Risk of death ends a champion career

ANDREW Johns is no stranger to pain. He led his Newcastle Knights to grand final glory in 1997, despite going into the game with a punctured lung and the knowledge that doctors had told him he was risking death by playing. Video: Full press conference Your say: Was 'Joey' the best yet? More Rugby League stories

ANDREW Johns is no stranger to pain. He led his Newcastle Knights to grand final glory in 1997, despite going into the game with a punctured lung and the knowledge that doctors had told him he was risking death by playing. Video: Full press conference Your say: Was 'Joey' the best yet? More Rugby League stories

But a decade down the track, and with his illustrious rugby league career in its twilight, 32-year-old Johns has decided that such risks are no longer worth taking.

Johns - known affectionately as "Joey" and widely acknowledged to be the greatest rugby league player in history - yesterday retired from the sport after medical tests revealed that he was "at serious risk of a catastrophic spinal injury".

"I'm still in shock," Johns said at a press conference in Newcastle yesterday afternoon.

Looking downcast, Johns seemed on the verge of tears - "I swore I wouldn't cry," he joked - as he announced his departure from the game that has been his life since he made his first grade debut for the Knights in 1993.

"It is really emotional because I love playing the game so much. But the next chapter opens," he said.

"I've had a fairytale career. I consider myself very lucky and I never take for granted what I've done. I've really felt privileged to have played this game."

Scans yesterday revealed a previously undetected disc injury, which could have left the NRL star in a wheelchair if he suffered "a full blown hit in the field".

"I feel a little bit like I dodged a bullet," Johns said.

He said that before he knew the extent of his injury, he had discussed his retirement with his brother, former teammate Matthew, who encouraged him to retire.

Johns has a history of neck injuries. He was forced to miss the last five matches of the 2003 season because of a bulging disc that threatened to end his career. But that injury, and the neck injury he sustained last week at training, were not related.

Johns was the highest-paid player in the history of the game. In 2004, he signed a four-year, $500,000-a-season contract to stay with Newcastle, despite offers from rival clubs and from the Australian Rugby Union.

But with endorsements and third-party agreements, Johns's four-year deal was worth $1million a year.

Johns's manager, John Fordham, said last night Newcastle would pay out the halfback's contract for this year.

"The club has indicated that it will honour the contract in its totality as they have in the past during Joey's injury-enforced absences," he said.

Johns, who grew up in Cessnock, outside Newcastle, played his entire 249-game career with the Knights. He played 23 State of Origin games and represented Australia in 21 Tests.

Additional reporting: Peter Kogoy