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Nightingale to retire

getsmarty

Immortal
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33,485
St George Illawarra veteran Jason Nightingale may have played his last NRL game
  • Local Sport
    r249_852_4173_3025_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

    Dragons wing Jason Nightingale might have ended his NRL career in pain after dislocating an elbow

  • Jason Nightingale's NRL farewell likely rests in the fate of his St George Illawarra teammates as the Dragons' fan favourite admits he may have played his last first grade game.

    The veteran wing, who will retire at the end of the year, dislocated his left elbow in an awkward tackle with teammate Jeremy Latimore in Sunday's 38-0 loss to Canterbury.

    Although the elbow was placed back in on the sideline, there are fears he will miss between four and six weeks. Scans on Monday should provide a clearer indication.

    If the time frame is accurate Nightingale might not return until the September 30 grand final - a scenario that appears unlikely after the Dragons dropped their sixth game in eight weeks.

    "I think that might depend on how far we go and that sort of thing, and that's a shame but we will look at the prognosis (on Monday)," Nightingale said.

    "There is a little bit of light until you get the bad news and they tell you how long it is going to be.

    Read more: Dragons fans vent their fury as Bulldogs revive ghost of 2017

    "It felt alright once it got back in and it wasn't that painful, I can push out okay."

    Nightingale has previously injured his right elbow, and was on the comeback from a neck injury when he suffered his latest setback during his 50th and final game at Kogarah.

    Despite the blow, Nightingale said he had been relatively injury-free during his 11-year, 265-game NRL career.

    "I have been lucky with injury, it's a shame it has happened now, but that's rugby league."

    Dragons centre Euan Aitken will also go for scans on a torn hamstring - Zac Lomax will likely come into the side for Saturday's final round clash in Newcastle.

    The Dragons' loss was the worst of any Saints' outfit at the ground dating back back to their first game there in 1950, while it saw them slump to sixth on the ladder.

    After sitting first as recently as round 16, the Dragons now need to flog the Knights and have a myriad of results go in their favour to have a second life come finals time.

    "It's a new competition once you get to finals, but we are limping in there at the moment and it's not good enough," Nightingale said.

    "We saw things out of the bag like North Queensland did last year (to make the grand final from eighth), but you don't want to rely on those sorts of things."

    AAP
https://www.illawarramercury.com.au...ale-may-have-played-his-last-nrl-game/?cs=302
 

nontime111

Juniors
Messages
1,623
thanks for the years of utter damn brilliance Nighty!
One of my all time fave Dragons ever up there in the top 4!
 

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
8,938
What a champion and to think people on this forum knock him and others makes my mind boggle
I dont think many on here have knocked him as everyone knows he was one of the most wholehearted safest player we have had in the past 10 years.
Frankly he just played 1 year too long in 1st grade, but in saying that not his fault...he does not pick the 1st grade team and he is not the only legend to have had just an average last year.
It's just the coaching staff who dont really know their stuff keeping him there to hopefully use him and his experience to solve problems out wide they themselves were to blinkered to solve.
 

Slippery Morris

First Grade
Messages
7,395
For me, the best player in the Red V since the merger. Provided heaps of entertainment, scored some crucial tries (2 in the GF), saved plenty. stayed loyal and most of all played with his heart every game and gave 110%. You could not have asked for more from a player.

Quick question - Does anyone know if Nighty was ever suspended or put on report? I can't ever remember him being on report
 

denis preston

First Grade
Messages
8,157
Good stuff.Must get down there it's only 5 or 6 k from home , Kogarah right ?

Legend off the field as well it looks like and he hasn't had to resort to getting a job post football by leeching off the club.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
I dont think many on here have knocked him as everyone knows he was one of the most wholehearted safest player we have had in the past 10 years.
Frankly he just played 1 year too long in 1st grade, but in saying that not his fault...he does not pick the 1st grade team and he is not the only legend to have had just an average last year.
It's just the coaching staff who dont really know their stuff keeping him there to hopefully use him and his experience to solve problems out wide they themselves were to blinkered to solve.

Yes I agree, he is a real champion who gave his all for the big red V. Maybe he should not have played one more season however his cause was not helped by having such a usless coach who was obsessed with a compressed defensive plan. Being selected on the right wing outside Aitken must also be a nightmare for Nightingale and contributed to some of the impossible tasks he had to complete.
 

getsmarty

Immortal
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33,485
dsc04489.jpg


NINES


Nightingale to end career on own terms at Perth Nines
Author
Dragons.com.au dragons.com.au
Timestamp
Sun 9 Feb 2020, 07:00 AM

St George Illawarra legend Jason Nightingale will run out for the Dragons one last time at the Perth NRL Nines on February 14 and 15 at HBF Stadium.

