Billy Slater deserved more respect from fans - Smith

An unimpressed Cameron Smith says Billy Slater deserved more respect from fans after they booed the retiring Melbourne great throughout the NRL grand final at ANZ Stadium last night.

Smith cut a forlorn figure after the Storm's 21‑6 loss to Sydney Roosters but still bristled when the fans' treatment of Slater was brought up, agreeing it was disrespectful.

Slater, is considered the game's greatest fullback but he is clearly not the most popular after controversially escaping a shoulder charge ban to draw the curtain on his 16 season career in the grand final.

The former Test No.1 was jeered every time he touched the ball, even copping them before he even got onto the field.

Boos echoed around ANZ Stadium when Slater's name was mentioned in the list of NRL 2018 retirees honoured pre‑match and received another serve when footage of him warming up in the dressing room lit up the venue's big screen.

[Source:TVNZ]

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