran being given the award thanks to bias, pro-Billy sentiment and the selectors desire to send Slater out a winner.

However, the fallout was mainly confined to Rugby League circles, but now Slater has been cast into a whole new controversy with pundits around the globe demanding answers as to just how the boy from Nambour took out one of Soccer’s greatest awards.

SBS’ Football Hosts Lucy Zelic and Craig Foster were visibly confused by the decision.

“Fos, I fail to see how Bileee Slaateerrr can command the votes to win this award, as he hasn’t played a single game at the tournament,” Zelic said live on air.

Foster responded with a long-winded analysis about how Queensland’s complex history influenced the way Slater played football, before admitting he too was confused by the award.

We contacted NSW Expert Gus Gould about the matter and he gave us a one-line answer to all of our questions;

“No, no, no, no, nooo!”