NRL veteran Luke Lewis to leave rugby league with no regrets
At the ripe old age of 34, Luke Lewis shocked his Cronulla Sharks teammates this week when he casually announced this season would be his last.
Even though his 2018 season has been blighted by injury, many expected the veteran Lewis to extend his career into a 19th season considering his consistent form when he has been on the field.
Lewis won premierships with Cronulla (2016) and Penrith (2003) — claiming the Clive Churchill Medal in the Sharks' breakthrough grand final victory two years ago — and played 17 State of Origin matches for New South Wales, as well as 16 Tests for Australia.
His versatility has held him in good stead, as during his 315-match NRL career he has played in every position on the field.
Lewis, who is sidelined with a calf injury as the Sharks push for perhaps a second premiership in three seasons, revealed the decision to retire was one he had been mulling over for some time.
He first considered "pulling the pin" during the preseason but said he spoke to a number of people about when the best time was to go.
"To be honest there were a couple of times in the year I was thinking, 'do I need to do this anymore? How's the body feeling?', but it actually hit me when I was doing a fitness session," Lewis told Grandstand.
"I've always been a person who applies myself and trains super hard, not letting anyone down, but I was halfway through a fitness session [when] I touched the wall of the pool and they said you've still got 800 metres to go.
"I was thinking 'you know what, I want to get out, have a hot shower and go home'.
"I ended up pumping it out but when I started questioning myself, I just knew that it was time to make the decision to hang them up."
Without revealing who he spoke to when he was thinking about leaving the NRL, Lewis said the advice he received helped push him to make the call.
"The game has given me so many great mates and memories, it's given me the absolute world to be honest," he said.
"I didn't want to play one more year and get halfway through and hate rugby league, so that's when I knew it was time and the good thing is I've still got seven weeks left of footy and fingers crossed a couple of good weeks in the semi-finals to really enjoy it."
Another big factor was his growing family at home and his eagerness to get back to them after each training session.
"The first thing I think about when I get off the field is going home and seeing my daughter and son," he said.
"My son at the moment, he can't do too much, but my daughter is the light of my life. She makes me happy every time I see her.
"I knew straight away when I was training and I just wanted to get straight home that my priorities were changing and that helped with my decision, knowing I get to play with my kids if I go out at the right time and don't go out in too bad a nick."
Lewis inspired by surviving cancer scare
Back in 2012, Lewis was forced to farewell Panthers fans from the sideline when he had surgery to remove thyroid cancer from his neck.
The cancer was found after he underwent a CT scan for a suspected football-related neck injury and Lewis revealed the health scare gave him extra motivation to get back to his best.
"On the field I haven't really thought about it, but the doctor said you will never really get back your peak fitness and you'll never get back to playing the footy that you are used to playing, so I think mentally that hurt me a little bit," he said.
"My mentality was to try and prove them wrong just to myself.
"I had that bit of radiation and my thyroid out and you're always relying on tablets to get you up in the morning, so I questioned myself over the years after I did have surgery. Did I ever get back to my best? I know I gave it everything I had."
Calling time on his career, Lewis has found new motivation to keep him at his best, as the season edges towards the finals.
He said he appreciated being on field with the younger talent at the club and the fresh perspective they brought to the game.
"The young guys are a big factor at training and you get the appreciation of actually playing with them," Lewis said.
"You know when you sit on the sideline in two, three, four years that you're going to enjoy watching these players excel.
"Players like Jesse Ramien, he's a great player that comes to training smiling, knowing he's just signed a contract and to be able to sit back when I'm a bit older and get the opportunity to say I got to play with him, those kind of things are definitely motivating."
But the biggest motivation for Lewis right now is the aim to get a photo of himself with his wife Sonia and their two young children after his very last match.
"To be honest my main priority is to just go out there, have fun and do it for my family," he said.
"I'd love to just get a photo with my jersey on in the black, white and blue, with my daughter, my son and my wife standing next to me. For me to go out and have that photo will be pretty special."
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