McQueen confident he can revive career

[TheDaBoss]


[
WESTS TIGERS
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# McQueen confident he can revive career after Maguire reunion

Author

Brad WalterNRL.com Senior Reporter

Timestamp

Mon 18 Feb 2019, 04:05 PM


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Chris McQueen knew he’d have to answer some tough questions in his first discussion with new Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire.

McQueen played four seasons under Maguire at South Sydney and the pair won a premiership together in 2014 so the former representative back-rower was well aware of the incoming coach's tendency to get straight to the point of matters.

“The very first conversation I had with him I told him that I am here, I do want to be here and I obviously want to get back into the team,” McQueen said.

“In case there was any doubt or any thought that I was maybe going to move on, I just made it clear that I am here and I am willing to give my all for the team.”

Last season was the most difficult and frustrating one McQueen has endured in his 10-year career with Souths, Gold Coast and the Tigers after undergoing delicate neck surgery to prevent permanent neck surgery.

Having made his England debut in 2017 against Samoa, he managed just three NRL appearances last year as he struggled for fitness and form at his third Telstra Premiership club.

The dramatic fall from grace for a player who made more than 150 NRL appearances and played six Origins for Queensland forced him to question his future but the 31-year-old insists he was always confident of turning it around.


Chirs McQueen has been ripping in over the off-season.©weststigers.com.au

"It was definitely the most frustrating year of my life," he said.

"I started the season a long way off the mark and it was really difficult for me to catch back up. I reckon it probably took the best part of three-quarters of the year just to even feel like I was on the pace of the game.

"It’s not like riding a bike. I knew what I wanted to achieve and I know how to play rugby league but I just couldn’t do it. The first carry or the second carry of the game I would be absolutely gassed, and just feel like I was getting dominated from the very start.

"I never thought about giving it away but obviously, you do question your place in squads or in teams. I really struggled to get a start in first grade but I knew that with a full pre-season under my belt, a full weights program, I could get back to my best footy and I am confident I will have a good year."

Maguire’s appointment after the departure of Ivan Cleary has added to McQueen’s optimism as he played his best football under the former Wigan mentor from 2012 to 2015 at Redfern.

McQueen was released by Souths to enable the club to re-sign Sam Burgess after his return from rugby union in England and he joined Gold Coast before linking with the Wests Tigers last season.

>

Brooks not ready to reveal his halves partner

"With the way that I played last year, I am not sure that me and Ivan were on the same page and that is fine - that is the way rugby league goes - but I was really excited to see that Madge was coming on board," he said.

"Madge helped me achieve some of the goals I have had since the day I begun playing rugby league, and I know what he expects and what style of footy he likes to play.

"In the rugby league world things happen and people move on so I certainly had no hard feelings when I left Souths. That’s the way footy is now and I was actually really excited when he signed with the club

 

[jirskyr]

I really find his comments interesting mid-article, about believing he knew how to play and what was expected of him, yet he also couldn't produce it.

This is a rare type of insight into players who fall right out of form, and you wonder if they can really ever get it back. And sometimes even if their head is right they can't get it back; other times the form does come back.

I'm sure having your neck done doesn't help and it's amazing how important a full pre-season is, i.e. how many players just can't compete properly over the 12 months if their preparation is impacted by matters out of their control.

 

[Spud_Murphy]

Really like McQueen, hope he can get back to his best form this season. If he does, it will benefit us immensely.

 

[WT2K]

I think with any major injury, the mental side of it is the hardest part to overcome once deemed fit.
Would be great for us if he does rediscover his old self on the field.

 

[colmcd]

i see McQueen as a little like Ben Ross.
The neck injury was very serious. He won't ever be 100% normal, but after the break he may get close. But if he is ever going to find form it will be under Madge.

We have him on our team. Had we known (unsure if we did) how bad this injury was we should never ever have signed him. Yet we have him, lets see some fire kid.

 

[Harvey]

If he can’t improve, he should do the right thing and retire

 

[earl]

There is no chance of this happening. I bet he needs the money.

 

[cochise]

Had we known (unsure if we did) how bad this injury was we should never ever have signed him.

The injury was after he signed with us.

 

[Silentio]

Fingers crossed for him, but I have my doubts.

Last year he struggled for the magpies, where he was playing against part timers.

I sure hope he proves me wrong.

 

[Crucible]

Accepting that it was a poor recruitment decision in the first place, I think its agreed that its hardly the players fault. I wish him well, because at his best he adds a bit of mongrel, something that we don't have.

 

[happy_tiger]

Lose of form ??

More like your brain writing cheques your body can't cash anymore

I'll be surprised at 31 whether he gets back to his best form , I certainly hope so , he would add an extra dimension to our side

 

[jirskyr]

I agree I think he's a spent force, it's just interesting to me how he described his loss of form… don't normally hear players put it in those terms.

 

[momo_amp_medo]

I just have a feeling that he may have a turnaround year under Madge.
Hope I’m right because we could do with a on form player of his experience.

 

[Spartan117]

I hope he kicks back into gear.

He was an origin player.

Shame if he just fizzles out

 

[jadtiger]

Very few people can defy age and even less can defy wear and tear of the body.Playing arguably the hardest bodily contact sport it will be very difficult for him.

 

[Snake]

You have to be honest with yourself and recognise the situation one is in before you can move forward . I give him credit for the honesty and it shows he is in the right frame of mind to recoup at least a major part of the form he once had this can only be a positive for himself and the team .

 

[happy_tiger]

I'm not knocking the bloke at all , but when the body doesn't respond when and how you want it at his age and how he played the game and his lack of size it is almost impossible to turn the clock back

I wish him well and hopes he shoves my words back down my throat

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

I understand what you're saying. I have had two meniscus tears in less than 2 years. I'm a cripple at the moment because it's just done itself in again.

The recovery of these blokes who get over stuff like that in fractions of the time is amazing in itself. This dude is still playing after a neck injury.

I hope we see his best this year but I can't blame him for not recognising his reestablished limits.

 

[Harvey]

Most of these blokes will “recover” because they have a decent income and no skills that could earn them a comparable amount outside the NRL.

They will get back on the field, but whether they ever return to their best is debatable.

 

[Spartan117]

In truth its Easy enough for him to collect 2 years of income for doing very little.