THERE was no fire-breathing, just a simple message about the importance of a healthy lifestyle when St George Illawarra prop George Rose dropped in on some of the local Tamworth schools yesterday.
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The Dragons hard man visited Hillvue Public, Oxley High, McCarthy and Peel High schools as part of a trip organised by the Red Cross and Landcare.
“I’m spreading the message of healthy lifestyles and rugby league,” Rose said.
Since making his NRL debut in 2006 with Manly, with whom he won a premiership in 2011, the 32-year-old has become a cult hero.
He was hoping that might help him sway a few of the kids towards the Dragons, joking that he was also trying to recruit a few Dragons fans for the finals.
How successful he was remains to be seen.
“There’s a bit of everything out here,” he said.
On a more serious note the main message he was wanting to spread was the importance of a good breakfast.
It goes hand in hand with getting a good education.
“I let them know that if I don’t have breakfast I don’t train as well as I could,” he said.
“It’s the same for them. If they’re getting tired in class they’re missing out on what others are learning.”
Born in Bathurst, Rose spent some of his formative years in the region.
“I lived in Narrabri for a few years,” he said.
“It was where I became a decent footballer.”
The Dragons are currently clinging to eighth and have the Panthers tomorrow night. They’ve then got the Titans and Tigers.
They are three winnable games being non top-eight teams but, as results this season have shown, nothing can be assumed.
“We’re limping in,” Rose said.
“The goal for us at the start of the year was to make the eight.”
They haven’t made the finals for a couple of years.
“Making the eight would be a great step forward towards what (Dragons coach) Paul McGregor is trying to do,” he said.
They haven’t been helped this season by injuries but are poised to welcome back Benji Marshall and Dylan Farrell.
One of the biggest points of discussion around the game in the last week has been the shoulder charge and the NRL’s banning of it, which will see three players fighting their shoulder charge bans at the judiciary in Sydney tonight (see story page 30).
Rose can see both sides of the argument.
“I enjoy it (shoulder charge),” he said.
“I like giving them.”
He doesn’t mind being on the receiving end either.
“I laugh when I receive it,” he said.
“But obviously at the same time there is research that suggests they needed to ban it.”