Kind act helped ease pain for Price
Steve Price can’t help but regret NRL grand final day 2004 and it will be that way for the former Canterbury captain until the day he dies.
It’s sobering news for current Bulldogs skipper Michael Ennis, who is today facing the similar plight of being ruled out of a premiership decider with injury.
But Price has come to realise that if it wasn’t for the acute disappointment of being scratched from such a big occasion, he wouldn’t have experienced the act of kindness shown to him by young teammate Johnathan Thurston that day, and the lifelong bond that followed.
In one of the most selfless acts witnessed on a rugby league field, a 21-year-old Thurston, who had come in late as Price’s injury replacement, immediately gave up his premiership ring to his Toowoomba mentor, saying: “You deserve this and not me.”
Price hopes Ennis can find a similar silver lining if he’s forced to watch the Bulldogs tackle South Sydney from the sidelines.
Thurston’s actions 10 years ago helped Price overcome a moment of personal devastation.
“I don’t think you can really describe it,” said Price, who joined the Warriors in 2005 and became a club legend during five seasons in Auckland.
“He had no idea whether he was going to get one. It just shows what sort of man he is.
“He hasn’t had that chance again and when you’re looking at this opportunity, the guy who takes Michael’s position — he deserves it just as much as anyone as well. As did Johnathan.
“He wouldn’t have been there if he didn’t.”
Price recalls how the players were given the rings randomly on the victory dais and were forced to swap with team-mates to get the right playing number.
By fate, Thurston was given No 10, Price’s number, and knew exactly what he needed to do.
“We’ve been best mates ever since,” said Price.
Price said if Canterbury beat Souths on Sunday tonight, nothing will cure Ennis of the frustration he’ll feel, but he encouraged the feisty hooker to soak up the celebrations.
“I regard it as one of the biggest regrets of my career. It was something I couldn’t control but it’s something I would have loved to have done.