Packer

[rustycage]

Somebody chuck a girl on his shoulders and grab a snapshot. That'll seal the deal given the precedent set last year.

 

[Geo]

It’s always tragic to see a player reach the end of their career through injury. Especially a player who has given and achieved so much.
Was he contracted with a potentially career ending injury?

No he picked up the injury playing reserve grade for us last year.


I don’t think turf toe is something you would get during a game? It’s caused by the toe being ripped away. Very painful, takes months to mend .

Who says it’s turf toe? All I know is he injured his foot in reserve grade last year, had surgery on it but is still struggling to run. Before the injury and surgery he didn’t have any issues with it.


I’m thinking he must have injured his foot at the Dragons and that’s why he was moved on? Interestingly Ivan the terrible named 5 captains. Of course Pecker and Reynolds were obviously an instant success story for the WT and their leadership skills so badly requiring them to be thrust into the captaincies. After picking 5 captains, how is it possible that Ivan could overlook Mbye? I’m guessing if there were 6 captains the next one picked would have been Moses for sure. It must have been difficult for Ivan to keep it to just 5?

Maybe cause Mbye wasn't with the Club at the start of the year..just a guess..

 

[JC99]

It’s always tragic to see a player reach the end of their career through injury. Especially a player who has given and achieved so much.
Was he contracted with a potentially career ending injury?

No he picked up the injury playing reserve grade for us last year.


I don’t think turf toe is something you would get during a game? It’s caused by the toe being ripped away. Very painful, takes months to mend .

Who says it’s turf toe? All I know is he injured his foot in reserve grade last year, had surgery on it but is still struggling to run. Before the injury and surgery he didn’t have any issues with it.


I’m thinking he must have injured his foot at the Dragons and that’s why he was moved on? Interestingly Ivan the terrible named 5 captains. Of course Pecker and Reynolds were obviously an instant success story for the WT and their leadership skills so badly requiring them to be thrust into the captaincies. After picking 5 captains, how is it possible that Ivan could overlook Mbye? I’m guessing if there were 6 captains the next one picked would have been Moses for sure. It must have been difficult for Ivan to keep it to just 5?

If you’re looking at it in terms of medical retirement they would say he got the injury last year. He didn’t need surgery before it and issues only started after the surgery.

Dragons let him go because they knew his performances wouldn’t be nearly as good as he gets older and we offered Packer ridiculous money they wouldn’t want to match.

 

[2005magic]

Safe to say it will take at least a month or two for specialist reports, club submission, NRL and insurance assessment and final NRL decision. That would mean certainly a extra slot to fill by 30 June if NRL agrees. Agree a tough, no nonsense forward leader would be great but who and where from? I don't see much leadership role models being available from NRL ranks although certainly someone might be available with the final club roster merry go round that always happens. I'd also be casting my eyes at ESL props or back rowers for someone that might fit the role

 

[Demps]

This would be a Win Win scenario for both parties.

Medical retirement however needs to be realistic thing

Follow the Sam Burgess precedent.

Yep.
We clearly don't want Packer.

 

[happy_tiger]

It’s always tragic to see a player reach the end of their career through injury. Especially a player who has given and achieved so much.
Was he contracted with a potentially career ending injury?

No he picked up the injury playing reserve grade for us last year.


I don’t think turf toe is something you would get during a game? It’s caused by the toe being ripped away. Very painful, takes months to mend .

But But But @Geo told us it was his hip ....hip bone connected to the turf toe

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

If true this would be extremely positive news for us, not so much for this year but mainly for next year.

 

[twentyforty]

It’s always tragic to see a player reach the end of their career through injury. Especially a player who has given and achieved so much.
Was he contracted with a potentially career ending injury?

No he picked up the injury playing reserve grade for us last year.


I don’t think turf toe is something you would get during a game? It’s caused by the toe being ripped away. Very painful, takes months to mend .

Who says it’s turf toe? All I know is he injured his foot in reserve grade last year, had surgery on it but is still struggling to run. Before the injury and surgery he didn’t have any issues with it.


I’m thinking he must have injured his foot at the Dragons and that’s why he was moved on? Interestingly Ivan the terrible named 5 captains. Of course Pecker and Reynolds were obviously an instant success story for the WT and their leadership skills so badly requiring them to be thrust into the captaincies. After picking 5 captains, how is it possible that Ivan could overlook Mbye? I’m guessing if there were 6 captains the next one picked would have been Moses for sure. It must have been difficult for Ivan to keep it to just 5?

If you’re looking at it in terms of medical retirement they would say he got the injury last year. He didn’t need surgery before it and issues only started after the surgery.

Dragons let him go because they knew his performances wouldn’t be nearly as good as he gets older and we offered Packer ridiculous money they wouldn’t want to match.

Yeh, the Warriors connection, Ivan , Packer, Matulino and co. Loyalty is a good quality, but nepotism doesn’t always provide success.

 

[Geo]

It’s always tragic to see a player reach the end of their career through injury. Especially a player who has given and achieved so much.
Was he contracted with a potentially career ending injury?

No he picked up the injury playing reserve grade for us last year.


I don’t think turf toe is something you would get during a game? It’s caused by the toe being ripped away. Very painful, takes months to mend .

