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In the Fairfax website this morning: http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/new...ke-of-stabbings/2008/06/12/1212863836870.html
"Each time you see Frank Pritchard in a burst of brutality or brilliance, appreciate it, because the international back-rower was a heartbeat from quitting rugby league.
Penrith's most destructive forward reassessed life and his priorities after seeing younger brother Tom stabbed and then nearly die early last year, and now says he couldn't care less if his league career ends prematurely.
"If footy isn't there for me tomorrow, I couldn't give a ********," Pritchard said. "I will find another job to put food on the table for my family.
"I don't really hold it high up there. When you lose someone in your family or come close, it puts everything in perspective. I don't think I've told anyone else this, but I was so close to quitting, I was going to walk away from the game. If my brother had died, I would have definitely retired and gone back to Samoa to live."
Tom was stabbed four times, once in the heart, during a street brawl that involved Frank and other members of the Pritchard family on February 17 last year. Frank also suffered a stab wound. He had to watch his brother cling to life on that Liverpool street, and then in the hospital as doctors desperately worked to save his life.
Tom eventually recovered and recently celebrated the birth of his first child, and Frank believes his family has gained strength through the experience.
"My brother nearly got killed, those things happen very rarely," the 24-year-old said. "For me to come back to the game, it was pretty hard. My family, we are over that hurdle. I think we can look back on that and say we have become a lot stronger. [Tom] has got a little one now, he is living every day as if it's his last, that's his mentality."
Pritchard also has his issues, with the Panthers, who convinced him to see out this season after he wanted a release earlier this year. The issues - reportedly about workload, pay and the direction of coaching - remain unresolved but will be dealt with after the season ends.
"For me, it's about being happy and my family being happy," Pritchard said. "They talk about loyalty in this game but I think it's far from that. Loyalty is a two-way street, and these days it's more like a business for the club.
"I have let the club know. I have given the club their chance, I have given my family a chance. The club has been good to me and at the end of the day I wouldn't want to leave on bad terms. I am trying to be professional about everything.
"A lot of things were said and done at the beginning of the year but I've put that to the side and we'll deal with it at the end of the year. I told them I would see out this year."
So important is Pritchard to Penrith he has been credited with winning games almost single-handedly, but with that has come the weight of expectation which is part of his grievance.
The Kiwi Test player began the season quietly, but has returned to his best form of late and will be a key figure in tonight's match against the Roosters.
"There was a build-up of pressure on game performance. I wasn't enjoying it, I was turning up to training and going through the motions," he said.
"I just found myself not being happy and thought I needed to get away. I think there was a lot of hype, it got to a lot of people, and the expectations I had on myself were much too high.
"Now I've got my head around it and I'm just trying to play consistently. I started the season slow but now I'm happy with the way I'm playing."
Pritchard, who recently started a steam-cleaning business, remains for now in the business of steam-rolling opposing NRL sides.
For how long is a matter for Penrith to worry about, because Pritchard has more important things on his mind."
********************
Gee some worrying comments in this article, seems like there are some issues that remain unresolved, would hate to lose him as he has been one of our best this season.
"Each time you see Frank Pritchard in a burst of brutality or brilliance, appreciate it, because the international back-rower was a heartbeat from quitting rugby league.
Penrith's most destructive forward reassessed life and his priorities after seeing younger brother Tom stabbed and then nearly die early last year, and now says he couldn't care less if his league career ends prematurely.
"If footy isn't there for me tomorrow, I couldn't give a ********," Pritchard said. "I will find another job to put food on the table for my family.
"I don't really hold it high up there. When you lose someone in your family or come close, it puts everything in perspective. I don't think I've told anyone else this, but I was so close to quitting, I was going to walk away from the game. If my brother had died, I would have definitely retired and gone back to Samoa to live."
Tom was stabbed four times, once in the heart, during a street brawl that involved Frank and other members of the Pritchard family on February 17 last year. Frank also suffered a stab wound. He had to watch his brother cling to life on that Liverpool street, and then in the hospital as doctors desperately worked to save his life.
Tom eventually recovered and recently celebrated the birth of his first child, and Frank believes his family has gained strength through the experience.
"My brother nearly got killed, those things happen very rarely," the 24-year-old said. "For me to come back to the game, it was pretty hard. My family, we are over that hurdle. I think we can look back on that and say we have become a lot stronger. [Tom] has got a little one now, he is living every day as if it's his last, that's his mentality."
Pritchard also has his issues, with the Panthers, who convinced him to see out this season after he wanted a release earlier this year. The issues - reportedly about workload, pay and the direction of coaching - remain unresolved but will be dealt with after the season ends.
"For me, it's about being happy and my family being happy," Pritchard said. "They talk about loyalty in this game but I think it's far from that. Loyalty is a two-way street, and these days it's more like a business for the club.
"I have let the club know. I have given the club their chance, I have given my family a chance. The club has been good to me and at the end of the day I wouldn't want to leave on bad terms. I am trying to be professional about everything.
"A lot of things were said and done at the beginning of the year but I've put that to the side and we'll deal with it at the end of the year. I told them I would see out this year."
So important is Pritchard to Penrith he has been credited with winning games almost single-handedly, but with that has come the weight of expectation which is part of his grievance.
The Kiwi Test player began the season quietly, but has returned to his best form of late and will be a key figure in tonight's match against the Roosters.
"There was a build-up of pressure on game performance. I wasn't enjoying it, I was turning up to training and going through the motions," he said.
"I just found myself not being happy and thought I needed to get away. I think there was a lot of hype, it got to a lot of people, and the expectations I had on myself were much too high.
"Now I've got my head around it and I'm just trying to play consistently. I started the season slow but now I'm happy with the way I'm playing."
Pritchard, who recently started a steam-cleaning business, remains for now in the business of steam-rolling opposing NRL sides.
For how long is a matter for Penrith to worry about, because Pritchard has more important things on his mind."
********************
Gee some worrying comments in this article, seems like there are some issues that remain unresolved, would hate to lose him as he has been one of our best this season.
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