St George Illawarra winger Jordan Pereira opens up on the injury he feared would end his NRL career
St George Illawarra flyer Jordan Pereira once thought he would never walk again. Now, that’s all the motivation he needs to revive his NRL career.
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After fearing he’d never walk again, St George Illawarra flyer Jordan Pereira needs little motivation to revive his NRL career.
The New Zealand-born winger thought his career was over in July when he suffered a serious neck injury in the motion of scoring a try during the Dragons’ Canterbury Cup loss to Newtown.
Pereira was tackled in the air as he put the ball down, prompting him to fall awkwardly on his neck.
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He immediately felt tingles down his side while he was stretchered off in a neck brace.
“I kept telling myself, I’ve broken my back or neck,” recalled Pereira, who scored five tries in his 11 NRL games for the Dragons in 2019.
“I felt the contact and fell on my neck and all I could feel was tingles down the side of my body.
“I thought my rugby league days were done.”
Fortunately, Pereira’s career isn’t over thanks to the dedicated support of Dragons officials and doctors.
He spent three nights in hospital after the injury scare and nine weeks on the sideline.
Pereira credits respected Sydney neurosurgeon Richard Parkinson for him to restore strength and confidence.
“Richard was just phenomenal with organising a plan for me,” he said.
“Within two weeks I felt like I was progressing and that I’d play again that season.
“I ended up playing in the final Canterbury Cup game of the season.
“I’m really grateful to Richard for getting me in the right direction.”
Today, Pereira is back to full fitness as he looks to cement an outside back position in the Dragons’ NRL side.
It hasn’t been easy slogging it out in the hot Wollongong sun but he is just grateful to be running given the serious nature of his neck injury.
“It could have been a lot worse,” he said.
“Thankfully after receiving my first X-ray, I knew my neck wasn’t broken and it was just nerve damage.
“It is why I’m going to back myself to do a good job in the pre-season and do my best to get that wing jersey.
“There is a lot of competition in the outside backs at the Dragons but there is competition at every club and you have to fight for every position.
“There is no lack of talent at any club but it is all good because I’m used to fighting for everything in my career.”
Pereira has also been boosted by his off-season marriage to long-term partner, Sarah.
He concedes he wouldn’t be where he is today in the NRL without her support, including the day in mid-2018 when she drove over 19 hours from Mackay to Sydney to ensure he could start training with the Dragons.
“That was one of the many reasons why I married her,” he grinned.
“We’ve been together for three and a half years now.
“When we started dating I was just a part-time local player for the Mackay Cutters and I was only working two days a week, so we were struggling for money.
“But Sarah knew I had ambition to pursue rugby league as a career, so she made that easier for me.
“She helped me put together a highlights video and she gave me the confidence to reach out to a manager.
She has done a lot for me over the years.”
Originally published as St George Illawarra winger Jordan Pereira opens up on the injury he feared would end his NRL career
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