seabass14
Adam Woolnough
League player Johns 'knackered'
www.smh.com.au
Andrew Johns, the world's No.1 rugby league player, admits he's knackered and can't wait to have a week off.
The champion Newcastle halfback, speaking after a rare off-night in Friday's 38-12 NRL loss to St George Illawarra, said he was struggling for motivation.
And he admits the Knights' top-of-the-table clash with North Queensland in round six and his representative football farewell in Australia's Test win over New Zealand this month in particular have taken a toll both mentally and physically.
"It's hard to speak for the rest of the team, but I know myself since the Cowboys game and the Test match, where I had to play three games in the space of six days, I've been incredibly flat and struggling for motivation a bit," Johns told Sydney radio Triple M's Dead Set Legends program.
"I need rest. I'm knackered. We've got a bye in a fortnight so I'm looking forward to that."
Johns says his current condition is proof he made the right decision in retiring from representative football after the Brisbane Test.
The veteran of 23 Origins and 21 Tests turned down an SOS from NSW on the eve of last Wednesday's State of Origin clash to replace injured Blues halfback Craig Gower.
"I pointed to before how flat and tired I'm feeling, putting an Origin build up in there, it would pretty much wreck the season," the 32-year-old said.
"I've retired from rep footy, I couldn't have wrote (sic) a script better about how well I could finish (rep footy) with the Test in Brisbane.
"I've had my time, it's a young man's game Origin, and I'm glad someone else can get out there and do it.
"People see club football... to play Origin just goes up two more gears so the whole game you're just knackered, the hits are so much harder.
"It's like getting yourself ready for a massive fight, you've got to get yourself revved up for it."
Johns scored a strong try against the Dragons to keep the Knights in the contest near the end of the first half at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Friday night, but generally lacked the usual precision which has earned him the reputation as the world's best player.
Meanwhile, Knights centre Matt Gidley said he will likely take some time next week to start assessing his playing future.
English Super League club St Helens, which is virtually resigned to losing Australian centre Jamie Lyon back to his former NRL team Parramatta next season, has reportedly offered Gidley a contract from 2007 to replace Lyon.
Gidley, 29, still has another year to run on his contract with the Knights, and has been a fixture at Newcastle since making his first grade debut in 1996.
"I heard about it late in the week, but my focus has been on the footy so I'll have to find out what's happening," said Gidley, who played his 207th first grade game for the Knights on Friday and had 11 Origins and 11 Tests to his name before recently announcing his representative retirement.
"(Playing in England) is something I haven't thought about too much because I've always been tied up here at Newcastle."
www.smh.com.au
Andrew Johns, the world's No.1 rugby league player, admits he's knackered and can't wait to have a week off.
The champion Newcastle halfback, speaking after a rare off-night in Friday's 38-12 NRL loss to St George Illawarra, said he was struggling for motivation.
And he admits the Knights' top-of-the-table clash with North Queensland in round six and his representative football farewell in Australia's Test win over New Zealand this month in particular have taken a toll both mentally and physically.
"It's hard to speak for the rest of the team, but I know myself since the Cowboys game and the Test match, where I had to play three games in the space of six days, I've been incredibly flat and struggling for motivation a bit," Johns told Sydney radio Triple M's Dead Set Legends program.
"I need rest. I'm knackered. We've got a bye in a fortnight so I'm looking forward to that."
Johns says his current condition is proof he made the right decision in retiring from representative football after the Brisbane Test.
The veteran of 23 Origins and 21 Tests turned down an SOS from NSW on the eve of last Wednesday's State of Origin clash to replace injured Blues halfback Craig Gower.
"I pointed to before how flat and tired I'm feeling, putting an Origin build up in there, it would pretty much wreck the season," the 32-year-old said.
"I've retired from rep footy, I couldn't have wrote (sic) a script better about how well I could finish (rep footy) with the Test in Brisbane.
"I've had my time, it's a young man's game Origin, and I'm glad someone else can get out there and do it.
"People see club football... to play Origin just goes up two more gears so the whole game you're just knackered, the hits are so much harder.
"It's like getting yourself ready for a massive fight, you've got to get yourself revved up for it."
Johns scored a strong try against the Dragons to keep the Knights in the contest near the end of the first half at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Friday night, but generally lacked the usual precision which has earned him the reputation as the world's best player.
Meanwhile, Knights centre Matt Gidley said he will likely take some time next week to start assessing his playing future.
English Super League club St Helens, which is virtually resigned to losing Australian centre Jamie Lyon back to his former NRL team Parramatta next season, has reportedly offered Gidley a contract from 2007 to replace Lyon.
Gidley, 29, still has another year to run on his contract with the Knights, and has been a fixture at Newcastle since making his first grade debut in 1996.
"I heard about it late in the week, but my focus has been on the footy so I'll have to find out what's happening," said Gidley, who played his 207th first grade game for the Knights on Friday and had 11 Origins and 11 Tests to his name before recently announcing his representative retirement.
"(Playing in England) is something I haven't thought about too much because I've always been tied up here at Newcastle."
