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Skipper Minichiello plans to keep playing - with or without his Roosters
April 5, 2013
Michael Chammas
Anthony Minichiello won't retire at the end of the season, but the veteran fullback concedes that doesn't mean he will be at his beloved Sydney Roosters.
The 32-year-old has revealed his intention to play on beyond the end of his one-year contract and enter his 15th season with the tricolours. But if the Roosters reject Minichiello's bid to extend his career, he's vowed not to give up the game altogether, and is hell-bent on pursuing a career as a footballer outside the NRL.
''I'm not going to retire, no way,'' he said. ''I'd love to go again, there's no doubt about it. My body feels great and I want to play on.
''I'm going to play on but I definitely wouldn't play against the Roosters. We're just waiting to see how the season pans out and mid-way through the year have another chat about it.''
English Super League and Italian rugby would be the logical path for the former NSW and Australian fullback to explore but, given the Roosters' start to the season, he may not be forced down that road.
The Roosters captain hasn't been approached by the club about a contract extension, nor does he expect that to happen until the latter stages of the season.
But he insists he is unfazed by the uncertainty around his future.
''The club know my thoughts and how my body is feeling and what my feelings are,'' Minichiello said. ''I'm not going to push any angles with them. I told them that I'm pretty comfortable going deep in the season and working out my future down the track.''
If he goes around again next season, Minichiello could become the 18th player to play 300 first-grade games and the eighth to achieve the feat at one club.
But he'd need to play every match and hope his side makes at least one finals appearance in the next two seasons to reach the milestone.
Minichiello sits on 255 games for the club and is within striking distance of breaking Luke Ricketson's club record 301 first grade games, if he earns a new contract.
Despite playing in his 14th season in the top grade, Minichiello insists his body is up to the challenge of at least another season.
He was dogged by injury midway through his career and played just 33 games in four years between the 2006 and 2009 seasons.
Outside those four years, Minichiello has missed only 17 games in 10 seasons, many of those because of representative duties.
He may well have surpassed Darren Lockyer's record of 355 games if he had played in some of the 65 games he missed through injury.
''My body owes me a couple of years,'' he said.
''I've missed quite a bit of footy throughout my career and I'm going to make up for that now.''
Skipper Minichiello plans to keep playing - with or without his Roosters
April 5, 2013
Michael Chammas
Anthony Minichiello won't retire at the end of the season, but the veteran fullback concedes that doesn't mean he will be at his beloved Sydney Roosters.
The 32-year-old has revealed his intention to play on beyond the end of his one-year contract and enter his 15th season with the tricolours. But if the Roosters reject Minichiello's bid to extend his career, he's vowed not to give up the game altogether, and is hell-bent on pursuing a career as a footballer outside the NRL.
''I'm not going to retire, no way,'' he said. ''I'd love to go again, there's no doubt about it. My body feels great and I want to play on.
''I'm going to play on but I definitely wouldn't play against the Roosters. We're just waiting to see how the season pans out and mid-way through the year have another chat about it.''
English Super League and Italian rugby would be the logical path for the former NSW and Australian fullback to explore but, given the Roosters' start to the season, he may not be forced down that road.
The Roosters captain hasn't been approached by the club about a contract extension, nor does he expect that to happen until the latter stages of the season.
But he insists he is unfazed by the uncertainty around his future.
''The club know my thoughts and how my body is feeling and what my feelings are,'' Minichiello said. ''I'm not going to push any angles with them. I told them that I'm pretty comfortable going deep in the season and working out my future down the track.''
If he goes around again next season, Minichiello could become the 18th player to play 300 first-grade games and the eighth to achieve the feat at one club.
But he'd need to play every match and hope his side makes at least one finals appearance in the next two seasons to reach the milestone.
Minichiello sits on 255 games for the club and is within striking distance of breaking Luke Ricketson's club record 301 first grade games, if he earns a new contract.
Despite playing in his 14th season in the top grade, Minichiello insists his body is up to the challenge of at least another season.
He was dogged by injury midway through his career and played just 33 games in four years between the 2006 and 2009 seasons.
Outside those four years, Minichiello has missed only 17 games in 10 seasons, many of those because of representative duties.
He may well have surpassed Darren Lockyer's record of 355 games if he had played in some of the 65 games he missed through injury.
''My body owes me a couple of years,'' he said.
''I've missed quite a bit of footy throughout my career and I'm going to make up for that now.''
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