But But But @Geo told us it was his hip ....hip bone connected to the turf toe

?..boil

 

[Tigerboy]

It’s always tragic to see a player reach the end of their career through injury. Especially a player who has given and achieved so much.
Was he contracted with a potentially career ending injury?

No he picked up the injury playing reserve grade for us last year.


I don’t think turf toe is something you would get during a game? It’s caused by the toe being ripped away. Very painful, takes months to mend .

But But But @Geo told us it was his hip ....hip bone connected to the turf toe

?..boil

On his arse? Or was it haemorrhoids..

 

[TrueTiger]

It is a shame how things have ended up for Russ,at his peak he is a very hard running prop who the younger ones could learn from...seeing a quality player end a career with a terrible injury is sad..

Even though many have knocked him and are glad to see him go,he has made it to the elite NRL level and did do his best,I have some compassion for him because he did his best to make up for his faults..

 

[innsaneink]

My most recent memory is his bludging big time stat's

 

[Tigerboy]

It is a shame how things have ended up for Russ,at his peak he is a very hard running prop who the younger ones could learn from...seeing a quality player end a career with a terrible injury is sad..

Even though many have knocked him and are glad to see him go,he has made it to the elite NRL level and did do his best,I have some compassion for him because he did his best to make up for his faults..

Great post TruTig, very respectful and a lot of truth there - not just us condemning a complete stranger (to the majority). He will be crucial one way or another in being good to this club ... sad how many can only see the financial burden/unemotional scenario surrounding journalists like Paul Scumley and totally disregarding the predicament that Packer’s in himself... pretty fickle I reckon

 

[TrueTiger]

My most recent memory is his bludging big time stat's

Well Ink I thought you would have considered all facts before posting,his stats may appear as him bludging to you ,however my considerations would allow for a major injury he may have had and was doing his best for the team under duress,maybe that's why he had bad stats and wasn't seen toward the last have of the previous season...just my assumption because I don't really know....

 

[Tigerboy]

My most recent memory is his bludging big time stat's

Well Ink I thought you would have considered all facts before posting,his stats may appear as him bludging to you ,however my considerations would allow for a major injury he may have had and was doing his best for the team under duress,maybe that's why he had bad stats and wasn't seen toward the last have of the previous season...just my assumption because I don't really know....

You’re pretty much spot on, X marks the spot... on his foot, I posted about 9 months ago that it was chronic and had been a MINOR issue at the drags - looks to have become recurring.

There’s very little chance of a retirement

 

[TrueTiger]

I seem to recall that Benji had an injury that impacted his performances about 6 years ago,not exactly sure how long it was,but the diagnosis was TURFTOE...he got over it and if this is what Russ has maybe he can recover with proper specialist medical help..in my opinion Russ still has a lot to offer the younger players on how to be an elite NRL prop forward...I honestly hope he can recover and end his career favourably...

 

[JC99]

My most recent memory is his bludging big time stat's

Well Ink I thought you would have considered all facts before posting,his stats may appear as him bludging to you ,however my considerations would allow for a major injury he may have had and was doing his best for the team under duress,maybe that's why he had bad stats and wasn't seen toward the last have of the previous season...just my assumption because I don't really know....

You’re pretty much spot on, X marks the spot... on his foot, I posted about 9 months ago that it was chronic and had been a MINOR issue at the drags - looks to have become recurring.

There’s very little chance of a retirement

I can’t agree, medical retirement (if they went down that path) would be likely. If they can give one to Sam Burgess for an injury he’s had for years they can give one to Packer for an injury he picked up last year

 

[Strider]

Sorry but a player ending a football career due to injury is not tragic, to those who claim it is. I've changed career 3 times and I'm 36. He hasn't changed career once and he is what 30? Plus he studied too right. Hardly some tragedy we must feel sad if he calls it quits. He made it big he was successful and everything in life is impermanent.

 

[Jimmy]

Safe to say it will take at least a month or two for specialist reports, club submission, NRL and insurance assessment and final NRL decision. That would mean certainly a extra slot to fill by 30 June if NRL agrees. Agree a tough, no nonsense forward leader would be great but who and where from? I don't see much leadership role models being available from NRL ranks although certainly someone might be available with the final club roster merry go round that always happens. I'd also be casting my eyes at ESL props or back rowers for someone that might fit the role

If packer is done will we lack depth in big middles? Sure....but I don’t think we need a tough no nonsense big minutes prop leader....I think we already have him in Twal, everyone is sleeping on the guy but I predict him to be our pack leader for many years to come. Stefano would have been great for depth tho. I think Seyfarth, ET or huth will play lock which will probably free Aloiai into the the prop rotation
Twal, mikaele, Musgrove, Aloiai, Clarke ain’t a bad bunch definitely short one depth prop tho imo

 

[jirskyr]

Sorry but a player ending a football career due to injury is not tragic, to those who claim it is. I've changed career 3 times and I'm 36. He hasn't changed career once and he is what 30? Plus he studied too right. Hardly some tragedy we must feel sad if he calls it quits. He made it big he was successful and everything in life is impermanent.

I'm with you, I never buy into the line that they need to make a life's worth of money in their "short careers".

Reality is all FG footballers earn well more than average wage, even the minimum ones, and it's a tough sport but not any worse than half the jobs regular folks get. Regular folks get made redundant and injured on the job just as much as any footballer.