Debuts: When George Rose accidentally shoulder charged a Newcastle Knights trainer

Brendan Bradford

Debuts: When George Rose accidentally shoulder charged a Newcastle Knights trainer image

'Debuts' is an ongoing  Sporting News  series telling the stories of athletes' debut matches, races, fights or competitions. From funny yarns, to untold stories and tales of overcoming, we'll be publishing new articles and videos regularly. Check out our debut stories on Willie MasonRobbie Farah and Tim Tszyu here. 

George Rose put on plenty of big hits during his 11-year NRL career, but the biggest shot he landed during his debut in 2004 was on an unsuspecting Newcastle Knights trainer who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

Sporting News  caught up with Rose to talk about his debut and the first shoulder charge he ever put on. 

SIGNING WITH THE ROOSTERS

A talented front-rower, Rose first started making waves for the Panthers in SG Ball, Jersey Flegg and reserve grade.

A number of other clubs came knocking, but Penrith didn't seem interested, and a meeting with Phil Gould convinced him to sign with the Tricolours. 

“Gould was the godfather of rugby league,” Rose tells Sporting News.

“As a country kid who never really thought of himself as a first grader, that had me hook, line and sinker, so I ended up signing with the Roosters.”

GETTING SPRAYED BY FREDDY AND STICKY

He's always been a pretty knockabout bloke, but Rose was in for a shock when he started training with the Roosters' first-grade outfit. 

“I didn’t realise at the time they’d had the reputation as one of the hardest training clubs in the league,” he says.

“It was an eye opener, my first preseason. I was really overwhelmed by it."

He says he copped some decent serves from Brad Fittler and coach Ricky Stuart during pre-season. 

“Freddy would just pull up training and start barking orders and everyone would jump into line,” he says.  

Ricky Stuart

“You’d prefer it from Freddy though, because if you copped it from Ricky Stuart, that was a whole other story. He ripped me a new arsehole. For a little halfback, he was a very scary man.

“He laid into me heaps. There’s no cuddling or making you feel welcome. You jump in the deep end and start swimming.”

THE CALL-UP

His initiation into first grade was tough, but the lessons he learned paid off instantly.  

After an impressive first month in reserve grade in 2004, Stuart pulled him aside to say an NRL debut was on the horizon if his good form continued.

That moment came much sooner than either of them anticipated when Jason Cayless was suspended just days after their meeting. 

"Cayless copped a week and Ricky said I was going to start," Rose says. 

“I called mum straight away. Through every grade, she always made the trip down to every game that I played. She was always my biggest supporter. Through my whole career, it was her career as well.

"That goes for the rest of the family as well. I was really close to my brothers and my sister. They were probably more emotional than I was. I was just shitting myself thinking ‘what am I gonna do?’

“Mum jumped straight on the phone and let every man and their dog know I was gonna be playing.

“It spread like wildfire and I ended up with 64 people coming to my debut.”

George Rose

THE HIT

Rose wore the number 17 jersey and started on the bench for the Roosters’ round six clash with the Knights in Newcastle.

After some nervous moments watching on, it was time.

“I was standing on the sideline and staring out at the opposition,” he says.

“The trainer from the Knights had been given a message and was flying out to run onto the field and pass it on.

“He’s run straight into my right shoulder and landed right on his arse.

“At the time, I didn’t even feel it because I was in the zone thinking about what was coming up next, but I absolutely flattened him.

“That was the biggest hit I put on all day, and it might have been the biggest hit I put on all career.

“It was a cracker. He was flat on his arse.”

THE GAME 

Rose wasn't able to emulate his sideline feats when he got on the field. Instead - like most rookies - he was amazed at how fast the game was played. 

Still, he had a few good moments. 

“I think they were hoping that would translate onto the field, but I was probably a bit more nervous once I got out there,” he remembers.

“Matt Parsons was the first bloke I ran at. He was massive. It felt like he was two metres tall and 120kg.

“I think when he saw me, he just saw fresh meat and just wanted to rip my head off.

“I was pretty fleet-footed though, and my first thought was to step him and I flicked an offload to Michael Crocker.”

It was a monumental occasion for a kid from the bush who'd grown up watching many of his teammates and opposition on TV. 

“I had Craig Wing feeding me the ball and Freddy barking orders, asking me to get him forward and get the team going,” he said.

“I’m thinking ‘this is one of the greatest players of all time asking me to help him out and get his team going forward.’

“It was really surreal for me.”

Fittler

THE AFTERMATH

The 32-22 win over a Knights team featuring Robbie O'Davis, Timana Tahu, the Gidley brothers and Danny Buderus was the only first grade match Rose played that season.

Looking back now, he says he wasn't frustrated at the lack of game time. 

“It was a funny one for me. That first year I felt I wasn’t deserving of being at that level yet. I was just grateful more than anything to be there,” he said.  

“We were a good team. I was lucky to be part of a team like that – it was a blessing.”

Rose played five more NRL games the following year, but Stuart couldn't promise him a spot in the side for 2006. Manly could though, and he decided to leave. 

“I was coming off contract and ended up speaking to Ricky," he said. 

"I said I wanted to stay but that I’d had a few offers and other clubs guaranteed me a spot in their 17. Ricky just said he couldn’t guarantee that to me with the depth in the squad.

“With that I ended up signing with the Manly Sea Eagles and it was the best decision I’ve ever made.”

DEBUTS SERIES

Catch up on some of our other 'Debut' stories here.

 

Brendan Bradford