Paul Green's family break silence on Billy Slater comments

Paul Green's family have released a statement in the wake of Billy Slater's apology saying they regret that his name was ever brought into the Maroons coach's public stoush with Aaron Woods.

Green's name was alluded to by Slater when discussing the negative effects that derogatory terms like "grub" can have on people's mental health.

Slater had been responding to a slur from Woods a week ago but his comments backfired when he suggested that "maybe the last coach didn't" handle criticism well.

Green, who led Queensland in 2021, lost his battle with mental health in 2022.

Amid a wave of fury over Slater's comments, the Queenslander was forced to apologise on Wednesday morning during which he revealed he had spoken with Green's widow Amanda.

“Yesterday I wrongly made the link between Paul Green’s death and the stress and pressures of coaching, which wasn’t accurate nor was it appropriate,” Slater said in a statement to reporters.

“I feel terrible about what I said and I spoke to Amanda Green this morning and apologised for any hurt that it may have caused her and her family .

“I just want to say this, Paul had CTE. It’s a different disease to what I was referring to . Once again I’m deeply and genuinely sorry. Thank you.”

Since Slater's apology, Paul's brother Rick Green released a statement on behalf of the family.

"The family regrets that Paul's name was brought into the current narrative and the manner this has been done," it said.

"The family wants to reiterate that we love Queensland and its team. We also bear great respect for the person charged with the team's performance.

"It was unfortunate that Mr Slater made the reference that he did, but he has responded appropriately and apologised without reservation.

"We sincerely wish him the best in his role as the coach of our state team."

What happened before today?

A week after Woods called Slater a grub on national radio, the Queenslander returned serve calling the ex-Blue out for using derogatory terms and preaching a message around mental health.

“When you degrade someone personally in a derogatory manner, you probably don’t deserve one of those privileged positions that you’re all in, that we’re all in,” said Slater on Tuesday.

“When you hold a position in the media or in our game, I feel that’s a privilege and with that privilege comes a responsibility.

“I sit in that position most weeks and you amplify your voice to millions of people.

“I get the attention in our game. I get that. Our game creates attention, but there’s a responsibility with that attention.

“You don’t know what people are going through.

“Although I might be able to handle it, the next person mightn’t be.

“Maybe our last coach (Green) didn’t.”

SEN's Andrew Voss slammed Slater saying he had unnecessarily re-opened painful wounds for the Green family.

"Paul Green was diagnosed after his death by suicide with CTE," Voss said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.

"His wife, Amanda, stated at the time that the CTE diagnosis provided some closure for the family and explained his changes in behaviour.

"That's where it had to be left. You cannot bring the memory of Paul Green into anything that happened here between Billy Slater and Aaron Woods.

"It's wrong and you can't do that out of respect.

"I think Billy was out of order referencing the late Paul Green. He went too far.

"Deal with your own response but don't bring others into it. That was beyond talking about Origin.

"Maybe Billy regrets that but the way he delivered it, it wasn't off the cuff."

Beau Ryan, who co-hosts a radio show with Aaron Woods, said the whole thing had become too big. “It took a dark turn yesterday. From where I’m standing, Billy was waving the white flag,” he said.

“It looked like he’s had a week to reply, you’ve called him a grub - I don’t know if grub means something different in Queensland - he was a grubby player and all that.

“It’s festered out of proportion and it’s been the only thing people have been talking about before the game, which isn’t right.”

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