England will no longer have to combat the mercurial talent of Billy Slater after the Australia full-back became the latest Kangaroo to announce his retirement from representative rugby league.

Slater dropped the bombshell announcement on the Queensland team at a press conference on Tuesday, revealing the 2018 State of Origin series would be his last.

Slater’s announcement overshadowed Greg Inglis’ first scheduled media appearance as Queensland captain.

The Melbourne all-time great follows the decision of Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston to step down from representative football, bringing to an end a golden era for the Maroons and the Kangaroos.

Now 34, Slater said he had been toying with the prospect of retirement for 12 months and is still to commit to continuing with the Storm for 2019 and beyond.

“I just feel it’s time,” Slater said. “To be honest, I can’t give you a real answer on why exactly, but I’m 35 this year, this will be my 15th year for Queensland.

“I had a fair indication that the World Cup last year would be the last time I played for Australia, it’s been on my mind for a while, I always felt this would be my last Origin series.”

Slater’s last appearance for the Kangaroos was in December’s World Cup final victory over England. Australia’s only Test match in 2018 will be against New Zealand in October.

Maroons coach Kevin Walters admitted he was “a little bit shocked” by Slater’s decision.

“This time last year I was nearly in tears because we didn’t have him in the team and now he gets to go out on his terms,” Walters said.

“Billy Slater epitomises what Origin is all about, a kid who makes it from the bush and turns the game upside down.

“He has been phenomenal for Queensland.”

If Slater plays all three games in this Origin series, he will finish on 32 games for Queensland over a 15-year period and take him past the appearance records of Origin icons Brad Fittler and Wally Lewis.