Timing is everything and for Port Macquarie Sharks young gun Ryan Long, the timing for his shot at big time rugby league wasn't quite right.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It's why he's back with the Sharks for the 2022 Group 3 rugby league season - which kicks off on Saturday - after things didn't quite work out at South Sydney.
Long signed a two-year deal with the Rabbitohs for the 2019 and 2020 seasons which he saw as his shot at cracking the NRL, but then COVID-19 happened.
In the end, he had a decision to make - play club footy down in Sydney and find a job, or return home.
He took the latter option, but it wasn't before many sleepless nights that came as a result of not wanting to disappoint his parents.
"It was a hard decision [to throw it all in and head home]," Long admitted.
"When I was 16 and living at home with mum and dad I signed with Newcastle so I knew of the sacrifices mum and dad used to make around finishing work early for me.
"I don't know what it means from here."
- Ryan Long
"They'd drive me down three or four days a week and playing on a Saturday was a big ask on them so I felt a little bit like I'd let them down by not sticking it out. But at the end of the day you've got to be happy to keep moving forward."
A COVID-shortened 2019 season saw Long only play half a dozen games for the Rabbitohs SG Ball (under-18) side before there was no rugby league at all in 2020.
A two-year contract that had offered so much delivered little, but it was through no fault of the 20-year-old.
"I don't know what it means from here," Long said.
"I'm just taking it step by step and day by day really. Hopefully I'll get a good season of footy in with the Sharks and hopefully play some good club footy and then see where that takes me.
"I've set a couple of little goals through the year, but my main focus is just trying to get fit."
If I had my time over again I would definitely try to stick it out for a bit longer, but it was hard doing a full-time job where you're working long hours in the sun.
- Ryan Long
The former Camden Haven Eagle now knows those sorts of opportunities don't come around every year.
"If I had my time over again I would definitely try to stick it out for a bit longer, but it was hard doing a full-time job where you're working long hours in the sun," he said.
"Then you go over to training for two hours four days a week. It's pretty full-on, but if you want to make it, that's what you have to do these days."
Penrith Panthers young gun Soni Luke, however, has provided Long with a reason of why he shouldn't give up on his NRL dream just yet.
"It's never too late," he said.
"You still see people debuting these days like Soni Luke was 25 so there's still a big opportunity.
"I'm only 20, but there's still a long way to go. I'm not setting my hopes on anything but if something does pop up I'll definitely be thinking about it."
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark our website
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- You can support us with a subscription
- Follow us on Twitter: @portmacnews
- Follow us on Instagram: @portmacnews
- Follow us on Google News