As injury ends his season prematurely, Braith Anasta reflects on his ‘blessed’ NRL career

WITH his 15th season in the NRL brought to a premature end due to injury, Anasta has declared his career as a rugby league player is over.

Braith Anasta of the Wests Tigers may have played his last NRL game due to an injury, pictured at La Perouse with his Boatshed Restaurant in the background. pic Mark Evans

BRAITH Anasta only ever wanted to play one NRL match.

“Actually, it was two — my dad played one first-grade game for Souths and so by playing two, I could beat him,’’ Anasta said.

In the end, Anasta played 288 first- grade matches, four Tests for Australia, 10 matches for NSW and in the one appearance for his father’s homeland of Greece, he kicked 15 goals and scored four tries.

Braith Anasta made an instant impact as a teenager with Canterbury.

“What I’ve achieved over a long ­period of time, I feel very lucky and blessed,’’ Anasta said.

With his 15th and final season in the NRL with the Wests Tigers brought to a premature end due to a biceps injury, Anasta has declared that his career as a rugby league player is over.

And like his former Roosters teammate Anthony Minichiello, who also announced his retirement last week, the NRL have lost another shining light for the code.

Anasta arrived as rugby league’s next big-thing, a side-stepping prodigy, who, at 18, made his debut at hooker for Canterbury in 2000.

“Some of my best games were in my first years because I didn’t have a worry in the world,’ Anasta said.

“I was very confident. I just loved playing the game and I didn’t know any different. I would step on the field and just enjoy myself and have fun.’’

As Anasta pauses to reflect on those early days, he admits there’s an irony as he departs the game surrounded by a crop of young talent at the Tigers, who like him, have already been tagged rugby league’s next big thing.

In Mitchell Moses, James Tedesco, Curtis Sironen and Luke Brooks, Anasta sees glimpses of himself back when it all began.

“There’s always going to be the next big thing coming through and, sure enough, we’ve got a lot of those at the Tigers right now,’’ Anasta said.

The tackle that injured Anasta’s arm and led to an early retirement.

“At the time you don’t take much notice of it, you enjoy it. But you’ve also got to know how to handle it.

“You’ve got to work on your game, and your mental preparation for each game, and you have to perform because if you don’t, you’ll be out the back door pretty quick.

“Brooksy has got a really good attitude and I think he’s already ahead of the game in terms of where he’s at and what he’s expectations are.

“I definitely hope in 14, 15 years time he’s still at the Tigers. He’s a premiership player. ’’

And Anasta should know. His ­career was littered with highlights.

A premiership with Canterbury in 2004, an Origin series win with the Blues in 2005, Dally M captain of the year in 2010 when the Roosters made the grand final.

“But I had a few lows as well,’’ Anasta said. “Leaving the Roosters was tough. That was really hard for me.

“It was home for me for such a long time, telling the boys (I was leaving) was really difficult.

“And the Bulldogs’ salary-cap scandal thing (2002), when we lost competition points, was also difficult because I was sort of the face of it.

“I think I felt responsible for us ­losing all our points. I took that very personally.’’

Anasta might be retiring from footy, but he won’t be lost to the game having signed a new three-year deal to ­commentate with Fox Sports.

“It’s something that I don’t take lightly, to be able to continue working with Fox Sports is huge for me,’’ Anasta said.

“I’m also looking forward to returning the support that my family, especially my mum (Kim), brother (Damon) and Jodi (wife) have given me over all the years.’’

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Player Profile - Braith Anasta

Junior Club: Maroubra

NRL Debut: Bulldogs v Parramatta, Parramatta Stadium, Rd 18, 2/6/2000

Wests Tigers debut: v Newcastle, Hunter Stadium, 11/3/2013 (Rd 1)

Previous Clubs: Bulldogs (2000-2005), Sydney Roosters (2006-12)

Representative Honours: 4 Tests for Aus (’01), Kangaroo Tour (’01), PM’s XIII (’05,’07), 10 games NSW (’02-03,’05-08), City Origin (’02-08), Greece (2013)

NRL games: 288 Tries: 88 Goals: 122 Field-Goals: 18 Points: 614

Originally published as As injury ends his season prematurely, Braith Anasta reflects on his ‘blessed’ NRL career