The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Petrie proud to leave no stone unturned in NBL career

Anthony Petrie of the Brisbane Bullets receives a guard of honour after competeing in his 250th game during the round 19 NBL match between the Adelaide 36ers and the Brisbane Bullets at Titanium Security Arena on February 17, 2018 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
Expert
17th February, 2018
0

Twice in the past 14 months Anthony Petrie has undergone knee surgery that would have likely meant retirement for any ordinary person, but he has always fought valiantly to get every ounce out of himself and couldn’t be prouder to be finishing his NBL career on the court.

Nothing has come easily for Petrie his entire career. Early on he continued to be overlooked by NBL clubs before banging down the door through his SEABL form with the Canberra Gunners to earn his opportunity as a 24-year-old with the West Sydney Razorbacks for the 2007-08 season.

Over the next decade, with stints at the Wollongong Hawks, Gold Coast Blaze, Adelaide 36ers and most recently the past two seasons the Brisbane Bullets, he has forged his reputation as one of the toughest competitors but fairest and respected combatants in the league.

Along the way he earnt the NBL most improved player award in 2010, was a key part of Adelaide’s grand final run in 2014 and achieved his lifelong dream of playing with the Australian Boomers.

But the toll of his renowned physical style was always going to be felt. He did overcome a significant setback with a ruptured Achilles when playing for the Gold Coast Blaze, but it has been the past 14 months when his heart and dedication to get on the court have truly shone.

Back on Boxing Day 2016 it became obvious to Petrie that something was seriously wrong with his right knee. When his doctor confirmed that the only options left were retirement or minimally successful micro-fracture knee surgery, he was not ready to pull the pin yet.

What was to come was a gruelling 10-month rehabilitation following the surgery with the full knowledge that turning 34 along the way meant the chance of him successfully getting back onto the court was slim.

His wife Sarah gave birth to their fourth child, son Will, during that time too, but Petrie was not ready to retire.

Advertisement

Despite knowing that 21 per cent of NBA players who have undergone the surgery were forced to retire, eight per cent played one more season and the rest played two more seasons with reduced productivity, Petrie gave it everything to be back.

And he was right to go for the start of the 2017-18 season with the Bullets and even got the experience to play for Brisbane against the NBA’s Phoenix Suns in another career highlight.

But the knee wasn’t responding as he had hoped. Following the game against the Perth Wildcats at home on 17 November he went in for one last knee operation to hopefully allow him to see out the season.

Any mere mortal would have decided to retire then and there, but not Petrie. He would have felt like he was letting his team down retiring mid-season and would have never been able to live in peace without knowing he gave it his all.

That is why he has been the ultimate teammate his whole career, and it has been worth it, because he’s made it back on the floor with the Bullets for the last seven games and has now retired following Saturday night’s clash with Adelaide back on his old home floor.

Anthony Petrie

(Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

By all rights Petrie shouldn’t be out on the basketball court given the two rounds of surgery on the knee inside 12 months, but anyone who knows him wouldn’t be surprised – if anyone could overcome the odds, it would be him.

Advertisement

He is proud that he is retiring on his own terms and having proved he can still contribute in the NBL as well over these last seven matches.

“I have just been focused on what I need to do day to day, but when I do look back on my career I’ll be proud I made it back and that I have retired on the court,” Petrie said.

“I still feel like I can contribute on game night, but with my knee the way it is the level you have to be at just to train in this elite environment has been tough, let alone getting up for games as well.

“I feel really comfortable that the time is right to move on, but I am glad that I’m finishing on the court and that my body didn’t beat me and force me to finish in the stands.”

Petrie obviously wishes he didn’t have to go through the micro-fracture procedure and the agonising early stages of the rehabilitation 12 months ago, but it will be with a sense of pride that he looks back on it for the rest of his life knowing he gave his basketball career everything and more.

“I wish I didn’t have to go through the whole process, but I don’t regret it because I made it back on the court. The statistics with the micro-fracture surgery aren’t great, and my surgeon, Dr Hayes, was really up front and honest with me and so were the physios about the chances of me returning,” he said.

“I just busted my butt to get back because I loved playing so much and love being part of the NBL. I just wanted to get back but then when I had to have the second bout of surgery it was a real kick in the guts and I went through some tough moments there weighing up what to do with my family.

Advertisement

“But our season was still on the line, so I was keen to try and get back to help out any way I could. I’m glad I pushed myself through that and was diligent to finish off out on the floor by playing.”

Petrie has been blown away by the response he has received since making the decision that he would retire at the end of the 2017-18 season.

He is always the ultimate team man and has humble an athlete as there could be, so the attention has been a little embarrassing for him, but he couldn’t be more appreciative of the respect people hold for him.

“So many people have reached out and it has blown my mind. I was in a bit of a fight there with Telstra for a couple of weeks, so I had no phone when it all went down and it was horrible timing,” Petrie said.

“I had all these message flood in at once, including from people I’ve played with and who I really respect, and family members and friends, who all had so many kind words to say. It feels a little bit awkward having those things said about me. I don’t know how to explain it except that it’s humbling.

“It has blown away the things being said and a few have hit me in the heart along the way, but once I told Dre of my decision it felt like a relief.

“That made me feel like I was making the right decision, and once I told him after speaking to my family all about it, and Gibbo (Adam Gibson), it felt like the right thing to do at the right time. It’s the right decision because of the relief I felt when I said it out loud.”

Advertisement

Petrie played the last home game of his career as well on Thursday night. Though the Bullets went down to the Sydney Kings to slip to the bottom of the ladder, the respect shown to Petrie before the game is something he will always remember.

In the locker room before the game his teammates and coaching staff shared some words and New Zealand pair Reuben TeRangi and Ty Harrison performed a haka in his honour. His family were present as well to make it the perfect occasion for him.

“It was a humbling experience and I wasn’t aware that all that was going to take place, so it took me back a little bit until I reflected a bit on it when we were on the way to Adelaide,” he said.

“I knew that my immediate family was coming into the changerooms but I wasn’t aware that all the other things were going to go down, like some of the boys saying some really nice stuff along with the coaches, my dad presented me with the singlet and then Reuben and Ty did the haka for me.

“That’s a tradition they want to start at the Bullets now, and it was a little bit of embarrassing, to be honest, because I didn’t feel like I was worthy of it, but it was amazing.

“The two things I’ve always said I love the most is being in the sheds before we run out with the boys and my family, so to have Brisbane allow them both to be combined was pretty special.”

It’s only fitting that the last game of his career was back in Adelaide on Saturday night.

Advertisement

“If I couldn’t play the last game at home, which would have been nice, then definitely Adelaide would be my next choice,” Petrie said.

“It’s the club I spent the longest with and I had some great years there and formed some great relationships in the whole community and club both on and off the floor.

“There are guys I played with still on the Adelaide roster and the coaching staff and office staff, so there are still ties there. If it couldn’t have been at home, it will feel pretty nice finishing out at Adelaide.”

close