Billy Slater has publicly backed North Queensland Cowboys star Scott Drinkwater following criticism of his performance in the Cowboys' semi-final exit, standing firmly in the player's corner as scrutiny over the game mounts.
Slater moved to defend Drinkwater in the wake of the semi-final defeat, offering his support for the playmaker at a difficult moment in the Cowboys' season. The endorsement from a figure of Slater's standing is a significant show of confidence in Drinkwater as the club reflects on its finals campaign.
Drinkwater had been under the spotlight following the Cowboys' elimination, but Slater's intervention signals that the fullback retains the respect and backing of some of the game's most prominent voices.
