Winterstein one of the greats: Parr

COWBOYS director of football Peter Parr believes retiring winger Antonio Winterstein will leave a lasting legacy at the club that goes far beyond his on- field achievements.

Parr recruited Winterstein from the Broncos in 2010 following a disastrous season in Townsville that saw the Cowboys only avoid the wooden spoon thanks to Melbourne’s salary cap scandal.

Winterstein had an injury- disrupted first year but went on to become a prolific part of the Cowboys attack, scoring 16 tries as the club broke its premiership drought in 2015. They made the finals for seven consecutive years following Winterstein’s arrival and Parr said it was a testament to the winger’s character as he helped them to build that winning culture.

“We’d had a few poor years and we were looking to recruit on character as much as we were on ability. He came with both so we were very fortunate,” Parr said.

“Over the last eight years, he’s been one of the main contributors to what’s happened at the club and the professionalism and the culture that’s been set. Not only with the way he played, but the way he applied him- self at training and the way he conducted himself.

“It’s been one of the great Cowboy careers and we’ve been blessed to have had him.”

Parr described Winterstein’s toughness as his greatest asset on the field, believing that few players in the NRL could play through a chronic knee injury with the same unwavering dedication that he did.

“To do what he did with his knee will be an everlasting memory for me. The way he managed it and played with it and he didn’t complain about it,” Parr said. “He’s as tough as any man I’ve met.”