Long time between drinks for McQueen
WHEN Chris McQueen played in one of Gold Coast’s greatest ever NRL wins, little did he know it would be his last for almost two years.
The former Queensland and England second-rower’s tough run ironically ended against his former Titans teammates as Wests Tigers took a come-from-behind 30-14 win in Tamworth on Saturday.
A knock in a 2017 game for the Titans against South Sydney sent McQueen down the path to neck surgery and on a journey he never imagined would be so difficult.
The now 32-year-old did not play for Gold Coast again; he managed just three NRL appearances in his first year at the Tigers and did not get the call-up in 2019 until Saturday.
“I always just thought, I have played plenty of footy, it’s just going to be like riding a bike: I would show up and it’s just going to happen but it wasn’t the case,” McQueen said of his return from surgery.
“I showed up for Round 1 last year in reserve grade and I wasn’t strong enough, wasn’t fit enough for reserve grade.
“It was probably only the last two or three games that I actually started to feel comfortable and feel like I was on pace with the game.
“But I knew three-quarters through the year that it was going to be a write-off and just looked forward to the pre-season and knew with a full pre-season under my belt that I could get back to playing my best footy and I feel like that’s what has happened.”
McQueen’s reunion with his premiership-winning Rabbitohs coach Michael Maguire has sparked success.
Having bided his time in the early rounds, he got the chance to face the Titans and overcame nerves to enjoy the refreshing feeling of belonging.
The outcome marked McQueen’s first NRL win in 714 days – his last being Gold Coast’s memorable 38-36 defeat of Melbourne at Suncorp Stadium.
“To get out there and get another start in the NRL, which is obviously something that I have wanted for a long time, and to get my first win in Tigers colours, it was a pretty special occasion,” he said.
“To do it against the old boys just made it that much sweeter.
“Now the ball is in my court just to play good footy and make that position my own.”
I KNEW WITH A FULL PRE-SEASON UNDER MY BELT I COULD GET BACK TO PLAYING MY BEST FOOTY CHRIS MCQUEEN