mozgrame
Engorged member
He's less than three years away from his 60th birthday but Hall of Fame inductee Cliff Lyons has no plans to hang up the boots any time soon.
The 57-year-old said he is eager to keep backing up for the annual Legends of League tournament for a few more years.
The one-day tournament will take place at Central Coast Stadium on Saturday, showcasing 90 former NRL players across nine modified games for the old-school stars.
Brisbane, Canterbury, Manly, Newcastle and Parramatta will field sides alongside a Barbarians squad of players from other NRL clubs. Former NRL referees Bill Harrigan, Sean Hampstead and Steve Clark will also be winding back the clock.
Lyons said the tournament allowed the former stars and the fans to reminisce about the good old days.
"It's a blast from the past – a reunion for all us ex-NRL players and a day of winding back to clock and reminiscing on some good times for everyone," the former Manly, NSW and Australian Test playmaker said.
"After you retire you go off and do your own thing so it's great to see some of the blokes put their hand up to play and relive some old memories.
"I won't be saying no to playing anytime soon – you'll see me there for the next couple of years."
The event has also partnered with the Mark Hughes Foundation to raise awareness and funds for research for Brain Cancer – the leading cause of deaths in children and adults under the age of 40 in Australia.
Kick-starting in 2017 the tournament attracted 8500 fans last year to support some of the game's legends, while 500,000 people watched through the livestream. Tournament officials expect a turnout of around 10,000 fans this Saturday.
"It was fantastic to see so many fans show up and support the old boys," Lyons said.
"When we ran out you got that tingling sensation from just how vibrant the crowd was.
"One thing I'll never forget is the size of the blokes when we were playing NRL and even now coming up against them when I played last year. They're still giants and they can still run.
"They won't get to me anyway, I'll be hiding behind Solomon Haumono."
Lyons played alongside Des Hasler for 11 years at Manly and believes the club's decision to reappoint him as head coach for the next three seasons would pay dividends.
"I think it's a good thing," Lyons said.
Cliff Lyons during his starring role for Manly in the 1987 grand final. ©NRL Photos
"They have a good squad there so I'm looking for some better performance from the players.
"They've missed his intensity and will to win, I think – hopefully they just go better than this year. It's also generated fans to jump back on the bandwagon."
Watch the Legends of League livestream on Saturday Novemeber 17 via the NRL's Facebook page or the tournaments official website legendsofleague.com.au
https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/11/14/legends-of-league-motivating-cliff-lyons-to-keep-playing-at-57/
The 57-year-old said he is eager to keep backing up for the annual Legends of League tournament for a few more years.
The one-day tournament will take place at Central Coast Stadium on Saturday, showcasing 90 former NRL players across nine modified games for the old-school stars.
Brisbane, Canterbury, Manly, Newcastle and Parramatta will field sides alongside a Barbarians squad of players from other NRL clubs. Former NRL referees Bill Harrigan, Sean Hampstead and Steve Clark will also be winding back the clock.
Lyons said the tournament allowed the former stars and the fans to reminisce about the good old days.
"It's a blast from the past – a reunion for all us ex-NRL players and a day of winding back to clock and reminiscing on some good times for everyone," the former Manly, NSW and Australian Test playmaker said.
"After you retire you go off and do your own thing so it's great to see some of the blokes put their hand up to play and relive some old memories.
"I won't be saying no to playing anytime soon – you'll see me there for the next couple of years."
The event has also partnered with the Mark Hughes Foundation to raise awareness and funds for research for Brain Cancer – the leading cause of deaths in children and adults under the age of 40 in Australia.
Kick-starting in 2017 the tournament attracted 8500 fans last year to support some of the game's legends, while 500,000 people watched through the livestream. Tournament officials expect a turnout of around 10,000 fans this Saturday.
"It was fantastic to see so many fans show up and support the old boys," Lyons said.
"When we ran out you got that tingling sensation from just how vibrant the crowd was.
"One thing I'll never forget is the size of the blokes when we were playing NRL and even now coming up against them when I played last year. They're still giants and they can still run.
"They won't get to me anyway, I'll be hiding behind Solomon Haumono."
Lyons played alongside Des Hasler for 11 years at Manly and believes the club's decision to reappoint him as head coach for the next three seasons would pay dividends.
"I think it's a good thing," Lyons said.
Cliff Lyons during his starring role for Manly in the 1987 grand final. ©NRL Photos
"They have a good squad there so I'm looking for some better performance from the players.
"They've missed his intensity and will to win, I think – hopefully they just go better than this year. It's also generated fans to jump back on the bandwagon."
Watch the Legends of League livestream on Saturday Novemeber 17 via the NRL's Facebook page or the tournaments official website legendsofleague.com.au
https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/11/14/legends-of-league-motivating-cliff-lyons-to-keep-playing-at-57/
