Slade made his debut late in his first year aged 19 in round 19 against St Kilda in 2002. Slade received a phone call from Mark Thompson two days prior to the match saying that he may be a chance depending on another player.
Slade had two anxious days waiting in limbo before a phone call at 6pm the day before the match confirmed he would play. Thompson said to him “I don’t expect much, just go out and play as well as you have been in the reserves”.
The highlight of Slade’s day was running out onto the ground, due to weather conditions there wasn’t the traditional banner but “it didn’t matter, just running out in front of the crowd was awesome” according to Slade.
Slade was supported at the game by his mum, step dad, dad, step mum and four siblings. The rest of his family stayed in and watched the game on television.
Slade wasn’t at all nervous as he was put on the wing with five minutes to go in the first quarter. “I must’ve played all right because I stayed on for the remainder of the game” he said, “I was also picked the next week”. Slade debuted wearing number 46 but moved to number 12 following Brad Sholl’s retirement.
