A NEW challenge, a new code.

Legendary Melbourne Storm fullback Billy Slater is honest when asked about his knowledge of AFL, admitting he doesn’t understand it despite joining St Kilda’s football staff for 2019.

But that’s not what his role is about.

Driving leadership, high standards and professionalism in preparation will be the focus for Slater, who played 319 NRL games for Storm in AFL territory.

“Whether I attend games and get involved in the nitty gritty of preparing for a game... I don’t understand AFL and I don’t come here as a specialist AFL coach,” he said.

“Hopefully I can just input what I know and what I’ve experienced in my career.

“Around the specifics of the skills of the game are different but at the end of the day we’re a team trying to strive for one goal.

“I think early in the pre-season I’ll be listening more than talking, trying to work out what makes the St Kilda Football Club tick and just try and implicate some of the things that I’ve picked up over my career, some of the standards, some of the leadership qualities that I’ve been able to pick up and accumulate over 16 years in the NRL. If that helps this young and exciting group, well hopefully I can do that.”

Slater said he was never formally approached to switch codes during his NRL career, and says his post-retirement gig doesn’t count as a code switch either — he’ll still be involved with the Storm, but the role is yet to be determined.