Slater's amazing form in the back end of the season this year saw him pip Benji Marshall by two points for the 2011 NRL player of the year. And with the NRL's (National Rugby League) highest individual award now hanging in his ever-expanding trophy cabinet, the case is getting stronger for his name to be up there with the greats.
Already the debate has raged between commentators, former players and fans on Billy Slater's place among the likes of Clive Churchill and Graeme Langlands, two greats that I never had the opportunity to see play, but Slater's list of achievements are quickly coming to his defence. He has now won virtually every individual honour possible, including the Clive Churchill Medal for NRL Grand Final best on the ground, Wally Lewis Medal for State of Origin player of the series, World Cup Player of the Tournament and Golden Boot International Player of the Year.
However, beyond these awards, it is Slater's consistency that has legends such as Laurie Daley labelling him a "great". While his unpredictable game-breaking attack often marks his headlines, Billy's premier positional play and defence are arguably his best attribute as a fullback.
Attempting to compare him with players from other eras always presents its problems, particularly when you take into account the way that Langlands and Churchill built their legend taking their respective clubs to multiple premierships, or Gary Belcher sparked his with scoring sprees, or the way that Darren Lockyer revolutionised the position into the way it is played today.
But what we do know is that Slater is scoring more points, breaking more lines and saving more tries than ever. And, as marked by his latest Dally M award, as he continues to get better, the case continues to grow stronger.