GOING OUT ON TOP
INJURY-PRONE WARRIOR FORBES WEIGHS FUTURE
LUKE Forbes had thrown in the towel.
Frustrated by a series of soft tissue injuries, Forbes told Modewarre co-coaches John Meesen and Josh Finch that he would retire.
“Three months ago, I pulled the pin on footy,” Forbes revealed, declaring he was likely to hang up the boots after Saturday’s grand final victory.
“I broke down every game I played, and then I sat down with ‘Finchy’ and ‘Meeso’ and I burst out bloody crying and said, ‘That’s it, time’s up’.
“It’s been my life for a long time. But they said, ‘Stick at it. Go away, do a bit of rehab’.
“I worked with Jace Kelly for about two months just strengthening everything up and I thank God I’ve come back and I’ve got one.”
After the heartache of four losing grand finals — two at St Joseph’s and one each at Newtown & Chilwell and Thomson — 35-year-old Forbes was convinced his playing days were over.
Having dealt with knee and ankle reconstructions in the past, and now a host of muscle strains and tears that restricted him to just 11 senior games this season, Forbes said he’d had enough.
“The old chicken legs, I don’t know how they’ve held up at that long at 35,” Forbes said.
“I did a groin and a hammy in the one game (Round 3 v Anglesea) and then my calf against Amateurs, and that’s when I said, ‘I can’t keep going’ and they (Finch and Meesen) said, ‘Go away’.
“I think someone was looking down on me. I lost my grandmother on Sunday and I haven’t got my dad around, so I’m sure they were watching over us.
“It’s healed the pain on all the four grand finals I’ve lost and it will probably see me out.
“I was trying to hold it (emotion) back at threequarter-time … looking up at the sky, thinking ‘I need this’.
“I’ve waited 19 years and I’ve finally got one.”
Wearing a black armband, Forbes admitted the passing of his grandmother served as extra motivation.
“Definitely, and Dad. Dad was No. 1 supporter back in the day,” Forbes said. “It’s a whirlwind week, a lot of people come out of the woodwork. I actually had Christian Shaw come in to see me at work on Friday and he won seven premierships at North Shore.
“I said to the boys that I had a visitor and he gave me a quick two lines, and I thought it was massive. He said, ‘Don’t think of the result, think of the effort’ and I told the boys that before the game.
“You get caught in the hype, you’re looking at the bigger picture at the end, and Christian — he’s a wise head — he said, ‘Think of your effort and that’ll take care of itself’.
“The boys were phenomenal today.”
Beginning his senior career as a 16-year-old, Forbes said a call on his playing future would be made after the celebrations ended.
“I’m not even going to think about footy,” he said.
“It’s hard enough with work, and my wife’s in Melbourne working, so I had to get a babysitter every Thursday night to go training.
“But it’s not (just) that, it’s the body. I’ll enjoy this, then Superules might get a call.”