Riddell with no answer on his future, but he'll try to celebrate anyway
By Steve Mascord
June 5, 2004
Most players whose careers are at a crossroads, who are off contract and negotiating with a host of clubs and who have just broken into representative football have better things to think about than post-try celebrations.
Particularly hookers.
But Mark Riddell isn't most players and he certainly isn't most hookers.
Wrapping up training yesterday with St George Illawarra ahead of tonight's WIN Stadium game against North Queensland, he was more than aware of what happened in the corresponding match a couple of years ago.
Riddell made a break from dummy half, split several tackles, ran 40 metres to score between the posts, then jumped the fence, sat down next to a fan eating a hotdog and applauded himself. By popular consensus, it's the best such demonstration in premiership history. After the match, Riddell promised many more such celebrations. But the opportunities haven't come.
"I've always got something saved up but I haven't had the chance to use it since," Riddell said after holding contract talks with Parramatta yesterday.
The same opposition at the same venue would provide an ideal opportunity, right?
"It would be exciting to do it again but we've got to concentrate on winning the game first," he answered. "I've scored a few tries since then but not in the right way."
So when is the "right time" for a bit of post-try comedy? According to the man nicknamed "Pig": "You've got to be ahead by a fair bit. You've got to be running a distance to score and have no-one around you. And since I'm not very quick, that doesn't happen very often."
Asked for a clue as to the next celebration in his arsenal, the 23-year-old replied: "Um, it involves playing an instrument. It's going to be pretty funny."
Riddell's less-than-funny prospects for remaining at the joint-venture club were underscored yesterday when back-rower Dean Young was re-signed for two years and prop Ashton Sims signed for another season.
Justin Poore, Matthew Head and Jason Ellem were all said to be close to signing new contracts, too, but the goalkicking hooker and crowd favourite has instead been given permission to negotiate with other clubs.
"I hope to make a decision by the end of next week," he said. "So far, there's Parramatta, definitely Cronulla ... we'll just have to wait and see on the others."
He visited the Eels yesterday.
"They've got a very professional setup out there," he said. "I met Brian Smith, everyone was very friendly, and I spoke to Nathan Cayless and Nathan Hindmarsh for a while."
Asked his chances of remaining at St George Illawarra, Riddell said: "It's all even at the moment. I've just got to weigh everything up and make the right decision for myself."
St George Illawarra fans appear to adore Riddell, mimicking his trademark salute when he takes goal-kicks, and a departure would be extremely unpopular. The Bulldogs junior still lives in Sydney but said commuting to Wollongong would not be a factor in his decision. "I've been doing it for four years, it's OK," he said.
With clubs clamouring for his services and post-try celebrations to perfect, it's amazing Riddell has any time for football.
But he said nothing was more important to him right now than the next month of games for the Dragons.
"We've spoken about how important the next month is," he said. "We've got the Cowboys, Penrith, Souths, Wests Tigers and the bye. If we can win all those, we'll be well placed."
And if they can have North Queensland well beaten with plenty of time left in tonight's game, keep an eye on the bloke in the No.9 guernsey.
