‘MY HEAD WAS SPINNING’
TURMOIL REVEALED IN BOOTH FIGHT TO SAVE NRL CAREER
JUST when he thought at last an NRL career lay in front of him, Aaron Booth was left clutching his knee in agony.
Stripped of the chance to don the Gold Coast Titans’ No.9 jumper for the remainder of the season, an alltoo familiar journey back from the brink began for the 27-year-old.
Nevertheless, there is a determined resolve in the way Booth addresses his latest plight, and he is adamant he will still have plenty to offer in the NRL upon his comeback.
After fighting through shoulder issues which plagued the start of his 2022 campaign, Booth finally earned his Titans debut in Round 18.
His chance to take on his former Melbourne Storm teammates a month later should have been an opportunity to savour.
It quickly turned to disaster.
As he attempted a tackle on Storm five-eighth Cooper Johns, Booth’s knee collapsed underneath him in sickening scenes.
In the process he suffered severe damage to multiple ligaments aments in his knee – crucially his ACL, an injury he also sustained ned in 2018 – as well as a slight break in his tibia.
It is a pain Booth clearly recalls. So too the image of his leg contorted sideways.
“I saw it go sort of sideways. I can remember mber it all pretty clearly apart rt from the next week, it was a bit of a blur from pain and things like that in surgery,” Booth said.
“The night I did it … some of the boys that I played with the year before (in Melbourne) didn’t even watch the game because it happened pretty early, so they were in the sheds making sure I was all right which I was thankful for.
“My head was spinning a little bit. To have everyone around giving me comfort and giving me that hand on the shoulder meant a lot and helped me get through the night.
“I knew the extent of it straight away, it was a little bit hard to handle but having everyone around definitely made it easier.”
The off contract Booth was reportedly in the midst of contract negotiations with the Titans at the time of the injury and no new deal has been formerly announced.
Booth’s presence at Parkwood upon the club’s return to pre-season training was a positive sign for the luckless rake.
But his battles are symbolic of an issue faced by many aspiring rugby league players.
There is a perceived glitz and glamour of the NRL when observing the game’s biggest stars. Yet others who have made the same sacrifices, have put in the same hours of training, are unable to reach the same heights – injuries and competition for spots among the reasons.
It is this issue that has formed part of the raging civil war between the Rugby League Players’ Association and NRL, which has been brewing over the forthcoming payment deals.
Despite a record figure in excess of $1bn being tabled by the NRL as revealed by News Corp on Friday, the proposal has reportedly been rejected.
RLPA boss Clint Newton has claimed a key factor in the union’s pushback throughout
discussions was to ensure players at the bottom end of the pay scale were compensated. In addition, they were striving for greater support in assisting athletes with the transition away from the game.
Under the proposed deal, News Corp reported Australian Rugby League Commission boss Peter V’landys had put forward a minimumwage increase for development players from $80,000 to $125,000.
When Booth lined up against the Storm in Round 21, it marked the first time in his career he had earned NRL selection for four straight weeks.
Speaking shortly after undergoing his second and final surgery, the gutsy hooker said his recovery had been a slow process but his movement was now ahead of schedule.
He said even with premiershipwinning Rooster Sam Verrills joining the Titans he was confident his stint in the Gold Coast’s top 17 would prime him for a strong comeback should he earn a new contract.
“I’d played a bit of NRL before that, but had never really taken my spot and made it my own and played consistently with big minutes,” Booth said.
“Knowing I can sort of secure a spot, handle it well, and I felt like I was playing decent footy, definitely makes the comeback easier to look forward to.
“I wouldn’t say I’ll be more driven, but it definitely helps with the fact I know I can do and get back to that.
“Over this next however long it takes to get back into that position I’ll be pushing extra hard knowing I can mess with the big boys and handle it up there at the top.
“There’s a bit of time to get there, but I’m looking forward to the work that goes into getting back.”
Refreshing though it is to see Booth so steadfast in his faith he will return with a point to prove, it is not the case for every athlete.
When extreme injuries strike there is always the chance a professional sportsperson’s career could come crashing down with it.
Such setbacks become as emotionally daunting as they are physical, and Bond University Associate Professor of Exercise and Sport Science Dr Justin Keogh said clubs needed to take the onus of initiating tough but honest conversations and not just the athlete. “Athletes are typically physically elite individuals whose identity is very wound up in their sport. If (they’re) no longer able to walk and run he’s lost a lot of his identity,” Dr Keogh said.
“That can spiral very quickly into a host of mental health issues – anxiety, depression and to some extent suicidal thoughts.
“When you look at how short most careers are and how most players aren’t getting these million dollar deals, it’s a small window you have to make the most of it when you can.
“There’s going to be lots of challenges that an athlete like Aaron will come up against. There’s going to be pain to go through, he’ll be questioning a host of things mentally like how good will the knee be? Will I get back to where I was before? Even his place in the club.
“Men often keep things to themselves and just try to soldier on.”