Rugby League: Warriors plan a future without Ridge

When Matthew Ridge walks away from the Warriors during the next week, it will end one of the highest profile - and certainly most controversial - sporting careers in this country.

At the age of 31, it must be assumed that Ridge has had enough of his bone-shattering adventures.

The club is obviously frustrated with the 25-test former Kiwi captain, who earns $650,000 a year, after he spent half the 1999 season under suspension.

But an enthusiastic Ridge, who has one year left on his contract, could still be valuable. And if his departure were to cost them plenty, the Warriors might just as well keep Ridge in the ranks.

The factor that will apparently allow the club to pay off Ridge dates back to the raid on the Australian Rugby League by the News Ltd backed-Super League, when Ridge was among the Pied Pipers and vehement spokesmen for the generous new rugby league paymasters.

News Ltd's direct backing of the Warriors officially ended in late 1997 after the sole season of their competition.

But now, when Ridge has tired of the game and his club is only too willing to let him go, News Ltd (who own the current NRL competition with the Australian Rugby League) will sort out most of Ridge's payoff. A sort of thank you, maybe.

Officially, negotiations are continuing. But Warriors coach Mark Graham yesterday confirmed on radio that the year 2000 was a Ridge too far.

Warriors chief executive Trevor McKewen said yesterday that the negotiations had been opened at Ridge's request. Ridge told the New Zealand Herald he was unable to make any comment at this stage.

So what of this sporting life? Ridge played six non-test matches on the All Blacks tour to Canada and the British Isles in 1989 before being enticed to Manly by Graham Lowe.

He was an immediate success, with his uncompromising attitude, intelligence for the game and goalkicking making him an elite player and Kiwi.

The slightly built Ridge was fearless. Canberra coach Tim Sheens, on watching the new recruit diving head first at the knees of Mal Meninga to prevent a try, suggested it was not the most sensible way to earn a living. Concussion and Ridge became acquainted.

His glory years were under Bob Fulton at Manly, making grand final appearances in 1995 and 96. Manly won the second against St George when Ridge turned the game.

During the mid 1990s, Manly's drifting defensive system, with Ridge directing operations, conceded fewer than 10 points a game while Ridge was often scoring more than that on his own.

He sat out the first eight games of Manly's 1996 season in an effort to break his contract and join the Super League Warriors, before being forced back.

But his career became derailed after joining the Warriors in 1997, even though he still showed moments of his class. Injury and suspension played a large part, but Ridge - a natural fit at the hard- nosed Manly outfit - was a misfit at a club lacking strong leadership and trying to discover its own way.

Along the way there were the controversies, including an allegation he spat at a youngster at a game in Sydney. Cronulla players privately expressed disbelief at the way Ridge talked to team mates during one game. There was also an excellent book, which, among other things, revealed a childhood less ordinary.

So what lies ahead for Ridge? It has long been rumoured he may try union in Europe, where big contracts don't necessarily mean big bruises. It would mean an overseas ending for a man once the most popular sportsman in the country, whose image has become tarnished, but who is also one of the greatest rugby league fullbacks.