Chris Vidler: Roosters veteran will play in 2022

As such, the veteran prop - who turns 36 in April - will lace up for Kootingal-Moonbi in 2022 as he searches for one more premiership before retiring.

"My wife kinda pushes me to keep playing," he said. "It should be the opposite, but ..."

Read also:

"It doesn't take much for me to say, 'Right, I'll play again', once she says keep going," he added.

Vidler's enduring love affair with rugby league was solidified long before he met Brooke, whom he has been with 16 years. They will celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary this year.

She understands what the game means to him, he said.

It also means a lot to her.

"My wife loves the game," Vidler said. "As does my extended family ... We've grown up playing. We just never get sick of it."

His family "love" watching him play, he said.

And why wouldn't they? Deep into his career, Vidler remains one of Group 4's most imposing specimens - although he said his main role now was to "guide" the Roosters' "young blokes".

"I'm pretty much just a number these days." He smiled when the veracity of that statement was challenged.

Vidler only just decided to play this season, after commencing preseason training last month "to hang around the boys".

"The last seven days have been a bit of a whirlwind," he said. "Things have come up, and I decided to put the boots back on again."

What came up was Vidler's "desire to win another premiership".

"Last year was cut short due to COVID, and I thought we were a good chance of making the grand final and possibly winning," he said. "That hurt a bit.

"Hopefully, we can go one step better [than 2019, when Norths beat Kooty in the finale]."

That was the year the multiple premiership winner with West Tamworth returned after missing 2018 with a shoulder injury. In 2017, he won the Group 21 grand final with Aberdeen.

"People are probably sick of me saying I'm retiring," he said. "But the year that just went, I didn't say anything. So I was pretty quiet about it; I wasn't sure what I was doing [footy wise in 2022]."

He added: "I feel good, so why not keep going?"

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: