Monaghan to retire at end of season

Posted on Saturday 31st of May 2014 in Club News, Team News
Monaghan to retire at end of season
#Wolves2014

Hooker Michael Monaghan has announced his retirement from the game at the end of the current season.

The 34-year-old Australian made his Warrington debut back in 2008 earning heritage number 1081. Since then he has gone on to make 182 appearances in the Primrose and Blue, taking on joint ownership of the captain’s armband in this his final season.

He’s crossed the try line on 33 occasions while adding four drop-goals to his current points total of 136.

Monaghan joined the club from Manly Sea Eagles to take on the halfback role but has since adopted the hooker position alongside Micky Higham and rising star Brad Dwyer.

He was part of the Challenge Cup winning sides of 2009, 2010 and 2012, lifting the Lance Todd Trophy in 2009 for his man of the match performance. He also stepped out at Old Trafford in the team’s recent Grand Final appearances of 2012 and 2013.

Michael said: “It’s been a privilege playing here for seven years; winning Challenge Cups and playing in Grand Finals. It’s all gone better than I could have hoped for or expected. I’ve enjoyed my time here and the atmosphere created by the fans over the years has been great. I’m retiring from playing at the end of the season but I am looking forward to moving on in the game, hopefully into a coaching role whether that’s here or elsewhere. With Joel still at Warrington and me being engaged to an English girl I’m obviously keen to stay over here for a while.

“A massive thank you to everyone who has made my time at the club so enjoyable and I look forward to hopefully ending my time here on a high.”

Head of coaching and rugby Tony Smith added: “We will thank Michael for his efforts he’s put into the club at the appropriate time because we know he’s got, and we’ve got, some unfinished business in terms of the rest of the season to go. I would like to say I admire his decision to retire at the top of his game and he is in that sort of form. He’s certainly not going to be one of those players who is going to play a year too long and I admire that decision by him. He’s played some of his best Rugby League here.

“He’s certainly been a great asset to the club for a number of years and in all the years I’ve been here, on the field but also in his knowledge of the game. He is going to be a huge attribute to whichever coaching staff he ends up working for as he’s got a great ability to read the game but also to convey his thoughts of the game. I’m sure he is going to have a very good career after retirement in Rugby League.”

Ok, before I p*ss people off I'll say that Monas has been a fantastic servant and a player and was probably the key that turned the lock for us in 2009. He was sensational on Friday (his control of the midfield, along with Bridge and Ratchford's directing the troops wider out contributed in Myler shining, but oops there I go again) and he should have got man of steel during his time here.

But, I do think he's knees are in a position now where doing 80, tough minutes like he did against Leeds means he's going to be less effective, or need to be rested in the weeks after. On that basis, the decision to extend his contract was still a little sentimental in my view.

However, before I'm bombarded with posts labelled "bellend" and "heresey" I'm struggling to think of an overseas player in the recent past I've enjoyed watching more. In fact, I'd probably have to go back to the nineties to recall seeing a player in a Wires jersey, British or overseas, I've enjoyed watching as much.

bellend

You are right though, Mick Higham has been the best hooker at the club for the past couple of seasons. He has really stepped up and overtaken Monaghan IMO.

Monas was quality on Friday night and is a club legend, we will miss him. I hope he stays as a coach

Michael Monaghan has been brilliant for us. He changed the way the dummy half plays and not many players can play that way as well as him. He is not your typical quick PTB and scoot up the middle like so many we have seen. He plays on the toes of the defence which is why he gets clattered around the head so much. He commits defenders creating space for those around him. I can't speak highly enough of him as a player. I think players like Jon Clarke and mick Higham if asked would say their game improved by playing with him. I would like to ask him one question though. Was it his choice to come over here as a number 7 or was that the position that our coaching staff wanted him to play.
If there was one player out of our squad that I would like to have a good natter about rugby over a couple of pints it would be him. He appears to have so much knowledge about the game, it will be a sad day when he stops playing, it will be a tragedy if we can't find a role for him.
hopefully the rest of the team can give him the last piece of the jigsaw and maybe he will play one game next year for us in March in Australia.

Agree with all the praise... he will be a damn hard player to replace. Hookers like Higham or Roby tend to get the plaudits for any half way successful scamper... but it takes a special player to have the awareness that Monas does.