Rugby league, specifically the NRL, is the toughest sport in the world. A natural response to playing the toughest sport in the world are injuries. And while it would be awesome if they didn't exist, unfortunately, that comes with the territory.
With injuries, comes players playing with and through them. And while you may find yourself grimacing at the gladiatorial nature of a player playing through a broken bone, nothing makes for a better story. It's moments like these that turn great plays, games and players into legends that will far outlast the player that did it.
You only have to look as far back as Round 3 of the 2022 season to find the latest one. Sure, if Ray Stone scores the game-winning try by trying harder than everyone andย doesn'tย injure himself, it's awesome. The fact he tore his ACL and still got the job done, while horrible and sad, makes it a legendary moment.
So, with that being said, let's take a look at some of the toughest, most memorable and most heroic moments and games the game has seen.
5. Zero Tackle - Honourable Mentions
Josh Morris
A game that Paul Gallen called the toughest game of football he'd ever experienced, Game 1 of the 2014 State of Origin series was one to remember. Josh Morris' tackle on Greg Inglis stands above all other memorable moments of the game.
Down on the sideline with the trainer examining his knee, Morris was told he had torn his ACL. Instead of waiting for the stretcher or making the long walk back to the sheds, he sprinted back to tackle Greg Inglis who was in the process of setting up a try.
Brett Morris
In the same game, Brett dislocated his shoulder as slammed the ball down to score. Left grimacing and writhing in pain as it popped back into its socket, Morris stayed on for the remainder of the game.
Scoring a try while dislocating your shoulder in a State of Origin match is heroic enough, but not for Brett Morris. The real legend was born in the 73rd minute, when he made a try-saving ball-and-all tackle on Darius Boyd, barrelling him into touch.
Darren Lockyer
In the 69th minute of what would turn out to be his final home game ever, Darren Lockyer was a victim of friendly fire. Up by six points in a sudden-death final against the St George Illawarra Dragons, Beale leapt for a bomb - and his knee landed flush on Lockyer's cheekbone.
Ten minutes later, in the 81st minute, Darren Lockyer rocketed a field goal with his left foot, sending the Broncos to the preliminary final. Lockyer would eventually rule himself out for the preliminary final after surgery which would be the last act of his club career.
Shaun Kenny-Dowall
This one doesn't have the legendary status of some others, probably for a few reasons. One is the position Kenny-Dowall played and the other is that it just wasn't spoken about that much.
Five minutes into the 2013 NRL grand final, Kenny-Dowall spat a tooth out of his mouth after his first hit-up. He would then go on to play 75 minutes of a grand final with a broken jaw, scoring the game-winning try in the 60th minute.
