Gorden Tallis says the way Newcastle rallied for Alex McKinnon brought tears to his eyes

GORDEN TALLIS: WORDS cannot explain exactly what I was feeling watching the Newcastle Knights on Sunday, but I had tears in my eyes.

WORDS cannot explain exactly what I was feeling watching Newcastle on Sunday, but I had tears in my eyes.

It’s been a long time since something like this has happened to me, but there was something about the way Newcastle players and the town rallied together for Alex McKinnon that stirred emotions inside everyone associated with the game.

I never thought that could have been me, I’m not selfish enough to think about myself in a situation like that. That was his moment and I felt only for Alex McKinnon.

Watching the Newcastle players embrace each other, the way Cronulla stood together too, really gave me a sense of pride in our game and just how it takes a special person to play first grade.

News_Image_File: Gorden Tallis after being hit high in a tackle — Tallis left the field not to return.

Fans pay good money to watch the best players and we all know there are dangers in contact sport. Young men can get cut down in their prime.

I’ve been contacted many times to discuss McKinnon’s injury in the past week because people think I was in the same situation.

No, this never happened to me.

In the past week I have never thought it could’ve been me.

Brent Tate, Nathan Brown, Ben Ross, Mat Rogers and Jason Stevens, they’re all blokes I’ve played with or against who have had neck surgery and to be honest there is probably more out there.

Yes I hurt my neck. Yes I had my C4 and C5 fused and yes I was maybe never a chance of playing rugby league again.

But I never thought I would never play again.

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I was extremely lucky. There was a moment when I was laying on the ground with no control over my legs and arms. But that feeling came back in about two minutes.

I actually drove to get my scans done on my neck and when I got told I shouldn’t be driving it scared the sh*t out of me.

But I was selfish. My only question was: Will I be able to play Origin Two?

It was silly, I didn’t think anything of it even though I had numbness in my hand and my legs weren’t feeling 100 per cent.

The first bloke said “I don’t think you will play Origin’’. The second bloke said “mate you won’t play footy again this year.’’ The third bloke said “you won’t play footy ever again.’’

I didn’t want to go see a fourth bloke because he might put me six foot under.

But I was very lucky, I had a narrowing of the spinal canal and problems built up over time.

News_Image_File: Knights fans hold up a sign as a tribute to Alex McKinnon during Newcastle’s clash against the Sharks.

I don’t blame rugby league for any issues and injuries I have after playing the game.

I’m a realist. I believe sport has given people a better life more than it has taken away their life.

I have never once thought about it any other way and am certainly grateful for every opportunity rugby league has given me and my family.

There are far riskier things in this world that I do in everyday life than play sport.

When I was on the NRL board we were presented with a study by a University in NSW that showed rugby league was the safest junior sport to play in Australia.

There were more kids missing weeks of sport playing soccer, AFL, union and netball which was actually the worst game of all.

News_Rich_Media: Ben Ross joins Fox Sports News to reflect on the devastating injury to Alex McKinnon after suffering a similar problem in 2009.

Injuries happen in every sport and rugby league has done more to make the game safer in recent years than I can remember at any time in the code’s history.

The most important thing right now is to support Alex McKinnon and offer him hope.

When I was in the spinal unit there was a young rugby union player there who had a scrum collapse on him.

He was a young, fit guy, about 17, and was in a wheelchair because he couldn’t walk.

I don’t know the exact diagnosis he was given, but a few years later he high fived me as he walked past at Indooroopilly shopping centre where he had a part-time job.

I was amazed at his recovery and I know there are more stories like his around the country that can offer someone like Alex McKinnon hope for the future.

I don’t know what Alex McKinnon has been told but one thing he can’t lose is hope.

I had different opinions on my neck injury. I was told I’d never play again. But you can prove opinions wrong.

We know Alex is in the best care possible and his recovery will be world class.

And if what we all felt last Sunday is any indication, he will have the support of everyone in rugby league for the rest of his life.