BY CURTIS WOODWARD

@woodward_curtis

Many rugby league players never get a say when their time is up in first grade footy. Sometimes it’s injury, other times it’s age. Occasionally the thing just runs its course. But some just can’t stay away.

They say, “you’re a long time retired”.

With news that South Sydney legend Issac Luke was taking one last shot at a return to the NRL – we thought we’d dig back through recent history.

Check out some of the more infamous, forgettable, respectable and regrettable player comebacks of the modern era.

Ricky Walford
32 years-old
St George Dragons 1996 – 18 games

One of the modern greats of the Dragons in their previous form throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The mercurial winger retired after a stellar career at the end of 1995 but returned in 1996 to help his old side who eventually went on a fairy tale run to the grand final where they went down to Manly-Warringah. Walford’s final game was in a qualifying final victory over the Raiders at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Kerrod Walters
32 years-old
Brisbane Broncos 2000 – 1 game

The Ipswich junior made his name at the Broncos in the early 1990s alongside brother Kevin and their little mate Allan Langer – winning premierships and representing Australia and Queensland. But by 1996, a new wave of youngsters were coming through at Red Hill. Walters was one of the casualties as Wayne Bennett freshened up his roster. Walters signed with the Adelaide Rams and skippered the club – playing at the South Australian franchise for two seasons before retiring at the end of 1998. What many don’t know is that Walters got one last game for the Broncos in their premiership-winning 2000 season when he was named on the bench for their round 18 loss to the Knights in Newcastle.

Terry Hill
33 years-old
Manly Sea Eagles 2005 – 16 games

‘Tezza’ has to be squeezed in here simply to remind Rabbitohs fans of what the infamous sledger and Australian centre got away with 12 months earlier at Redfern. After finishing up a tumultuous three seasons at Wests Tigers, Hill was announced as a big-name signing by the battling Souths club. But before long, Hill announced his retirement from the game due to an infected knee. The club happily paid him out almost half of his contract despite not playing a game for the Bunnies. Hill then returned to another former club Manly in 2005.

Garry Jack
34 years-old
Sydney Tigers 1995 – 13 games

One of the greatest to ever lace a boot for the Balmain Tigers – Jack first retired in 1992 with his final appearance for the Tigers ending in a 14-all draw at North Sydney Oval against the Bears. After two seasons in England with Salford, Jack answered an SOS from the newly minted ‘Sydney’ Tigers and returned to the side for their round 10 match against the Seagulls at Parramatta with the Tigers running out 16-14 victors.

John Skandalis
34 years-old
Wests Tigers 2010 – 5 games

Okay so we all know the big Minto prop finished up his career the first time at Wests Tigers in 2006 – a year after their amazing grand final victory over North Queensland. Some may be aware that he then pulled the boots back on at the club in 2009 when injuries hit the Wests Tigers forward pack. In 2009, Skandalis played 14 games. At the end of ’09, the club cult hero told media he was hanging ‘em up for good. But, incredibly, ‘Skando’ made a comeback for the Magpies in reserve grade mid-way through 2010 while also working as the club’s Under 20’s strength and conditioning coach. His second NRL comeback finally came in round 19 against North Queensland.

Stacey Jones
32 years-old
New Zealand Warriors 2009

It’s fairly common knowledge that the Kiwi magician made a shock comeback for the Warriors in 2009 after two years in retirement. Jones churned out 23 games for his beloved Warriors in his return to the NRL. But we wanted to mention Stacey because of the fact that the little Warriors master was only 28 when he left for French club Catalans at the end of ’05 and then retiring after just two seasons in the Super League.

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Steve Walters
33 years-old
Newcastle Knights 1999 – 7 games

Legendary Australian and Queensland hooker who spent most of his career at the Canberra Raiders before leaving for a final swansong at North Queensland in 1997 and 1998. Walters was faced with retirement after suffering a serious back injury and most expected him to announce he was done. Technically, Walters didn’t retire before signing with the Knights but it was a fair shock to those in the game back in ’99 so we’ve included him in the list. Walters was in the starting side to begin the year for the Knights but was forced into retirement after just 7 games due to a knee injury.

Darren Smith
35 years-old
Australia 2003 – 1 Game

This is a fun one. Who remembers Australian coach Chris Anderson picking 35-year-old Darren Smith from English Super League club St Helens for the third and final Ashes Test despite other options available to Anderson, you know, players who had actually been selected for the tour? Smith’s last Test cap for the Kangaroos had been back in 1999. It worked out okay for Darren. Australian won the Third Test with the veteran coming back to Australia and playing two more seasons with the Broncos.

Des Hasler
36 years-old
Western Suburbs Magpies 1997 – 21 Games

It would have been one of the great career finishes if the 256-game Manly legend could just stay away with Hasler announcing that the 1996 grand final against the Dragons would be his final first grade match. On September 29 at the SFS, Hasler’s Manly downed St George 20-8. Then, on the 12th of December, Hasler announced he was coming out of retirement to play under Tommy Raudonikis at Campbelltown. The 36-year-old warhorse played 21 games for the Magpies in 1997 – appearing in several positions across the field. A shock loss to South Queensland in the final round of the season saw Wests miss the chance to lock down back-to-back semi-final campaigns which also doubled as Dessie’s last hurrah.

Cliff Lyons
37 years-old
Manly Sea Eagles 1999 – 20 games

At the end of 1998, Manly refused to offer Lyons a new deal and the iconic five-eigth went off and began ’99 playing local rugby union. It wasn’t long before the battling Sea Eagles made a desperate call to the premiership-winning Kangaroo with Lyons slotting back into the Manly starting side for their round 4 clash against the Knights. He wasn’t offered a job with the newly formed Northern Eagles in 2000 with his last NRL appearance coming in round 26 of ’99 against St George Illawarra in Wollongong.

@woodward_curtis