Pain in the neck forcing Tallis to quit

[Grantwhy]

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/08/31/1093852186235.html

Pain in the neck forcing Tallis to quit

By Steve Mascord and Brad Walter
August 31, 2004

Former Australia captain Gorden Tallis yesterday confirmed his intention to retire at the end of the season, identifying a tackle in May as a catalyst for his decision.

The Brisbane captain was dumped heavily by St George Illawarra's Mark Gasnier and Lance Thompson at Suncorp Stadium on May 28 and has admitted it damaged his morale.

"I was enjoying my football more than I had in two years," Tallis wrote in his Courier Mail newspaper column today, "... until ... I got dumped on my head and hurt my neck again.

"It was the first time since 2001 that I had missed games because of my neck and I have to admit I lost a bit of confidence after that tackle."

Elsewhere, Tallis's former Broncos clubmate Ben Walker has spoken to Sydney Roosters coach Ricky Stuart about playing alongside brother Chris there next season.

Walker, who has not played this year after being released by Manly following knee surgery, initially wanted to join his other brother, Shane, at South Sydney but did not fit into the Rabbitohs' plans.

Although he would be salary-cap exempt if signed on an incentive-based second-tier contract, the Roosters may be able to afford the 27-year-old only if his former Manly halves partner, Luke Dorn, were to leave.

"Ben Walker (is) not without talent, and he has been given the courtesy of consideration because Chris is very well liked at our club," said Roosters chief executive Brian Canavan, "but we do have Luke Dorn on our books for 2004."

Souths prop Scott Geddes (careless high tackle), Parramatta second-rower Craig Stapleton (striking) and Manly forward Anthony Watmough (dangerous throw) have played their last matches this season unless they successfully challenge charges laid yesterday.

 

[Grantwhy]

http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,10617494%5E10389,00.html


Time to quit but I'm happy

Gorden Tallis
31aug04

I SUPPOSE I always knew this might be my last season of rugby league but I have delayed the decision for as long as I could because I'd like to go on forever.

It was logical to think 2004 would mark the end for three main reasons – my age, the fact that I was coming off contract with the Broncos and had no desire to play anywhere else, and the ever-present shadow of my neck problem.

None of them by itself was enough to push me towards retirement but when I added them up it just seemed to fit.

I wasn't really happy with the way things had gone in 2002 and 2003. I didn't think I was a passenger for the Broncos or anything like that but I knew I wasn't playing at a standard where I wanted to play.

Coach Wayne Bennett was wonderful through it all. The last thing you want when you are struggling is for someone to criticise you and Wayne never did that. He just said: "If you're struggling, I'll give you a week off."

Late last year, I sat down with Wayne and told him I thought this could be my last season. He told me to enjoy my football and not worry about being forced into a decision. "Just see how you go," he said.

I took the tip, put thoughts of retirement on the backburner and just went out to enjoy myself. And it was working, too, because I was enjoying my football more than I had for two years. I was fresh from not playing rep football and just feeling pretty good about things.

That was until the St George Illawarra game at Suncorp Stadium late in May when I got dumped on my head and hurt my neck again.

It was the first time since 2001 that I had missed games because of my neck and I have to admit I lost a bit of confidence after that tackle, and I've got to tell you there's nothing worse for a footballer than to lose confidence.

We're a lot like boxers, we have to think we're invincible out there and if we start to worry about getting hurt, we're in trouble.

The things I've enjoyed most this season have been being part of the Broncos' revival and watching the emergence of young talent at the club.

We finished the 2003 season with eight losses on the trot and a lot of people were questioning whether the current Broncos deserved to be mentioned in the same breath as the great Broncos teams of the past. We had some questions to answer from within as well because we felt we had lost the ability to win games.

We never lost the desire, of course, but no matter what we did we just couldn't seem to win.

The same thing has happened to Newcastle this year.

Nothing has gone right for them as far as injuries, refereeing decisions and even the bounce of the ball, and that's the way it is when you're struggling.

I'm not sure how the Broncos turned things around this year but it has to have something to do with the emergence of young guys like Karmichael Hunt, Neville Costigan, Tommy Learoyd, David Stagg and Sammy Thaiday because they weren't really part of the infamous slump.

When the likes of Dane Carlaw and Co emerged at the Broncos I was too busy with my own game to take a lot of notice of them but I've been able to keep a closer eye on the new lot coming through and reckon this has to be the best group of youngsters to emerge at any club for a long time. And they're a nice bunch of guys, too.

When my son Ethan is 10 or 11, I'll be taking him to Broncos games and pointing at Karmichael and saying: "I used to play in the same side as him, son." Hopefully he'll believe me.

So the decision to retire has been made and I'm not whingeing about anything. I'm 31 and I've played a game I love for the best part of 24 years.

I've captained my club, my state and my country; I've been lucky enough to play with and against some of the greatest players the game has produced – Mal Meninga, Allan Langer, Andrew Johns, Darren Lockyer, Wendell Sailor, Shane Webcke, Steve Renouf and many, many others – and I've made lifelong friends along the way.

What more could a kid from Townsville ask for?

 

[uncle chop chop]

a punch in the face :lol:

 

[Pigskin]

he'll play a few games next year when we need him ... and cost nothing to boot :lol:

will look good turning out for the 2005 edition of the baby Broncos also

how do you like dem apples ?

Oink !