Melbourne Storm fullback Billy Slater, one of the top players in the National Rugby League and a 25-test star for Australia, will undergo season-ending left shoulder surgery next week.
Slater confirmed late Thursday that Storm medical staff discovered a muscle tear first sustained in the fifth round. He has played just four matches since, including two State of Origin matches.
Queensland will be without him when the third and deciding Origin match is played against New South Wales in Brisbane on July 8.
Slater says "the battle to get up for the next week is becoming harder, and the shoulder takes longer to settle down, not allowing me to play to my full potential ... the best decision is to undergo surgery now."
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