For some players, the chance to once again don a jersey in a region that they made a name for themselves is too hard to pass up, and for Anthony Quinn, he fell into that boat.
Starting out his career with the Newcastle Knights and playing in 103 games with the club, a move to Melbourne was the next chapter in his life, where he played 103 games for the Melbourne Storm.
Now, with rumours of an early retirement floating around, Quinn made the decision to return to his first NRL club, signing a 1-year deal with the Knights for the 2013 season.
Knights CEO Matt Gidley is excited that the club was able to bring Quinn back home, and looks forward to his versatility on the football field.
“Anthony has played with the Knights before so it is fantastic we can bring him home,†CEO Matt Gidley said.
“He can play on the wing, in the centres and even in the second row, so his versatility will be a great addition to the team.
“He is very well liked, has a superb work ethic and he is just the type of player we want to have around the Club.â€
Equally happy about the move, is Quinn himself, with he and his family ecstatic to be back in Newcastle.
“Myself and the family are really pleased to be back in Newcastle and I’m looking forward to playing back where it all began,†Quinn said.
“I want to thank the Knights for the opportunity to return to the Club to play out my career.â€
Someone who knows Quinn well, having played alongside him previously, is Knights captain Kurt Gidley, who welcomed the hometown local back.
“It is good to have Quinny back,†Gidley said.
“I played a lot of my juniors with him and he has a great attitude.
“He has been part of a successful club in Melbourne and brings with him a lot of experience which I am sure will help us all out.â€