Mortlock announces his rugby retirement
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Former Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock has announced he will end his illustrious rugby union career when the Super Rugby regular season finishes next month.
The 35-year-old Melbourne Rebels captain will play his last game on Australian soil when he leads the Rebels out against Super Rugby champions Queensland Reds at AAMI Park on June 29.
He will then end his career in South Africa where the Rebels play their last two matches and complete their season as they are not in finals contention.
Centre Mortlock has battled calf muscle injuries this season – his second of a three-year deal with the fledgling Rebels – and only made his season start in round 12.
Mortlock played 80 Tests for the Wallabies, amassing 489 points.
At his peak, Mortlock, a powerful runner and defender, was one of the best outside centres in world rugby.
He has played more than 140 Super Rugby games, spending most of his career at the Brumbies, where he made his debut in 1998.
He remains the highest-scoring Australian in Super Rugby history, the only Australian to rack up more than 1000 points.
“There’s no secret I still love what I do and still love playing. It’s more about my body,” said Mortlock.
“Being on the sidelines for nine of 10 weeks this season was extremely frustrating and tough. My body is back in the shape I want it to be but I think it is the right time (to retire).”
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- Rugby Union, Stirling Mortlock, Super Rugby, wallabies
June 17th 2012 @ 1:06pm
Dan said | June 17th 2012 @ 1:06pm | Report comment
One of the best of all time sad to see him go.
One tough mf feared by nearly all that opposed him.
We are lacking centres like he was at his peak.
Dead set legend..
Cheers for everything Stirlo!!!!!!
June 17th 2012 @ 1:09pm
hog said | June 17th 2012 @ 1:09pm | Report comment
Champion
June 17th 2012 @ 1:28pm
CraigB said | June 17th 2012 @ 1:28pm | Report comment
As a brumby and wallaby fan, I say thanks for everything!
June 17th 2012 @ 1:35pm
Brett McKay said | June 17th 2012 @ 1:35pm | Report comment
well played Stirlo..
June 17th 2012 @ 1:44pm
Frank O'Keeffe said | June 17th 2012 @ 1:44pm | Report comment
“Great” might be a word that Wallaby fans use too much, but Mortlock was “Great.”
It’s a bit of a shame he played some of his greatest rugby from 2005-2007, when he really had to carry the Wallabies at times. The 2006 Brisbane Test is a good example of Mortlock really compensating for a lot of poor play by other players.
There was talk the All Blacks should move Muliana to defend him. High praise indeed for Mortlock.
My favourite Mortlock moment was when he put Staniforth over the line in 2007. He made a similar break in 2006, and got the ball to Gerrard, but Herrard was isolated and McCaw got to him.
I also recall a great break he made the World Cup… but Jonny Wilkinson was there to tackle him, making a tackle a noram five-eighth wouldn’t be expected to male.
Then there was that penalty that won Australia the 2000 Tri Nations. Mortlock had an awesome, awesome first year on the wing for the Wallabies.
People will also forget that he was the only Wallaby that played good in the 2007 World Cup quarter-final against England. It’s a shame he missed that penalty, because he played so hard, coming back from injury too!
Then in 2008 when he was slowing down a bit, I remember a mistake he made in South Africa. Four minutes later he got the ball, ran around the ruck, found a gap, and powered his way over the try line! I thought he was a champion for so easily fixing a mistake with a brief moment of genius.
Hopefully people won’t remember him from 2008-09 when he started to slow down a little bit. You could tell in 2008 that he wasn’t quite the player he once was when it came to finish those last 20 minutes. And in 2009 he was a much slower ‘power runner’.
George Smith may be the best Wallaby player of the 00s, but Mortlock is number 2 on my list.
Sadly, Morty isn’t as revered in Australia and some New Zealanders revered him around 2006.
Like I say, a shame he was at the peak of his powers when the rest of the side was so poor.
June 17th 2012 @ 3:57pm
sheek said | June 17th 2012 @ 3:57pm | Report comment
Frank,
I would be interested in how you ranked Mortlock among the Wallaby no.13s of the past 40-50 years?
1. David L’Estrange, 1971-76.
2. Andy Slack, 1978-87.
3. Michael O’Connor, 1979-82.
4. Jason Little, 1989-2000.
5. Dan Herbert, 1994-2002.
6. Stirling Mortlock, 2000-09.
Personally, I would rate O’Connor & Little, both beautifully balanced , athletic, run, pass & support players, as my top two, ahead of the two power players Herbert & Mortlock All in that order.
Not much between any of these four, though. Slack & L’Estrange some distance further behind.
Anyway, well done Stirling Mortlock. At his best he was a fearsome runner, even if lacking suptlety.
June 17th 2012 @ 4:17pm
PeterK said | June 17th 2012 @ 4:17pm | Report comment
I would rate Mortlock ahead of Herbert.
I saw Herbert smashed back close to the line too often. Mortlock scored once he got close to the line.
June 17th 2012 @ 5:39pm
Justin2 said | June 17th 2012 @ 5:39pm | Report comment
Mortlock ran the best lines of any of those guys and was arguably the best defender. Not creative or having the amazing feet of MOC or JL though
June 17th 2012 @ 7:15pm
Frank O'Keeffe said | June 17th 2012 @ 7:15pm | Report comment
I never saw David L’Estrange play, so I don’t know. I saw a clip of Russel Fairfax clocking a Frenchmen, and the ball popped up to L’Estrange for a try. That was awesome!
I love Andy Slack. But he was never the world’s best player in his position… actually maybe he was circa 1981/82. Mark Ella once said he was the best player on that tour. Maybe he’d be higher rated if the Wallabies won more Tests.
