Former Gold Coast Titans and Melbourne Storm hooker Aaron Booth has opened up his sudden retirement after a long battle with injuries.
The 28-year-old hooker made his NRL debut for the Melbourne Storm in 2020 and played six games across a two-year tenure with the club.
He then shifted north for the 2022 season, spending most of the season in the QLD Cup with the Burleigh Bears in the QLD Cup before making his club debut for the Titans in Round 18, starting at hooker.
Just weeks later, he suffered a knee injury, which saw him suffer a full ACL rupture, as well as problems with his MCL and PCL. It was confirmed Booth would need at least 12 months on the sidelines to recover.
The injury was not the first time Booth, who had a stint at the South Sydney Rabbitohs prior to his NRL debut, had suffered an ACL injury.
The severe knee injury ultimately forced him to hang up the boots, with the hooker saying the decision to retire was best for his long-term health and bringing his career to an abrupt and premature end.
In an interview with the players union, Booth stated he was fortunate to successfully apply to access the injury hardship fund to help the transition to retirement, per News Corp.
“When my injury happened, I was on my best run of games, and it was the first time I had thought about what I would do post-career,” Booth said via News Corp.
“I was playing steady games, I was doing well, and I was even talking about signing a new contract.
“Having to retire suddenly was hard to deal with when it did happen. The Injury Hardship Fund is so important and one the players have done well to push for over the years.
“I'm living and breathing it right now. As players, we put our bodies through a lot. When a player goes through a traumatic injury like I have, there's going to be a lot of steps in place to heal and to ensure ongoing health.
“It's great that players have something to access in times of hardship, transition and unknown.”
