Guerra wants dream sendoff

TOWNSVILLE junior Aidan Guerra is determined not to finish his NRL career wondering what might have been.

The former Holy Spirit Primary School and Ignatius Park College student lines up for Newcastle against South Sydney in this week’s NRL finals, and it will be sudden death for Guerra’s Knights.

Joining Guerra in the Knights squad is Townsville product Gehamat Shibasaki, former Kirwan State High School student Enari Tuala and former Cowboys star Kalyn Ponga.

Guerra has established himself and his young family in Newcastle, and while he is now a bona fide Novocastrian, Guerra still feels NQ blood pumping through his veins.

“Me and those other ( NQ boys) still talk about Townsville, and we definitely spoke about wanting to be there rather than here when it was about 4C in Newcastle earlier this year,” Guerra said, who still has family in Townsville.

“Our hearts are in Townsville, that’s never going to change, and the town here is a lot like Townsville.

“The people are so passionate about rugby league and the whole community gets behind the team, so that definitely feels a lot like Townsville. It’s also been a long time since the Knights have played finals. They haven’t been here since 2013, so the fans here have been waiting a long time.”

The upcoming finals campaign means plenty for Guerra as well, having announced his retirement from NRL at the end of the season.

A premiership winner with the Sydney Roosters in 2013 and a 10-game State of Origin player, Guerra, 32, is one of the top footy talents to emerge from North Queensland.

He was a Townsville Brothers junior, and started his firstgrade career with the Melbourne Storm before being thrown a lifeline by the Roosters, where he transformed into one of the game’s most dangerous second rowers.

Origin and Test appearances followed, and while his career is in its twilight, Guerra still has plenty of fire in the belly for another premiership.

“There’s that desire to thank all the people who have supported me over the years, including my family, who have been there from the beginning,” Guerra said.

“Their support meant the world to me. But I like to separate those sides of my life when I’m on the field.

“When I’m out there I have a job to do.”