League of His Own Ch. 12 - Sex Stories

League of His Own Ch. 12

... season, now that my retirement was taken care of, I could simply concentrate on each game as it came. I hoped and intended to go out on a high. Making the Finals Series would be fantastic. Making another Grand Final would be verging on a miracle. But the new coach had bedded in new players and new philosophies since he'd arrived, and there was hope that the Rangers would make the top eight yet again.

The first game of the season was played at our home stadium. It was a sell-out like usual as our fans remained committed and loyal to the team even if we were not quite as successful as a few years ago. What I didn't miss were one or two banners that made mention of my own loyalty to the club. Almost enough to bring a tear to the eye.

We played Manly in the first game of the season. I'm not sure if it was the occasion, the announcement that I'd recently made, or it was just one of those perfect days. But we smashed them. Absolutely smashed them. At the end of eighty minutes, even we had to look at the scoreboard to make sure we believed what we'd done.

West Sydney Rangers 66 - Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 6

It was easily the largest win the Rangers had ever had over Manly. The fans in the grandstands celebrated like we'd won the Grand Final. Walking into the sheds after the game, the coach was waiting for us. Though he was delighted with the performance, he warned us not to get over-confident. He knew Manly had simply not turned up while we had put in a great ...

... performance. The next game probably wouldn't be as easy.

While the next game wasn't too easy, West Sydney Rangers did end up making their best start to the season since we won the Minor Premiership, remaining unbeaten through our first six games and topping the table with two other sides. Confidence increased with each victory, and I knew that I wasn't the only one left with the belief that maybe we could go all the way once again.

It would be one hell of a way to wrap up my professional career.

***** I was sitting in our living room with my mother, my two sisters, my wife, Wendy and Rebecca. A couple of our kids were sitting with us. The rest were either playing in their rooms or keeping themselves otherwise occupied. It was a week after my last game of professional rugby league. I had no intention of reversing my decision. On the television was a replay of my final game. It was the first time that I'd watched it since that day.

"Welcome to Accor Stadium for the 20## Grand Final between the West Sydney Rangers and the Parramatta Eels. The Rangers enter the Grand Final off the back of a miracle run, finishing eighth on the ladder with a win in their last game of the season that secured their position in the finals, before three wins in the Finals Series over Penrith, Melbourne before finally beating Brisbane in last week's Preliminary Final. Parramatta finished second on the table after a magnificent season and enter the Grand Final as firm favourites to win their first ...