Makes it sound like he is a burden rather than the potential saving grace
Bought for his mental edge
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...e/news-story/cf9542897c50debc13d54ba786d2e00d
NRL 2015: Anthony Watmough to bring Parramatta strong mental edge
January 24, 2015 5:21pm
James HooperThe Daily Telegraph
ANTHONY Watmough calls it his ‘Popeye’ arm.
The divot where the left bicep tore off the bone during last year’s State of Origin series and has now completely vanished.
“About three inches missing,” Watmough explained.
And therein sits the primary reason why Brad Arthur fought tooth and nail to get this Manly Sea Eagles life member to switch clubs and spearhead a cultural change at Parramatta.
When it comes to sacrifice, energy, effort and experience, Watmough is the hard edge the Eels were missing come the final rounds of last season.
Officially signed to a four-year contract on October 30 last year, the first thing Arthur and the Eels medical staff instructed ‘Choc’ was to cease running for the entire off season and get his busted knee fixed.
“I probably haven’t been able to run at my best for two, going on three years,” Watmough said.
“I had a niggling knee injury I couldn’t get right so when I got to the Eels they said ‘right, no running, we’ve got to get this fixed.
“But I said no. I knew Brad had brought me out here for a reason and I wanted to show the young guys that I was prepared to practice what I preach.
“If I’m going to be hard on them I needed to be hard on myself.
“I said why don’t we leave it until next year and then try and sort it out then.”
So Watmough and the Eels devised a daily ‘prehab’ routine that sees him leaving the northern beaches at 6am every morning before checking in for an hour on the physio table at Parramatta prior to training.
He even wore a wedge in one of his boots for a while.
“I gave him the option to have a rest and get himself right but I knew what path he’d go down,” Arthur said.
“I knew he’d want to lead. He’s the first one out here every day getting his treatment and he has not missed a session.
The NRL recognised the value in Watmough’s signature at the Eels, scheduling the Sea Eagles in for what is guaranteed to be a sold-out Pirtek Stadium come round one.
When it comes to bitter splits, Watmough’s departure from Manly got ugly as the internal divide between senior players and others at the club was laid bare.
“It will be mixed emotions I suppose. It’s tough the way some of us had to leave but good to get a crack at getting it out of the way early,” Watmough said.
“It will be weird at the same time. Manly just wasn’t home for me anymore, a lot of things had changed and it was time for me to move on.
“To have the role that I have at the Eels where I’m trying to set an example, it’s given me a whole new lease on life.
“I don’t believe I’m a tough footballer in any way but Brad told me he wanted me at Parramatta to help toughen the boys up mentally.
“To have someone believe in you that much it was a pretty easy decision in the end.
“Do I stay and be miserable or do I go and play for someone who I really respect and admire.
“It’s very early days, but we want to try and help build on the Eels culture and try and build a bit of a dynasty.”
The million-dollar question Eels fans want answered is can Choc convince his great mate Kieran Foran to follow him to playing in western Sydney?
“Fozza keeps his cards pretty close to his chest, I haven’t been able to get anything out of him,” Watmough joked.
“I think he’s told four of the boys four different stories.”
And there it is again.
The quick one-line banter that can help bring a team closer together.
Make no mistake, Anthony Watmough can do for Parramatta what Ben Kennedy did for Manly in 2005.
