Andrew Johns retires

[jazza93]

nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Andrew Johns retires from rugby league
Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 4:08 PM

Andrew Johns announced his shock retirement from rugby league on Tuesday after being told he risked a "catastrophic" spinal injury by playing on.

The former NSW and Australian captain - regarded as one of the greatest players of all time - said the risks associated with continuing his remarkable 15-year career were just too great.

Johns made his decision following a CAT scan on his injured neck and hours of consultation with Knights club doctor Neil Halpin and spinal specialist Professor John Yeo.

Dr Halpin said the scans revealed a previously undetected disc injury which, while free of painful symptoms, posed serious risk for the Newcastle captain.

"Talking to Neil and the professor I realised how lucky I am that I haven't had a serious neck injury or a serious accident and be in a wheelchair," Johns said.

"Because it only had to be one knock and it was a fairly simple knock that I got at training and I was in agony, so I would hate to think if a full blown hit in the field, what it could've done."

Dr Halpin said the injury was not related to the bulging disc in his neck which forced Johns to miss the last five matches of the 2003 season.

Johns initially hurt his neck in last Monday's 48-18 loss to Canberra, the game which will now go down as the last of his illustrious career.

He aggravated the injury at Knights training last Thursday following a collision with teammates Daniel Abraham and Adam Woolnough.

"It was obvious on Thursday night that he had done some serious damage to his neck - the extent of that was entirely unclear," Dr Halpin said.

"His immediate problem is a facet joint injury in the neck, which is something quite painful but in itself not serious.

"The scanning does confirm a facet joint - but it also shows a disc injury which is not causing any symptoms at all at the moment but is nonetheless quite serious and potentially a cause of a serious neck injury.

"The problem he has is that while his pain at the moment is not a great problem ... he's at serious risk of a serious spinal, or catastrophic, spinal injury if he plays on.

"On that basis we've advised him to retire from football forthwith."

Johns admitted he was shaken by his sudden retirement.

"I'm still in shock," said Johns.

"I was in shock when it happened, just totally numb.

"It was really tough telling my family.

"I made an emotional call to my brother Matthew and it was even tougher talking to the players this afternoon.

"I think the time's right."

Johns labelled his two premierships won with the Knights in 1997 and 2001 as the standout moments of his career, which began with his NRL debut against Gold Coast at Seagulls Stadium in 1993.

He played 23 State of Origin games for NSW and represented Australia in 21 Test matches during a 10-year representative career, including the 1995 World Cup and the 2001 Kangaroo tour.

Johns collected three Dally M awards and two Golden Boots as international player of the year.

Johns ends his career as the greatest point scorer in NRL history with 2176 points from 249 first grade games with the Knights.

[The InnFORCEr]

Just as well he didn't cross codes.

One of Leagues true greats....well done Joey.

[Burgs]

A great shame that he couldn't have the grand send off that he richly deserves but a brave and correct decision from one of the greats of team sports in this country.
Thanks for the memories Joey

[Skiza]

WAAAHHHH!! Joey was the best player ever, no one does a banana kick like he does and his ability to set up tries was par excellence. A brilliant career and no doubt will help out the NRL in some shape or form in the future.

[pruc]

*sigh* best league player i hav ever seen

[JediKnight]

Congratulations on a stellar career, Joey! Future health is a lot more important than one more game.

[Happy]

diet rugby!!

[prop53]

shame yes bothered NO

[Burgs]

Knights draw up hit-list

By Stuart Honeysett and Brent Read
April 12, 2007

NEWCASTLE has drawn up a hit-list of some of the NRL's elite players as it looks to fill the $500,000 void created by Andrew Johns' shock retirement.

The Australian understands the Knights have identified several players they want to sign including St George-Illawarra prop Jason Ryles and Brisbane centre Brent Tate.

Others attracting interest are Luke O'Donnell, Joel Clinton, Brent Kite, Ben Roberts, Paul Whatuira, Bronson Harrison, Richie Williams, Brett Kimmorley and Ben Hornby.

