By The Roar -
November 12th 2009 @ 10:27am
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Big Dell hangs up his famous white boots
Wendell Sailor wearing the St. George Illawarra jersey after announcing his signing with NRL St. George Illawarra team at WIN Stadium, Wollongong, Monday, May 12, 2008. Sailor has just completed a two-year doping ban after testing positive to cocaine in 2006. AAP Image/Dean Lewins
Love him or hate him, you certainly couldn’t ignore him. Wendell Sailor, flamboyant and polarising, announced his retirement today and a move into a new role as an ambassador for the St George Illawarra Dragons.
Over a distinguished career (that wasn’t without its moments), Sailor electrified both league and union fans with his powerful surges on the field, and his attitude off it.
The former Queensland State of Origin star will be remembered for a career that took him from a long stint at the Brisbane Broncos, to a controversial time at the Wallabies – for whom he made 37 international appearances – and back again to rugby league at the St George Illawarra Dragons.
Along the way, he served a two-year drug ban, after testing positive to cocaine use in 2006, and never failed to stir up debate about his form, his personality, and his often outrageous behaviour.
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(27)
oikee said | November 12th 2009 @ 10:39am | Report comment
I wonder if he is still playing the Indigernous game. Big Dell , he will be as good off the field as he was on the field. Good luck to him. I suppose we will now see him nearly every week, his big dail on tele.
Mick from Giralang said | November 12th 2009 @ 12:39pm | Report comment
Oikee: He has great potential for TV…his appearances on various Channel Nine footy shows this year revealed his a natural on air.
One endearing memory of Wendell — whenever he ran out of the tunnel at the beginning of a game, he always took the trouble to high five any kids in the vicinity.
Chris said | November 12th 2009 @ 7:27pm | Report comment
I have a feeling the footy show will use him to replace Matty Johns
PastHisBest said | November 12th 2009 @ 10:49am | Report comment
Daily, Oikee. At least once per.
oikee said | November 12th 2009 @ 11:00am | Report comment
sheek said | November 12th 2009 @ 11:14am | Report comment
I liked the guy. He will be missed.
You know, when he was a youngster, some well-meaning people tried to change Bradman’s batting style, but he decided to stay true to himself. The rest was history.
When Dell first came across to union, some well-meaning people tried to change Dell into a “rugby union” type winger. Dell should have been left alone as he was, a ‘bash-through’ type of winger, & given as much ball as possible in space.
Having brought Dell across to union for big bikkies, union wasn’t at all smart in the way they used him.
Brett McKay said | November 12th 2009 @ 11:15am | Report comment
Well played Wendell, the game will be poorer for your absence..
Oikee, the AAP reports around say he’ll play the All Star-Dreamtime game if selected…
oikee said | November 12th 2009 @ 11:26am | Report comment
Thanks Brett, thats good news. Will be his final hooray then. Better see if any tickets are available.
Brett McKay said | November 12th 2009 @ 11:34am | Report comment
it’d certainly be hard to see him not selected now..
mattamkII said | November 12th 2009 @ 1:02pm | Report comment
yep thanks Dell.
I loved watching him play and think he did much more in Union than people gave him credit for. Sure he was no Lomu but he was equal to just about any winger in world rugby at that time (other than a couple of Kiwis) – playing on that wing in that era must have bored the tits off him.
Two moments I remember well are 1) the end to end try he scored against wales 2) the try he scored against the Argies in RWC2003 opener…both brilliant
Aljay said | November 12th 2009 @ 2:16pm | Report comment
Agree – so much of the anti-Sailor rhetoric is just anti-league snobbery. I also remember two fairly good tries against the All Blacks and the English prior to RWC03 where he ran THROUGH the lineout to score. They were certainly tries that Staniforth & Stcherbina could not have scored.
mattamkII said | November 12th 2009 @ 1:06pm | Report comment
And Sheek, you’re right.
