Geoff ‘Choc’ Johnson called full-time on his illustrious rugby league career on Sunday.
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The sign that something significant was going to happen during the Nowra Bomaderry Jets and Kiama Knights match happened just before kick-off.
Johnson led the Jets onto the field - a sign he was going to call it a day.
However, saying the actual words ‘I will retire’ did take some coaxing.
“I will call it mate I have a business I am trying to get off the ground that I have to put some time into” he said.
“It’s not fair to the boys I am playing with to be drawn away from training and as you get older you do have to train harder.
“I just have not got the time to put into the training paddock.
“I have had 21-years of first grade this season and that is enough for me.”
He would like to be remembered by his friends as a top team-mate.
“Yeah also as a gentleman and someone who put in for his team,” he said
The grand final success with the Jets in 2014 rates high on his list of achievements.
“The premiership was something special and it was a long time coming for me. It took me 19 years to get one,” he said.
“I won one in the Parramatta juniors but that was nothing like getting one in Country Rugby League - grand finals in Country Rugby League are hard to come by.
“Some clubs are lucky enough to get them time and time again but for a club like the merged Nowra Bomaderry Jets it’s something special.”
He retires with fond memories of the club and of his many mates.
“It’s a been a pleasure to finish my career with these boys,” he said
“I have been honoured to take the field with them and could not ask for better team-mates to finish it with to tell you the truth.”
Another highlight was getting to play first grade with this his son Jahmay last year.
“That was what drew me back (the chance to play with Jahmay) after we played the grand final when I was going to retire,” he said.
“However getting the chance to play with my son Jahmay was something that was pretty special to me which is why I took the opportunity to do so last year.
“I then got dragged into playing again this year.”
He got to play with his nephew Keedan this year.
“It has been a great journey,” he said.
You do get the impression that if the Jets are struggling and need a class play-maker that Choc is just a phone call away.
Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see what some other local rugby league veterans decide to so with their careers over the off season and the good news its most clubs have lots of juniors coming up the ranks.