'Choked me up': Billy Slater details 'emotional' phone call with Tom Flegler after three-year Origin absence

Billy Slater has opened up on the "emotional" phone call to inform Tom Flegler of his State of Origin, nearly three years after his last appearance for the Maroons.

Flegler's career hung in the balance for the past two years after suffering a serious shoulder injury in early-2024 that nearly forced him into retirement.

After plenty of rehabilitation, the firebrand Dolphins prop made his return to start this season and has hit the ground running, playing nine matches and getting back to the type of football that saw him play for Queensland and Australia.

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Flegler's form impressed Slater enough to not only select him for the Origin opener, but to name him in the starting front-row spot to face the Blues.

Speaking on Nine's The Billy Slater Podcast from inside camp, the coach detailed the moment he told Flegler of his impending comeback to the Origin arena.

"It was quite an emotional phone call and I felt the emotion as well," he said.

"For someone who has been on the journey of a shoulder injury as well and not knowing the destination, you know you've got a tough road ahead.

"It's not gonna be easy, you're not gonna see improvements regularly and you're not gonna know the end result, but you're willing to go through it.

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"There would have been times through Tom Flegler's journey of recovery and rehabilitation that he probably thought 'am I wasting my time?' The thought of playing Origin again for Queensland would have been way out of his thoughts.

"To make that phone call and say, 'Big Fleg, you're gonna be playing for Queensland again', it sort of choked me up a little bit and I could feel the emotion on the other end.

"He's gone through so much hardship, but you can't buy that resilience."

Flegler was one of the game's best big men prior to his career-threatening injury, playing in Brisbane's 2023 grand final defeat before moving to Redcliffe.

The 26-year-old conceded there was an element of "shock" to receiving the call from Slater and said there were plenty of emotions running through him.

"It obviously means a lot to me … I've dreamed of this since I was a kid and I've dreamed of this since the last time I played for Queensland," Flegler told media on Monday.

"I think [I felt] a bit of everything - shock, excitement at the same time - I wasn't sure whether or not I was gonna get the call.

"I didn't cry, but I was a bit emotional myself."

Flegler was also asked how close he came to hanging up the boots and said he always remained confident of getting back onto the field.

"I don't think I was that close, but I had to be realistic," he said.

"The whole time, we stuck strong with the whole rehab process and the Dolphins medical staff have been unreal.

"It's easy saying it now, but we knew we'd get back to playing footy. To get back to this level, probably not … the most realistic thing was getting back to playing NRL."

Since getting back onto the field with the Dolphins this season, Flegler has averaged 95 run metres and 19 tackles per game, only missing seven in total.

He has laid the platform for the Dolphins through the middle of the field and Slater quite clearly has taken notice of what Flegler is bringing to the table.

"There was no one moment - it was the fact that he got back to the type of footy that we know he can play," the legendary Queensland fullback said.

"His ability and capabilities have never been questioned for me, because I've seen what he's done at this level in the past. Having that consistency of regular football and showing those traits, that's what gives you the confidence.

"I just know this footy team needs someone like Tom Flegler in it and I'm looking forward to him taking the field next Wednesday night."