Nightingale etched his place as a St George Illawarra fan favourite throughout his 12-year career at the Red V, and is looking forward to one last hurrah as a Dragon.

No stranger to the concept, Nightingale will kit up for his third Nines tournament with the Dragons under coach Paul McGregor.

The now 33-year-old produced the third most games and equal-sixth most tries in the history of the Dragons, Steelers and St George Illawarra throughout his illustrious career.

The man affectionately known as 'Gypsy' will look to end his career on his own terms after a dislocated elbow prevented him from featuring in the Dragons' run to the semi-finals prior to his retirement at the end of 2018.

"It's going to be nice to finish my career on my terms, and not with an injury... although I still have to get through the tournament first," Nightingale laughed.

"I haven't done anything competitive for 18 months so it has been exciting to have a purpose to training and an excuse to hang around footballers again.

"It's going to be free-flowing affair with a carnival atmosphere and a great opportunity to not only wheel out the old fellas but also to blood some new, young talent.

"That's why I feel grateful to be a part of this Nines, to receive an opportunity to play with these players who in the coming years will be where they're destined to be in first grade."

The Dragons will formally announce the remainder of their Nines squad in the coming days.


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2020/02/09/nightingale-to-end-career-on-own-terms-in-perth/
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
NRL Nines 2020: St George Illawarra legend Jason Nightingale to return for NRL Nines


$
© Provided by Sporting News
Retired St George-Illawarra winger Jason Nightingale will make a brief rugby league return when he runs out for the Dragons at the NRL Nines in Perth next weekend.

The former Kiwis international retired after the 2018 season, but will lace the boots up one more time as the Nines returns from a two-year hiatus.


It will be the 33-year-old's third Nines tournament for the Red V.

Nightingale's NRL career was cut short midway through the 2018 season when a dislocated elbow sidelined him as the Dragons made the finals.

The cult hero opened his own cafe - Flow Espresso - but says he wants to have a proper farewell from the game.

"It's going to be nice to finish my career on my terms, and not with an injury... although I still have to get through the tournament first," Nightingale told the Dragons' website.

"I haven't done anything competitive for 18 months so it has been exciting to have a purpose to training and an excuse to hang around footballers again."

Nightingale left the game as the Dragons' third most capped player ever, and he's looking forward to seeing the young talent coming through.

"It's going to be free-flowing affair with a carnival atmosphere and a great opportunity to not only wheel out the old fellas but also to blood some new, young talent," he said.

"That's why I feel grateful to be a part of this Nines, to receive an opportunity to play with these players who in the coming years will be where they're destined to be in first grade."

The Dragons will announce the rest of their squad later in the week.

News of Nightingale's return comes as the Dragons learned that forward Jack de Belin could potentially miss the entire 2020 season.

The 28-year-old Dragons and NSW Blues lock is facing five sexual assault charges in relation to an alleged incident involving a woman in December, 2018.

De Belin's trial had been expected to start this month, but after lawyers from both sides debated legal issues, it could be moved back to as late as August.

De Belin missed the entire 2019 NRL campaign after he was banned indefinitely under the code’s controversial no fault stand-down policy last February.

He is ineligible to play until after the trial has concluded.


https://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/rug...to-return-for-nrl-nines/ar-BBZNmYy?li=BBU4PL8
 

Willow

Assistant Moderator
Messages
108,126
NRL Nines 2020: St George Illawarra legend Jason Nightingale to return for NRL Nines


$
:copyright: Provided by Sporting News
Retired St George-Illawarra winger Jason Nightingale will make a brief rugby league return when he runs out for the Dragons at the NRL Nines in Perth next weekend.

The former Kiwis international retired after the 2018 season, but will lace the boots up one more time as the Nines returns from a two-year hiatus.


It will be the 33-year-old's third Nines tournament for the Red V.

Nightingale's NRL career was cut short midway through the 2018 season when a dislocated elbow sidelined him as the Dragons made the finals.

The cult hero opened his own cafe - Flow Espresso - but says he wants to have a proper farewell from the game.

"It's going to be nice to finish my career on my terms, and not with an injury... although I still have to get through the tournament first," Nightingale told the Dragons' website.

"I haven't done anything competitive for 18 months so it has been exciting to have a purpose to training and an excuse to hang around footballers again."

Nightingale left the game as the Dragons' third most capped player ever, and he's looking forward to seeing the young talent coming through.

"It's going to be free-flowing affair with a carnival atmosphere and a great opportunity to not only wheel out the old fellas but also to blood some new, young talent," he said.

"That's why I feel grateful to be a part of this Nines, to receive an opportunity to play with these players who in the coming years will be where they're destined to be in first grade."

The Dragons will announce the rest of their squad later in the week.

https://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/rug...to-return-for-nrl-nines/ar-BBZNmYy?li=BBU4PL8
Cool.
 
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