Andrew Johns Retires - It's Official

[RABK]

http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/absolutenm/templates/mediareleases.asp?articleid=1061&zoneid=1














http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21532876-5001021,00.html

EXCLUSIVE by Phil Rothfield and Dean Ritchie
April 10, 2007 12:00
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ANDREW Johns, the greatest rugby league player in the world, will announce this afternoon that he is quitting rugby league after meeting with his doctor and management today.
The Daily Telegraph Online can reveal the man regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time will announce his retirement at a 4pm press conference.
He reached his decision over lunch with his manager John Fordham in Newcastle today meeting with spinal specialists and undergoing cat scans on the neck injury he suffered last Thursday in a collision with team-mates Daniel Abraham and Adam Woolnough.
He was due to tell his Knights' teammates this afternoon at 3pm.
The 32-year-old half-back will be recognised as one of the greatest players in the history of rugby league - some even believing him to be the best.

Johns was part of Newcastle's premiership-winning sides in 1997 (ARL) and again in 2001, when he led the Knights to a 30-24 win over Parramatta.

In a stellar career, Johns played 23 State of Origin games for NSW and represented Australia in 21 Test matches, including the 1995 World Cup and the 2001 Kangaroo tour.

Johns, who has scored more points and played more games for Newcastle than any other player in the club's history, injured his neck previously during a match against Manly in 2002.

 

[Gene Krupa]

I'll believe it when I hear it.

 

[Stranger]

If this is another 'Simpson to manly', imma be mighty pissed :lol: !

 

[RABK]

Same here mate, but as bad as the Tele is Johns is good friends with those two Journo's and they'd know exactly what is going on.

 

[Frederick]

Same here mate, but as bad as the Tele is Johns is good friends with those two Journo's and they'd know exactly what is going on.

Unless they lost money on the Raiders game and are a bit pissed with him ;-)

 

[RABK]

Please take note it does not say 'retire effective immediately'. It just says 'quit'

Could be the tele hyping it up, it might still play out 07.

 

[Misanthrope]

The article doesn't say when he's going to retire. Maybe he'll retire post season?

*Crosses fingers*

 

[Nuffy]

I'm surprised that it was posted at 12pm and then nothing on any of the other services including news.com.au?

You'd hope that there was a little more meat behind it than pure speculation based on a news conference being pushed back.

Anyway, what ever happens...............................happens.

We'll know in an hour.

 

[B-dos]

i have some inside (but unsubstantiated) info that there is some other announcement to be made this afternoon in relation to other players. something about bad behaviour over the weekend...

 

[Tams]

A lady I work with just heard it on the 3 o'clock Canberra news - that he's going to announce it at a press conference this afternoon.

 

[Nuffy]

RBK, thats what its more than likely going to be, he'll finish this year.

You'd have thought a "out of the game today" announcement would be channel 9's exclusive property, not a news conference in Newcastle.

 

[RABK]

Hope you're right Nuffy, hoping with all my heart.

 

[astrogirl]

http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/joey-holds-back-big-news/2007/04/10/1175971071885.html

League legend calls it a day
Andrew Webster | April 10, 2007 - 3:08PM

Newcastle halfback Andrew Johns has played his last game of rugby league and will announce at 4pm today that he has retired.

Sources close to Johns have told smh.com.au that he has a bulging disk in his neck and he has decided to retire immediately.

Edit: formatting (quotes)

 

[Gene Krupa]

http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/joey-holds-back-big-news/2007/04/10/1175971071885.html

Could just be a knee jerk to the Tele announcement.

 

[Gene Krupa]

Lucky I bought some cheap Humpty Dumptys today.

I might need something to cheer me up.

 

[RABK]

It's what i was thinking Gene but i get the feeling we're all just clinging to hope.

 

[RABK]

Absolutely Shattered...

 

[Godz Illa]

Great player, great career. Achieved it all. Would like to have seen him in that All Golds memorial match but otherwise, he should have no regrets.

 

[Misanthrope]

You know, despite never having much time for him as a person off the field (and sometimes on it), I can't but be saddened by the end of a golden era. I have no doubt we'll never quite enjoy the dizzying heights that he lead us to between 1997 and 2002 - years where we seemed to be amongst the top sides at all times, and there's no denying he had a huge part in that.

It's tantamount to tragedy that his last game wasn't a grand final win or an Man of the Match performance - rather a dismal display in a 48-18 loss that most of us roundly criticised him for.

He'll be sorely missed by Knights fans and football fans alike, irregardless of what the jealous rednecks may say. I just hope that the players can pull together in his absence on the field, and that the club and Brian Smith can do what needs to be done off the field to prepare us adequately for his retirement. I don't think any of us want to see us go down the path the Roosters have since Freddy's retirement.

 

[Stuzmeister]

I'm just upset that his last game for us was against the raiders last week. If he played well in his last game I wouldn't be as shattered as I am. Still gutted though.
Farewell Andrew.