STROKE ENDS SCOTT’S CAREER
FOOTY STAR’S HEALTH SCARE
THE stellar career of Cowboys star Matt Scott has come to a shocking end. It was revealed that Scott ( pictured) had suffered a minor stroke on the weekend and was recovering in a Brisbane hospital.
Scott, who was to retire after this season, is expected to make a full recovery but he has played his last game of rugby league.
The news has shocked teammates, fans and the wider rugby league community.
STATE of Origin greats, former teammates and junior coaches have praised the outstanding service Matt Scott has given to the game of rugby league.
Scott’s illustrious playing career is all but over after the Cowboys yesterday announced the shocking news that Scott had suffered a mild stroke on Sunday.
Scott earlier this year announcement his retirement from rugby league at the end of this season, bringing to an end an incredible career featuring State of Origin and Test honours, a Rugby League World Cup win and the 2015 NRL premiership.
The end was not far away given North Queensland only have three games left to play, but the fact Scott’s season may now be over has sent shockwaves throughout the rugby league community.
Scott’s former Cowboys teammate James Tamou, who laid the upfront platform with Scott for North Queensland’s inaugural premiership triumph in 2015, said the news of Scott’s stroke left him rattled.
“It’s terrible, it’s shocking,” he said. “Obviously I just want the best for him and his family.
“He’s so tough and I’ve got no doubt he’d want to be on the field with his teammates.
“But I guess there comes a time when you have to put other things first.”
Tamou, who also played for Australia alongside Scott, arrived at the Cowboys in 2008 when Scott was already an established player.
“I walked into the club with a few of the other younger guys and we were the first group of players to start preseason,” Tamou said.
“Matt was already there doing some training and that was a real eye-opener, because he’d already done so much at the club, and it’s an example of how tough he is off the field.”
Origin great Petero Civoniceva said no matter how Scott ended his career, he would enter retirement as a legend.
“He’s definitely cemented his place among the greats,” he said. “Through hard work and toughness he’s been able to reach great heights, and he’s always been prepared to roll up his sleeves and do whatever he needed for his team.
“As a teammate you felt confident whenever Matt Scott was on the field with you, you knew you were a good way to winning a game.
“When the chips were down he’d always find something to take his team forward, and what really set him apart was the fact he did it so consistently.”
Civoniceva played Origin football for Queensland alongside Scott across six years starting in 2006.
“He came on to the scene in that 2006 series but he didn’t return for another couple of years,” Civoniceva said.
“When he got his chance again he showed everyone what he was made of.
“From then on he was always part of the Origin team and that’s a sign of a great player, that they’re able to hold their spot in those teams.”
Scott’s former schoolboys coach and mentor Terry Hansen, the head coach of famous rugby league nursery St Brendan’s College Yeppoon, said he was confident Scott would make a full recovery sooner rather than later.
“He’s a tough fella, I have no doubt he’ll pull through this,” he said.
“It’s going to be his last year anyway, and because it’s his health, maybe he has to give it (rugby league) away right now.
“It’s one of those things you don’t want to play with.”