South Sydney veteran Matt King admits the lure of a NRL premiership played a huge part in his comeback from a potentially career-ending injury.
King played his first game in the NRL for almost a year against Gold Coast last Saturday, starring in the Rabbitohs' 32-4 win which kept them top of the competition ladder.
It marked a fairytale comeback for the 32-year-old winger, who had contemplated early retirement when he suffered a bone infection following surgery on a broken forearm.
King, who says he felt like a 10-year-old against the Titans, was a member of Melbourne's 2007 grand final-winning team - a premiership which was subsequently stripped from the club following the salary cap scandal in 2010.
And he conceded on Tuesday he probably wouldn't have made the journey back to first grade football if the Rabbitohs weren't flying so high.
"This might be a bit of a selfish answer but, if we were coming dead last, I don't know if I would have had the motivation to come back to play a few games and get the wooden spoon," King said.
"The fact the boys are playing awesome and I was a chance of being a part of that, it makes running up and down hills and getting up out of bed at 6am to do weights a lot easier."
While admitting it would have been "horrible" for his broken arm to end his career, the former NSW State of Origin player says he kept a positive mindset throughout his recovery.
"In footy terms, it was tough. In terms of what other people go through, mate, it was nothing," he said.
"I had a broken arm and it meant I couldn't play footy. I could still walk; I've got a beautiful family at home so life wasn't too bad."
King admits he's yet to decide whether he'll play on next year and will discuss his future with Souths in the next few weeks.
"I've got a decision to make on my future. I'm not stressed about it at all," he said.
"I don't think I could play for another team so Souths and I will sit down at some stage and discuss things.
"I'm really undecided to be honest."
Share
