freQishDog
Waterboy
- Joined
- May 30, 2010
- Messages
- 75
- Reaction score
- 75
Former Australian and NSW prop Mark O'Meley has called time on his 15-year rugby league career due to injury.
The 32-year-old was due to hang up his boots at the end of the year and return home but has brought forward his retirement following scans on the knee he hurt in Hull's 16-0 Challenge Cup final defeat by Wigan.
"It's a premature ending but it's good to be able to say my last game was at Wembley in a big final with a good bunch of guys and all the Hull fans behind us," said the former Canterbury and Sydney Roosters front-rower.
"It's a bit saddening and I wouldn't have minded having a couple of last hit-outs with the boys before retiring at the end of the season but everybody has made me feel welcome, the supporters have been awesome to me, the club's been tremendous and I've made some really good friends here.
"I've had a lot of blokes getting in touch talking about retirement and how you deal with it. It will be a bit difficult but there's a time when everybody has to stop doing what they love.
"I've done it since I was 15 and now I'm at an age where I've got to find the next chapter in my life and I'm pretty comfortable with doing that."
O'Meley, who made 10 State of Origin appearances for NSW and won 15 caps for the Kangaroos, made 90 appearances in his four seasons with Hull.
http://www.nrl.com/mark-omeley-ends-15-year-league-career/tabid/10874/newsid/74462/default.aspx
The 32-year-old was due to hang up his boots at the end of the year and return home but has brought forward his retirement following scans on the knee he hurt in Hull's 16-0 Challenge Cup final defeat by Wigan.
"It's a premature ending but it's good to be able to say my last game was at Wembley in a big final with a good bunch of guys and all the Hull fans behind us," said the former Canterbury and Sydney Roosters front-rower.
"It's a bit saddening and I wouldn't have minded having a couple of last hit-outs with the boys before retiring at the end of the season but everybody has made me feel welcome, the supporters have been awesome to me, the club's been tremendous and I've made some really good friends here.
"I've had a lot of blokes getting in touch talking about retirement and how you deal with it. It will be a bit difficult but there's a time when everybody has to stop doing what they love.
"I've done it since I was 15 and now I'm at an age where I've got to find the next chapter in my life and I'm pretty comfortable with doing that."
O'Meley, who made 10 State of Origin appearances for NSW and won 15 caps for the Kangaroos, made 90 appearances in his four seasons with Hull.
http://www.nrl.com/mark-omeley-ends-15-year-league-career/tabid/10874/newsid/74462/default.aspx
