In rugby league offers come, offers go.
It’s part of the game.
It can be a hard decision for players.
Stay with the club they’ve grown up with, where their passion lies…. Or move onto another opportunity, one which could skyrocket their career.
Josh Perry was presented with that decision late 2001.
The young prop was a hot commodity, he came off contract following a 2001 grand final win with the Newcastle Knights.
He was flying high and other clubs wanted a piece of him.
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And they were willing to pay big dollars.
“I had Melbourne and Parramatta chasing me pretty hard offering me more money than I probably had ever earnt for the rest of my career,” laughed Perry.
It sounded like a deal he couldn’t pass up… but Perry loved Newcastle.
He was a born and bred Novocastrian. Played junior footy for Swansea and Valentine. It was his whole existence.
He just wasn’t convinced.
“Melbourne were not the Melbourne you think of now, it was the first year Craig Bellamy had got there,” explained Perry.
“There was no Cameron Smith, there was no Billy Slater, there was none of that, they were just starting what they are today.
“I don’t think I ever really considered going to Melbourne, I had a real hard think about Parramatta, but I just didn’t like the coach at the time.”
So, nothing eventuated. He was happy. He stayed.
“It was a very easy decision to stay at Newcastle.”
