natheel
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By Andrew Johns From: The Daily Telegraph October 02, 2009 12:00AM
THANK heavens Nathan Hindmarsh wasn't a racehorse. He would never have made it past the sale parade ring.
On looks alone, there wouldn't be a trainer or owner out there who would have touched him.
Without wanting to be disrespectful, I've never seen anyone whose back starts at the base of his neck and goes all the way down to his knees. Hindy's does.
He could fit three jockeys on his back, no problem.
But looks aren't everything. Parramatta's inspirational back-rower is living proof.
I remember him when he was a young bloke on the Kangaroo tour in 2000. He ate everything that didn't move and for the whole tour walked around in freezing conditions wearing only boardshorts and a jumper.
The fashion houses of London didn't interest him because they didn't sell flannelette shirts.
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But while he may not have the exterior of the modern-day athlete, I can guarantee his interior is the envy of just about every player in the game.
A big heart drives a massive motor and has done for a long period.
The Eels have had some great players over the years, plenty of them superstars of our game.
Names like Sterling, Kenny, Price, Cronin, Grothe and, before them, Thornett roll off the tongue.
There has been a whole host of others.
But none have been more courageous, more committed or more loyal to the Eels' cause than Hindy.
One moment during the Eels' preliminary final win over the Bulldogs summed up Nathan Hindmarsh as well as any other during his career.
It came in the 69th minute.
Hindy had probably already made 45 tackles and carted the ball forward 16 times to that point in the game.
Even with the miles in his legs from all the training, he would have been feeling the pinch big-time.
So when Mick Ennis darted out of dummy-half with 11 minutes left, you could have forgiven Hindy, who was at marker, for leaving the Bulldogs hooker for someone else to tackle.
You could have understood if, for once, he sat back and had a spell.
But leaving the work for others has never been Hindy's go.
He trailed Ennis through the gap that opened up in the Eels' defence and brought him down from behind before the threat materialised into something more serious. It was a crucial play. Possibly the crucial play of the game, because a try to the Dogs then may have ended the Eels' fairytale run.
Whether it's experience or just his wonderful feel for the game, Hindy just knows where to be when it matters and he drives himself to make sure he gets there.
For all my sledging about Hindy's physique (who am I to talk anyway),
I saw him stripped down at the start of the season and I reckon he has been as fit this season as any time in his career.
From what I remember, Parramatta coach Daniel Anderson wanted him to play a bit lighter than he has been in the past.
Hindy obviously worked his butt off - well, a little bit of it anyway - and has he reaped the benefits of it this season.
He should be one of the first forwards picked for the Kangaroos' Four Nations tour. He deserves it.
He also deserves a premiership ring, along with Nathan Cayless, more than anyone on Sunday.
I doubt there would be a supporter in the game who would begrudge Hindy that.
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Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/nathan-hindmarsh-just-a-freak/story-e6frext9-1225781687629
THANK heavens Nathan Hindmarsh wasn't a racehorse. He would never have made it past the sale parade ring.
On looks alone, there wouldn't be a trainer or owner out there who would have touched him.
Without wanting to be disrespectful, I've never seen anyone whose back starts at the base of his neck and goes all the way down to his knees. Hindy's does.
He could fit three jockeys on his back, no problem.
But looks aren't everything. Parramatta's inspirational back-rower is living proof.
I remember him when he was a young bloke on the Kangaroo tour in 2000. He ate everything that didn't move and for the whole tour walked around in freezing conditions wearing only boardshorts and a jumper.
The fashion houses of London didn't interest him because they didn't sell flannelette shirts.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
But while he may not have the exterior of the modern-day athlete, I can guarantee his interior is the envy of just about every player in the game.
A big heart drives a massive motor and has done for a long period.
The Eels have had some great players over the years, plenty of them superstars of our game.
Names like Sterling, Kenny, Price, Cronin, Grothe and, before them, Thornett roll off the tongue.
There has been a whole host of others.
But none have been more courageous, more committed or more loyal to the Eels' cause than Hindy.
One moment during the Eels' preliminary final win over the Bulldogs summed up Nathan Hindmarsh as well as any other during his career.
It came in the 69th minute.
Hindy had probably already made 45 tackles and carted the ball forward 16 times to that point in the game.
Even with the miles in his legs from all the training, he would have been feeling the pinch big-time.
So when Mick Ennis darted out of dummy-half with 11 minutes left, you could have forgiven Hindy, who was at marker, for leaving the Bulldogs hooker for someone else to tackle.
You could have understood if, for once, he sat back and had a spell.
But leaving the work for others has never been Hindy's go.
He trailed Ennis through the gap that opened up in the Eels' defence and brought him down from behind before the threat materialised into something more serious. It was a crucial play. Possibly the crucial play of the game, because a try to the Dogs then may have ended the Eels' fairytale run.
Whether it's experience or just his wonderful feel for the game, Hindy just knows where to be when it matters and he drives himself to make sure he gets there.
For all my sledging about Hindy's physique (who am I to talk anyway),
I saw him stripped down at the start of the season and I reckon he has been as fit this season as any time in his career.
From what I remember, Parramatta coach Daniel Anderson wanted him to play a bit lighter than he has been in the past.
Hindy obviously worked his butt off - well, a little bit of it anyway - and has he reaped the benefits of it this season.
He should be one of the first forwards picked for the Kangaroos' Four Nations tour. He deserves it.
He also deserves a premiership ring, along with Nathan Cayless, more than anyone on Sunday.
I doubt there would be a supporter in the game who would begrudge Hindy that.
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Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/nathan-hindmarsh-just-a-freak/story-e6frext9-1225781687629
