Anthony Minichiello retirement: The NRL has lost one of its finest role models and the Roosters a magnificent fullback
RUGBY LEAGUE didn’t just lose a magnificent fullback, it lost a fine role model in Anthony Minichiello, and a wonderful captain of the Roosters.
Phil Rothfield
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Rugby league didn’t just lose a magnificent fullback today, the game lost one of its finest role models and a wonderful club captain of the Sydney Roosters.
It’s doubtful there has ever been a finer ambassador in the club’s history than Anthony Minichiello.
He was a champion on and off the field.
I’ll never forget the early rounds of the competition in March this year when I went off too early and suggested the 34-year-old fullback had played one season too many after the Roosters had been flogged by South Sydney.
ANTHONY MINICHIELLO ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
The very next week the Roosters demolished Parramatta 56-4.
Mini produces a blinder, scoring the first hat-trick of tries in his illustrious career at the club.
My Monday column the next day had an egg over my photo byline with an unreserved apology to the Roosters skipper.
Minichiello played 18 games for Australia and 11 for NSW in State of Origin.
He performed wholeheartedly in every one of them.
He started at the Roosters in 2000 and played 294 games.
It leaves the door ajar for him to join a select group who have played 300 NRL games before bowing out at the end of the season.
There is an old saying, not just in rugby league, that no-one in any line of business is irreplaceable.
The Roosters will jam Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in at fullback next year and he’ll do a fine job. Finding a new leader is a different story.
They will probably go with hooker Jake Friend and he too will do an excellent job.
But there is only one Anthony Minichiello. Men of his style and standing are rare. He’s as close to irreplaceable as you can get.
Originally published as Anthony Minichiello retirement: The NRL has lost one of its finest role models and the Roosters a magnificent fullback
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