tigersrule4life
New member
PREMIERSHIP-winning prop and new Cronulla Sharks signing Bryce Gibbs played the latter part of the season — including the NRL finals series — with a fractured kneecap.
A member of the 2005 premiership-winning Wests Tigers team, Gibbs could not train at all leading up to each game day.
‘‘We were down on troops and the coach [Tim Sheens] asked if I could guts it out for the rest of the season’s big games,’’ said Gibbs, who was already signed by the Sharks for three years from this season on.
‘‘I missed a game and struggled through … it was pretty tough.’’
After the Tigers we were finally knocked out by the New Zealand Warriors, Gibbs immediately went under the knife.
‘‘It was a real mess and they ended up cutting off half my knee cap in the operation,’’ he said, examining the scars.’’ The operation ended a traumatic and eventful season at Wests Tigers.
Gibbs and fellow young prop Andrew Fifita came to the Sharks as a ‘‘package deal’’ after the Tigers went after Melbourne’s Kiwi international prop, Adam Blair, halfway through last season.
The on-going shelling of Tigers players during the season — the Tigers were taking up an option to extend Fifita’s contract for another 12 months before deciding to release him to Cronulla — left ructions in the Tigers camp.
‘‘I actually wanted to play for the Sharks halfway through the season,’’ Gibbs admitted.
‘‘It was a tough time ... and I felt I needed a new challenge there and then and I spoke to ‘Flanno’ [coach Shane Flanagan] about it.’’
But Gibbs stayed until the end.
One of the more experienced NRL props in the competition with 160 first grade games, Gibbs, 27, says he is now enjoying his first preseason training session relatively pain-free. Co-incidentally, Gibbs fractured his other kneecap in 2010.
‘‘Up until now, I’d always been recovering from surgery, and hardly got to train at all in the off-season,’’ he said. ‘‘So I’m looking forward to training with my new teammates right up to the season proper, as my knee is a lot better now.’’
By the time Gibbs left Wests Tigers, he had been a regular in the starting team for several years, proving himself one of the best props in the NRL, especially his rugged defence.
Gibbs plans to fine down in weight, too, with the prospect of playing more game time under coach Flanagan each week.
‘‘Sheens used all his bigger men in set 20-minute bursts,’’ he said. ‘‘I know Flanno wants me to go further, if all is going well.
The Sharks play their first 2012 trial game when they host premiers Manly at Toyota Stadium on February 3.
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http://www.theleader.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/new-era-for-gibbs/2432775.aspx
A member of the 2005 premiership-winning Wests Tigers team, Gibbs could not train at all leading up to each game day.
‘‘We were down on troops and the coach [Tim Sheens] asked if I could guts it out for the rest of the season’s big games,’’ said Gibbs, who was already signed by the Sharks for three years from this season on.
‘‘I missed a game and struggled through … it was pretty tough.’’
After the Tigers we were finally knocked out by the New Zealand Warriors, Gibbs immediately went under the knife.
‘‘It was a real mess and they ended up cutting off half my knee cap in the operation,’’ he said, examining the scars.’’ The operation ended a traumatic and eventful season at Wests Tigers.
Gibbs and fellow young prop Andrew Fifita came to the Sharks as a ‘‘package deal’’ after the Tigers went after Melbourne’s Kiwi international prop, Adam Blair, halfway through last season.
The on-going shelling of Tigers players during the season — the Tigers were taking up an option to extend Fifita’s contract for another 12 months before deciding to release him to Cronulla — left ructions in the Tigers camp.
‘‘I actually wanted to play for the Sharks halfway through the season,’’ Gibbs admitted.
‘‘It was a tough time ... and I felt I needed a new challenge there and then and I spoke to ‘Flanno’ [coach Shane Flanagan] about it.’’
But Gibbs stayed until the end.
One of the more experienced NRL props in the competition with 160 first grade games, Gibbs, 27, says he is now enjoying his first preseason training session relatively pain-free. Co-incidentally, Gibbs fractured his other kneecap in 2010.
‘‘Up until now, I’d always been recovering from surgery, and hardly got to train at all in the off-season,’’ he said. ‘‘So I’m looking forward to training with my new teammates right up to the season proper, as my knee is a lot better now.’’
By the time Gibbs left Wests Tigers, he had been a regular in the starting team for several years, proving himself one of the best props in the NRL, especially his rugged defence.
Gibbs plans to fine down in weight, too, with the prospect of playing more game time under coach Flanagan each week.
‘‘Sheens used all his bigger men in set 20-minute bursts,’’ he said. ‘‘I know Flanno wants me to go further, if all is going well.
The Sharks play their first 2012 trial game when they host premiers Manly at Toyota Stadium on February 3.
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http://www.theleader.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/new-era-for-gibbs/2432775.aspx