Knights coach Brian Smith and other officials are evaluating the club's roster as they have a host of first-grade players off contract.

"It's Brian's first year at the club and we're only four rounds in and he's still assessing the current players," Newcastle football manager Steve Crowe said yesterday.

"That's the priority.

"But we'll definitely recruit next year and the fact Joey's (Johns) not playing gives us a bit more ability to do that."

Johns was on a $500,000-a-year contract with the Knights and was expected to give officials an answer next month whether he intended to take up a one-year option for 2008 or finish his career with English club Warrington.

Those plans have been fast-tracked after the Knights halfback injured his neck at training last week.

Following scans on Tuesday, Johns was advised by medical experts to give the game away or risk a potentially serious injury.

It is understood a Knights official contacted several player managers last week to ask for a list of their off-contract players - not an unusual act but one that takes on more currency following the retirement of Johns.

Most player managers were of the belief the Knights would be major players on the open market.

"They'll be big movers and shakers in 2008," manager Steve Gillis said of the Knights yesterday.

"They've got a lot of players off contract and with Joey's unfortunate exit they're going to have more cash than they bargained for."

SFX Sports player manager George Mimis agreed.

"It's only logical that the retirement of Joey (Johns) would loosen up significant funds for Newcastle to be major players in the player market," Mimis said.

Even though there are several halves options on the open market in Kimmorley, Hornby, Williams and Roberts, Newcastle is not expected to opt for a straight-out replacement for Johns.

They have a ready-made substitute in 20-year-old Jarrod Mullen, who cemented his first-grade spot last year, while fullback Kurt Gidley and hooker Danny Buderus offer plenty of options in attack.

That could leave the club looking to recruit a representative-class forward in Ryles or Kite to beef up their forward pack while Tate would add some spark out wide following the departure of Matt Gidley and Brian Carney to England and Anthony Quinn to Melbourne.

Tate is expected to be squeezed out under the Broncos salary cap and is being courted by rugby union and other National Rugby League clubs.

Historically, Newcastle is not a major player on the NRL's open market, preferring to focus on retention.

The Knights will certainly have their hands full if they intend to keep their 2007 roster intact with Daniel Abraham, Luke Davico, Clint Newton, Adam Woolnough, Josh Perry, Milton Thaiday and George Carmont off contract.

The Sydney Roosters experienced a similar windfall when five-eighth Brad Fittler retired at the end of 2004.

The Roosters used the spare cash to help retain several of their representative players in 2005, before becoming major players on the open market the following season when they lured Braith Anasta and Ashley Harrison to the club.

"I would say at this point in Newcastle's evolution they don't have a great deal of rep players so they'll probably have more space than we did after Freddy's (Fittler) retirement," Roosters chief executive Brian Canavan said.

The reverberations of Johns' shock retirement were still being felt among his teammates yesterday.

Prop Woolnough who, along with Daniel Abraham, had been involved in the collision at training which helped uncover the extent of Johns' neck problem, said the Knights halfback assured him there were no hard feelings.

"Joey said to me a couple of times it's possibly saved his post-football career by not being confined to a wheelchair," Woolnough told the Ten Network.

"If it wasn't for the collision it could have happened in a game with a lot more force and it could have a been a lot more serious.

"So Joey's been really good in saying 'it's not your fault and you probably saved me'."

[jazza93]

wow i never thought of that they could get another 2 or 3 good players with that money. they need someone like tate and maybe a prop.

[Happy]

I wonder when his media career will start - vBet for new commentator at State of Origin game!!

[Burgs]

What do you mean start Happy?
You haven't seen the NRL Footy Show?
He's a guest every couple of weeks

[JediKnight]

maybe they could use the $500k to entice Lote back to the stunted game so that we'd be forever spared the blight on the game they play in heaven!

[Burgs]

Yeah, unfortunate timing there JK, they may have been in the market for Lote.

[jazza93]

i think he will become a sideline commentator for big games and now a regular on the footy show like his brother.