They coached him to be paranoid about turn overs so he seemed to pull back on a regular basis – same with Lote.
Wish both those guys were given free will to ‘just clap on that gas and back them self’. The times they did were magic.
Bill said | November 12th 2009 @ 1:25pm | Report comment
Thanks for the memories Dell!!! I think Wendell would still beat Lote in a foot race.
Andrew Logan said | November 12th 2009 @ 1:31pm | Report comment
You’re very right Sheek. I was always a critic of Sailor being played over Staniforth, as my view was that Staniforth was a much superior union winger positionally and decision wise.
However, union used him poorly and instead of saying to him “Don’t get isolated”, they should have been saying to his teammates, “If he makes a bust, don’t leave him to get isolated”. It was pretty rare that he didn’t leave time for guys to get there anyway, as he stayed on his feet most times with 2-3 guys hanging off him.
When he had ball going forward into traffic, there have been few backs as strong and fearless. Stirling Mortlock, Nathan Grey maybe. Only a select few would have scored his try against the Argies in 2003.
Great to see him back to top form this year, playing the game that suited him best, with a team that used him well.
PastHisBest said | November 12th 2009 @ 1:35pm | Report comment
Hear hear. Like most players, he was what he was and should have been asked to play to his strengths.
AndyRoo said | November 12th 2009 @ 1:39pm | Report comment
A great entertainer, hope he gets a great send off at Robina.
BigAl said | November 12th 2009 @ 2:18pm | Report comment
Can anyone advise what his ethnic background is ?
M1tch said | November 12th 2009 @ 2:20pm | Report comment
Torres Strait islander
M1tch said | November 12th 2009 @ 2:21pm | Report comment
Shows someone can come back from their mistakes and become a better man.
Miss ya Big Dell!
Bulldog said | November 12th 2009 @ 4:00pm | Report comment
Love him
MyGeneration said | November 12th 2009 @ 7:08pm | Report comment
Always thought he was one of Australia’s best in the 2003 WC semi-final. Played like a 9th forward. Not so good in the final, though.
mcxd said | November 12th 2009 @ 7:20pm | Report comment
League or Union player, Reds or Tahs player i wish the best of luck to him. Ive got to admit whenever he got the ball my heart did skip a beat. good on ya Dell !!
bozo said | November 12th 2009 @ 8:13pm | Report comment
Great to see the positive response for Dell. Saw him play with the Broncos, watched him play with the Reds, enjoyed it when he played with the Waratahs but disappointed how it ended, admired him when he did an interview with one of the Daddos on ABC 7.2 radio..”I messed it up”, no off loading of blame, thought he was fantastic with his come back to league and I wish him all the best for his future.
Billo said | November 12th 2009 @ 10:02pm | Report comment
The last time I saw Wendell play a live game was for the Barbarians against England at Twickenham in May 2005.
The Barbarians topped 50 that day, and Wendell had a blinder, scoring two tries and worrying the English whenever the ball came near him. It confirmed, for me at least, that Wendell was at his best when free to play his most natural game, where his talent was unconstrained.
A great player, and a great personality.
I hope he has a great role to play off the field in whichever code has the good sense to use his obvious flair for the meda.
allblackfan said | November 12th 2009 @ 11:42pm | Report comment
Both codes are the poorer for his absence.
I will definitely miss him. The way he fought for redemption — no muss, no fuss. Just head down and work hard and straight. You just have to admire that regardless of which code you follow.
So long, Big Dell!! We WILL ALL miss you!!
westy said | November 14th 2009 @ 9:50am | Report comment
Redemption is no mean achievement . I saw his wife interviewed at his press conference. Wendell was s a very lucky man to have her love and support in his darkest days.
K B said | November 14th 2009 @ 10:19am | Report comment
The big fella will be sorely missed; I always enjoyed his performances, whether it was with the Broncos, Wallabies or St George — kudos to his wife who supported him in his darkest hours then to come back and go out a winner…
~~~~~~~
KB