At age 30, Matt Wilson had come to the crossroads of his distinguished rugby league career.
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With the Group 4 season cancelled because of COVID-19, the Dungowan captain was waiting to see if an old feeling burrowed into his being. And if that happened, he would know that he had at least one more season in him.
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When the former South Newcastle first-grader nominated for the inaugural Wests Entertainment Group 9s, at the death, he did not know if he wanted to prolong his career.
But after Marius Street Family Dental captain Scott Blanch picked him at the WEG 9s player draft, he was about to parachute into an environment featuring a host of quality performers.
Crucially, they included Blanch - his former Farrer First XIII teammate, whom he had not played with since high school - and another decorated Farrer First XIII alumnus, his Cowboys teammate and Peel High colleague, Brett Jarrett.
And so it passed that on a cool spring night at Scully Park on Saturday, Wilson produced a man-of-the-match performance in Marius Street Family Dental's 22-15 win over the previously undefeated Carey's Freight Lines in the WEG 9s finale.
Post-match, the PE teacher said: "When we had the year off this year ... I didn't know if I'd miss it [footy] or not. But playing in this 9s has got me keen again."
He continued: "I thought, if I didn't miss it this year it would have been probably retirement ... I'm glad I did it now [register for the 9s]."
