Kimmorley won't hang up rep boots

Not content with being NSW's oldest ever halfback, Brett Kimmorley says he'll still
be available for State of Origin football next year.
Kimmorley is keen for another season of NRL action with Canterbury and negotiations
between his manager George Mimis and the club have begun.
"I've sort of made that understanding that I think I'd be happy to go on again so
I'm hoping it won't be too hard to get it all together," Kimmorley said.
"It's not like we've been negotiating, it's been over coffee and general chats."
But the 33-year-old says he won't be heading off into the rep footy sunset to
concentrate solely on the Bulldogs.
"These things give you confidence, playing here it obviously shows that you're still
playing at a good level," Kimmorley said.
"If you don't know you're going to get another opportunity, then you get one, or now
to get two, you seem just to grab them.
"If you say you're never going to play and someone gets hurt, well you might let an
opportunity go so I don't know if you ever want to say no."
That someone probably means Sydney Roosters No.7 Mitchell Pearce, who Blues coach
Craig Bellamy said was the main competitor for the No.7 jersey this year before he
injured his shoulder.
Pearce had been in good form until the injury and, at just 21, is 12 years
Kimmorley's junior.
Kimmorley's attitude mirrors that of Queensland veterans Darren Lockyer, Petero
Civoniceva and Steve Price, who have all been reluctant to give up the adrenaline
rush of rep footy despite being well into their 30s.
It might also be a result of his resurrection from the Origin scrap-heap after
believing he'd never play again.
He debuted in 2000 but earned the ire of the Blues hierarchy in 2005 when he threw
"that pass" for an intercept by Queensland's Matt Bowen.
But his steadiness and experience has since seen him replace youngsters Jarrod
Mullen, in 2007, and Peter Wallace, last year.
This time, Kimmorley is happy to be there from the beginning of a campaign which
gets underway at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday night as NSW hatch a plan to end
Queensland's four-year domination.
"Coming in from day one (this year), it's probably more comfortable, it just feels
like we've flowed on a bit from (the game three win) last year," he said.
"I probably appreciate it a bit more.
"It's play good this time, hopefully keep it for the next one.
"You don't get caught up in the fact that you've go the No.7 jumper, you get to keep
it.
"It still comes with playing well."
The Blues are bracing for a tougher Queensland assault than in Origin III last year,
when celebrating the record fourth straight series win too hard was blamed for the
Maroons loosening their grip.
"It's game one, this is a very important part of the series," Kimmorley said.
"Their preparation will be great.
"They've had the disruption of Cameron (Smith) being out but I think we had a lot
more to play for than they probably did, for us there was no such thing as a dead
rubber."



Delete & Prev | Delete & Next