Canberra Raiders forward JJ Collins will depart the club and return home to Queensland to be with his family.
With a shortened season and tough implications because of the NRL shutdown due to the coronavirus, the 24-year old has had to make the tough decision to leave the Raiders behind to support his family, and hopes he may get another opportunity later down the track.
โMy partner and I have just had our first son and it although it was a tough decision, it was one that had to be made,โ Collins told raiders.com.au.
โIโm really gutted to be leaving the club, they welcomed me last year when I first arrived, and I have nothing but respect for the staff and playing group.
โThe drive is still there to play first grade footy, but at this time itโs important for me to do whatโs best for my family, so weโll head back to Queensland and Iโll look for some work and hopefully another opportunity presents itself in the future.
โItโs important for me to get into a routine outside footy as thatโs all I really know, so Iโll get a job and if another opportunity comes, Iโll be ready.
The family aspect is more important to Collins than the football is, which is what made the decision what it is. Collins has wished his teammates the best for the 2020 season.
โIf it was just my partner and I, we would have stayed, but having a young family I had to make the tough decision to put footy on the back burner and my family first, and to provide for them I guess is my main thing in life at the moment,โ he said.
โItโs going to be hard not training with the boys every day, theyโre a great bunch of blokes and good playing group so Iโm going to miss them.
โI think theyโll go pretty far this season and even go one better and take out the GF.โ
Raiders Football Manager Matt Ford wished Collins the best in all he chooses to do and highlighted the troubles faced for players and the NRL as a whole with the COVID-19 shutdown.
โJJ has been nothing but professional in his time at the club and its really disappointing that heโs been put in a position where he can no longer see footy as a viable option for himself,โ Ford said.
โHe is the example of a player thatโs been affected the most in this whole situation and heโs made the best decision for himself and his family at this time.
โI think itโs really important that people realise that not every NRL player is on big-money contracts and unfortunately good people like JJ are being forced out of the game. As a club, we wish JJ nothing but the best for the future and we hope he can continue his career in the future when heโs ready.โ
