Dear Anthony,
There’s been a great deal of speculation about your future. Having endured season-ending injuries and off-season operations, getting back onto the field has been a difficult process. Times like this for a senior player must be difficult as the end of your career is in sight and it may not occur under ideal circumstances. As a fan, I thought I’d reach out to you to express my thoughts, and hopefully I can capture the opinion of other supporters.
You might be thinking that you should play on because you owe the club. In my opinion, you owe the Eels nothing. Don’t get me wrong, I admire a man who examines his own contributions in a critical light. However, your signature was a message to other star players that Parramatta could be a place to ply their trade. Without you joining the club, the succession of quality players joining the Eels may not have eventuated. The club has genuinely benefitted from your acquisition.
It may have crossed your mind that you have not provided the Eels with value for money. Let me assure you of something. Brad Arthur sought your signature for what you could teach the young Eels forwards about resilience, attitude and preparation. Every match, every training session that you completed whilst pushing your thresholds of pain, taught those young firebrands what it takes to be a first grade footballer. Along with the coaching staff, you have been instrumental in changing the culture of the Eels.
Choc Watmough – a true professional.
From a personal perspective, I was inspired (as I’m sure other fans were) by your support of Sienna Newton. The humility and emotion that you demonstrated when pressed about your relationship with this young fan battling serious illness spoke volumes about the man that you are. Typically, you wanted to downplay your support and speak only about her courage. It was a touching insight into a true role model.
As for trying to find something within yourself to get through another season, there can be no doubt about the lengths that you have gone to in order to take the field this year. I’ve been at training when you couldn’t run and watched you hit the punching bags until you could barely lift your arms and your hands were throbbing. I’ve watched you churn out ridiculous kilometres on the exercise bike in blistering heat in your pursuit of fitness. In these challenging times you have continued to be the ultimate professional.
Anthony, as you weigh up your options please also consider what you have achieved throughout your career. Over 300 NRL matches, premiership rings, Origin and Kangaroo honours – it’s the sort of career that any player would be proud of. You honestly have nothing left to prove.
From this fan to you, thank you for joining the Eels. Thank you for helping to change the culture. Whatever decision you make, I wish you well.
Sixties
Images courtesy of the Parramatta Eels
Sixties I think watmough does have a point to prove and an achievement many cannot do, he wants to win a gf with a club that has been down and out and not a club like manly for of superstars. I do want him to play on for at least this year and next year if his body is holding up and is playing in form this year. He has spot to offer and we can build our youngsters around his experience.
Sixties Well put, & Choc no matter what you decide, those with appreciation of what players do for so many in the community thank you for your time here, thanks fof comming & if you play on, give your best, & we all know you will, anything less is not something that you would be capable of.
If the playing boots go up on the hook, again thanks for the time of faithfull soild service, would love to see you remain to help the young forwards realise their potential, as I believe you would have a lot to give as a respected player & coach.
Cheers
Colin and Cap Choc, thank you for your responses. We all want champions to play out their career on their terms. Just wanted to let Choc know how a number of us feel.
Amazing words, you have certainly spoken on behalf of myself. I admire choc, I admire his mentality, his fight, his passion, his competitiveness. He emulates what it is to bleed for a club, to create a brotherhood that makes you dig deeper for the team mate next to you. To set a standard that others would not want to fall short of. From what I’ve seen and herd of choc he’s genuine. He’s a very lucky man, he’s got a lovely family, he’s had an amazing career as a footballer, has a successful business outside of football and he’s inspired many people as a footballer and as person.
I’m very pleased that he responded to this letter! I’m very happy to be a member of the parramatta eels.
Jack, it was easy to find the words to write this, but it’s been far more difficult to express my thoughts about Choc responding to it. Certainly glad that it touched his family.
BTW Jack, your words are a fitting addition to the post.
For those who didn’t see Choc’s response –
@AnthonyWatmough: @RugbyLeagueTCT just read your letter. just want to say thanks u for your kind words my wife and mother in law where almost in tears…
Well said Sixties. You can’t underestimate the contribution on an off the field of seasoned professionals like Anthony Watmough. Whether its him playing through pain, observing his training regimes, an observation he’s made to a coach or fellow player, or a shared joke they all have a positive bearing on the playing group and club.
I am trapped in the 70’s and the rise of the club during that time had many influences but amongst them was bringing seasoned professionals to the club to nurture the new era of players. Guys like Pittard, Peard, Quayle, Baker, Maguire did and would play on one leg and taught the young playing group invaluable lessons during their tenures.
I too believe that Anthony’s signature was the catalyst for other names to sign and I do hope that we get to see him play in eels colours again.
I just want Anthony to make a decision that is best for himself. Whether he plays or whether he retires, he has earned the right to make that decision himself.