SEN’s Greg Alexander has supported New Zealand Warriors playmaker Chanel Harris-Tavita’s decision to step away from the NRL due to a diminished enjoyment in the game.
The 23-year-old said that he will take a hiatus from the Warriors at the end of the 2022 season and focus on travelling and writing in the hope that a break from the game will reignite a passion for rugby league.
Alexander said that Harris-Tavita has shown great courage with his decision and that if you are not fully committed to rugby league as a career, it is almost impossible to motivate yourself for game day.
“It’s a pretty courageous thing to do what he is doing,” Alexander said on 1170 SEN Breakfast.
“Rugby league is such a hard game to play if it doesn’t dominate your thinking.
“If it isn’t your passion and you don’t wake up every morning wanting to train, you don’t wake up every game day and can’t wait to get out onto the field, it is such a hard game to play.
“It’s so physical and demanding both mentally and physically.
“Chanel Harris-Tavita doesn’t feel like that at the moment.”
Harris-Tavita has played 44 games for the Warriors but has been plagued by injuries including a ruptured testicle in the Warriors’ 70-10 loss to the Melbourne Storm.
Alexander said that at many stages in his career, he contemplated retirement but knew his time was done when he lost the competitive drive to train and play at the level of a professional athlete.
“I played for 16 years and there were certainly times where I considered retiring,” Alexander continued.
“I felt like I lost the love of the game.
“You can’t play the game without that passion and that drive to want to win.
“If you’ve lost that little competitive edge (it’s time to retire).”