Michael O’Connor is the best player on your list, especially when he’s outside Mark Ella! I don’t know if you could rate him higher than Sterling Mortlock, because Mortlock played for longer and with such distinction. I’d take the 2nd Test against Scotland in 1982 as O’Connor’s best game, and then he converted to league. Watching DVD’s of him play is hard, I feel like his father did when he converted to league.
Interestingly, when David Campese came along, the press said he was the best player from the Canberra area since Michael O’Connor. And when Ricky Stuart came along, the same thing was said. And when Stuart converted to league, it was the worst departure since Michael O’Connor. Bob Dwyer thought high enough of him to put him in his all-time Aussie side for 1982-2003.
Little… This is a tough one. I saw his try against South Africa in 1993 not long ago, it’s one of my favourite tries of the 90s. I rate him highly, but Herbert overtook him and relegated him to the bench. I don’t think any All Blacks fans feared him like they feared Mortlock.
Honestly, the Kiwis feared Mortlock more than George Smith from 2005-2007. They feared Smith from 2000-2004 – he was the guy they had to get out of the Test to win. But once that McCaw fellow came along, George Smith wasn’t such a worry to them. They feared Mortlock so much, and much of the pre-Test hype surrounded how to stop him.
I’d say O’Connor’s the best in your list, but after that, yeah I’d put Mortlock second. You could maybe put Mortlock higher based on career, but in terms of having pace, a step, ball skills (O’Connor beats Mortlock there), unpredictability etc, O’Connor wins out.
What’s sad is that O’Connor always maintained his best position was inside centre. He played there for Queensland, with Slack on the outside. Yet I think he only played there once, and it was HIS LAST TEST! Actually he might he played there against England in 1982, but I forget whether that was on the wing or not.
It’s also notable what a terrible centre combination Hawker-Slack made. Hawker-O’Connor was great, O’Connor-Slack was lauded… O’Connor was the missing link, they say.
June 17th 2012 @ 7:23pm
Xman said | June 17th 2012 @ 7:23pm | Report comment
Spot on. Stirlo was feared by countries around the world. MOC was amazing and the rest of that list world class but how many were literally feared by the opposition like Stirlo was.
June 17th 2012 @ 4:04pm
The Bush said | June 17th 2012 @ 4:04pm | Report comment
I was thinking the same thing this morning Frank, but then again, the bloke did play in two (2) Super Rugby Championship sides (Brumbies), a World Cup Final and won both the Tri-Nations and a Bledisloe.
It’s true that he was probably at the peak of his powers during the 2004-2007 period when the Wallabies were a shadow of the team they had been, but he has still tasted farm more success than the current bunch…
June 17th 2012 @ 1:44pm
Justin2 said | June 17th 2012 @ 1:44pm | Report comment
Gun, one of the best 13s we’ve had. Well played Snork…
June 17th 2012 @ 2:22pm
Morgan said | June 17th 2012 @ 2:22pm | Report comment
Thanks for the memories. Stirlo you’re tough and I love that.
June 17th 2012 @ 3:47pm
Worlds biggest said | June 17th 2012 @ 3:47pm | Report comment
Well done on a great career Stirlo, one of our best centres. I’ll always remember playing touch footy at Bert Oldfield Oval with your older brother and you were a skinny but skillful little kid would play with us. Awesome mate.
June 17th 2012 @ 2:29pm
Who Needs Melon said | June 17th 2012 @ 2:29pm | Report comment
Always a very personal decision but I think it’s the right one. I said only yesterday (I think) that he is the benchmark 13 as far as I’m concerned. No disrespect to anyone else because I’m a huge fan of BOD, Umaga, Conrad Smith, etc. but for me Mortlock is already etched in my brain as an absolute legend.
June 17th 2012 @ 2:39pm
Blinky Bill of Bellingen said | June 17th 2012 @ 2:39pm | Report comment
So true Melon. There have been some mighty warriors at 13 and you have rattled off a few for us but for me (and I don’t know why), Stirlo is THE standout.
Mention best Rugby 13 and he’s the guy I think of. God if only we had a clone right now for the Wallabies.
June 17th 2012 @ 10:52pm
Glenn Condell said | June 17th 2012 @ 10:52pm | Report comment
‘but for me (and I don’t know why), Stirlo is THE standout. ‘
It’s because he had real mongrel in him without ever being a thug. He channelled aggression well and blunted more gifted players with a forceful combination of huge physical commitment and rugby nous. Some of his positional play in both attack and defence meant his lack of genuine pace often didn’t matter. He was as adept in reading the dangers in defence as the trajectory of a Larkham cut-out pass.
His ability through his own deeds to inspire those around him could be Eales-ish or Wally Lewis-ish. I recall one of his team-mates getting hammered a tad illegally by Morty’s opposite number v Wales a few years ago and Stirlo eyeing the offender coldly before, in an ensuing phase putting him out of the game with a completely legal but brutal hit. Then there’s the freak goals, the intercepts, the perfectly timed arrival to snuff out a break.
In a crowded field during his career he can fairly lay claim to being one of the best 13s of his time. I think he was the best for a few of those years and would have walked into most opposing test teams.
He will be remembered with respect and admiration.
June 17th 2012 @ 2:46pm
eagleJack said | June 17th 2012 @ 2:46pm | Report comment
Stirlo’s intercept try against the ABs in the 2003 WC semi tops a long list of great memories I have of him.
June 17th 2012 @ 4:07pm
nickoldschool said | June 17th 2012 @ 4:07pm | Report comment
15 year-long career at top level in the centres, huge achievement. Up there with Umaga & BOD over the last 20y. No wonder the wallabies are still looking for the next long term n13.