NrlChick
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by Matthew O'Neill
North Queensland captain Travis Norton has announced that 2006 will be his last season in the National Rugby League, which will be his 12th after debuting with South Queensland in 1996.
Norton has played 188 first grade games and has appeared in five State of Origin matches in a career that has been plagued by serious injuries along the way along with some outstanding football.
The Moranbah junior was given an opportunity by the Crushers in 1995 and had two very consistent seasons for them in a struggling side before linking up with the Bulldogs. Norton was signed originally as a successor to Terry Lamb at five-eighth but was given a chance by Chris Anderson to play lock and hasn't looked back since.
Norton enjoyed seven highly consistent and at times injury riddled seasons at Belmore and didn't get his due recognition until 2002 when he won selection in the Queensland State of Origin side. Norton was always on the edge from 1998 but he had to wait before he represented the Maroons.
The fallout from the Bulldogs salary cap scandal saw Norton leave the club on very good terms at the end of 2003 and he headed back to Queensland to link with the Cowboys. He was soon made captain of the club and had the honour of leading North Queensland into their first Finals campaign in 2004 and in the club's maiden Grand Final last year. The Cowboys lost to Wests Tigers but Norton maintained his class with a great speech on the presentation stand.
Norton has decided to leave the game on his terms at the end of the season and he can be satisified with what he has achieved with South Queensland, Canterbury and North Queensland and along the way winning State of Origin honours.
The 29-year-old said, "It's something (retirement) I've been thinking about for a while, probably since the end of last year. I think you know within yourself when it's time to give it away.
"I don't want to be someone who was going to run my body into the ground and not be able to do anything after football.
"I've still got another six months of footy in front of me and there's still some goals I want to achieve.
"I think I'm sitting on 188 first-grade games and I want to get to that 200 benchmark. That would be something I'd look back on maybe at the end of my career and say it's something I'm proud of achieving."
Norton said playing in the 1998 and 2005 Grand Finals, playing five State of Origin's for Queensland and being captain of Cowboys semi-final victory against Brisbane in Townsville in 2004 have been his career highlights.
North Queensland captain Travis Norton has announced that 2006 will be his last season in the National Rugby League, which will be his 12th after debuting with South Queensland in 1996.
Norton has played 188 first grade games and has appeared in five State of Origin matches in a career that has been plagued by serious injuries along the way along with some outstanding football.
The Moranbah junior was given an opportunity by the Crushers in 1995 and had two very consistent seasons for them in a struggling side before linking up with the Bulldogs. Norton was signed originally as a successor to Terry Lamb at five-eighth but was given a chance by Chris Anderson to play lock and hasn't looked back since.
Norton enjoyed seven highly consistent and at times injury riddled seasons at Belmore and didn't get his due recognition until 2002 when he won selection in the Queensland State of Origin side. Norton was always on the edge from 1998 but he had to wait before he represented the Maroons.
The fallout from the Bulldogs salary cap scandal saw Norton leave the club on very good terms at the end of 2003 and he headed back to Queensland to link with the Cowboys. He was soon made captain of the club and had the honour of leading North Queensland into their first Finals campaign in 2004 and in the club's maiden Grand Final last year. The Cowboys lost to Wests Tigers but Norton maintained his class with a great speech on the presentation stand.
Norton has decided to leave the game on his terms at the end of the season and he can be satisified with what he has achieved with South Queensland, Canterbury and North Queensland and along the way winning State of Origin honours.
The 29-year-old said, "It's something (retirement) I've been thinking about for a while, probably since the end of last year. I think you know within yourself when it's time to give it away.
"I don't want to be someone who was going to run my body into the ground and not be able to do anything after football.
"I've still got another six months of footy in front of me and there's still some goals I want to achieve.
"I think I'm sitting on 188 first-grade games and I want to get to that 200 benchmark. That would be something I'd look back on maybe at the end of my career and say it's something I'm proud of achieving."
Norton said playing in the 1998 and 2005 Grand Finals, playing five State of Origin's for Queensland and being captain of Cowboys semi-final victory against Brisbane in Townsville in 2004 have been his career highlights.
