League: Slater over 'that pass' - just don't mention it

Kangaroos fullback Billy Slater says he has moved on from his infamous brain explosion in the World Cup final against the Kiwis. Photo / Getty Images

BRISBANE - The message from Billy Slater was clear - get over it.

Sick of being remembered in the World Cup final for all the wrong reasons, the Australian fullback insisted he had moved on from his infamous brain explosion ahead of Friday night's re-match with New Zealand at Brisbane.

And he clearly wished everyone else would too, judging by his icy response on Monday.

Six months ago Slater's spectacular gaffe sparked a remarkable Kiwi fightback that sealed a shock 34-20 World Cup win over the Kangaroos at Suncorp Stadium.

But his "what were you thinking?" pass that gifted Benji Marshall a match-turning try still appears to be a touchy subject.

Slater was all smiles when he arrived in the Australian team camp at Brisbane - until "that pass" inevitably came up again.

"You can't change what has happened in the past. If I could I would love to go back and change what I did," Slater said.

"You've just got to move on. There's another game to be played."

When asked if he would again back himself against their World Cup conquerors, Slater said: "You've just got to get over it - because I have."

Slater may want to forget the incident but there will be no escaping it in the team camp thanks to new Australian coach Tim Sheens.

The meticulous Kangaroos mentor said he recently discovered the Australians had not analysed the World Cup final game tape in the fallout over the boilover.

"Funny enough the players haven't de-briefed from that (World Cup final)," Sheens said.

"Obviously after the game they were pretty upset about the whole thing.

"So we will have a talk about that tomorrow, what went wrong, what they need to do to get it right."

But Sheens felt it was unfair that people had pointed fingers at Slater.

"He is still well and truly one of, if not the, top notch fullbacks in the game," Sheens said.

"I don't think he is under any threat.

"He was just trying to get things started (in the World Cup final when he made the telling mistake).

"He plays his game on the edge but he is good enough to do it.

"He may look back and say `I wish I hadn't done that', but at the end of the day the whole side can look back and think `I wish I hadn't have done that'.

"(Skipper) Darren (Lockyer) scores that try (in the first half) the game is a different game.

"There's never much in these things. I wouldn't blame him (Slater) and I don't think too many in the business have blamed him."

- AAP