'Not the end of the road': Brimson forced to hang up the boots

Will Brimson is a true rugby league man through and through.

He loves being around his teammates, going to training, lacing up the boots for games.

But earlier this year, the versatile Tweed Seagulls playmaker was forced to hang up those boots after discovering he had a C5-C6 bulging disc.

It was not the news he wanted to hear and at the age of 28, he still had plenty of footy left in him.

However, no matter how hard it was to make that decision, it was also a no-brainer for Brimson.

“I choose life,” he said.

“It was quite difficult to hear. No one wants to finish on those terms. You want to finish on your own accord. It was tough but I did have a good two or three weeks before the specialist meeting to prepare for it.

“It was already circulating in my head because of what people had been telling me so it wasn’t a shock. Over the weeks I had come to terms with it, if that’s what it was going to mean.

“It definitely sucks. Football has been my life… a massive part of my life for the last 15 to 20 years. But I choose life.

“You have to think about life down the track as well, things like one day starting a family with my partner.

“You do come across people who aren’t as fortunate with injury and I want to be able to do everything with my family for a long time.

“There’s also work. If you have a really bad injury and you aren’t able to work, that’s obviously not a good thing. It was a really tough decision but I had to look at the bigger picture.”

While he didn’t realise it at the time, the issues for Brimson started last year.

He started to get neck pain after he said he was victim to a crusher tackle. He was sidelined for a few weeks before he made his return.

But over time he began to realise he had nerve pain and stiffness. People gently ribbed him for not being able to turn his head but he found it manageable and didn’t think much of it.

Across pre-season he felt the pain come and go and then in a trial he got his head in the wrong spot and felt the neck pain again, similar to what he experienced in 2023.

Then it went wrong again in Round 12 against the Western Clydesdales.

“I copped a knock to my head really early in the game and my neck felt like it went,” Brimson said.

“I pushed through to halftime and I got a massage at halftime and I started playing again. I tackled a winger – a diving effort – and I hit my head again. My whole arm was numb.

“I wasn’t thinking too much about it but my hand and back of my arm were numb.

“I had to get scans and I was optimistic at the time. I’ve had a similar injury with nerve pain and I came back in three to four weeks.

“I had a CAT scan and then was sent for an MRI straight away. I was on steroids to bring the feeling back, which helped.

“But from here I was advised to see a neck specialist. It wasn’t easy going into that meeting. He told me the bulging disc was pressing on my nerves and it was in my best interest to stop playing.

“It was a no-brainer from there. I’m at more risk if I cop a big knock. If there’s a problem with your nerves, your body is telling you that you need to ease up.”

The key for Brimson off the back of the news was surrounding himself with the best support possible.

And it came in droves.

From teammates to family to his partner, Shana, he was never short of a helping hand, a wise word or a shoulder to lean on.

“My biggest support would be my partner Shana,” Brimson said.

“She was probably a bit more upset than I was with the news.

“My mates have been super supportive, my family, my brothers, particularly my younger brother (AJ).

“Everyone that’s close to me has gone out and beyond and looked after me and seen how I was doing.”

This Saturday, in their home clash against the Norths Devils, Tweed is set to acknowledge Brimson’s contribution to rugby league as he prepares to say farewell to playing.

He has played the majority of his 78 Cup games at Tweed, despite starting his Cup career with a season at Wynnum Manly.

He admitted it will probably be a slightly upsetting day at Piggabeen Sports Complex this weekend, as being with his team is what he will miss the most.

“I love playing footy but I love the morale and camaraderie more and that’s what I’ll miss most is being able to turn up to training on a Monday and yahoo with your mates about what happened on the weekend and the funny stories going around,” Brimson said.

“The reason Tweed is so special is because we’re not financially well off necessarily but there’s always been such a good culture.

“Over the years, Tweed has had some really good players that have stuck around. We could have made more elsewhere but it’s such an amazing community.

“You want to play for Tweed and you want to play for the old boys.

“It honestly has been a massive part of my life. I’ve met some of my best mates since I joined the club so I owe Tweed a lot.

“I’m grateful that they’re putting a tiny celebration on for me. But it’s quite upsetting at the same time.”

The next steps for Brimson are clear, despite the shock of his retirement and still being in a transition period. He knows he wants to develop his career as an electrician, with hopes to one day have his own business.

He has plans with his girlfriend to start some of their own ventures.

And he wants to get back into the game somehow at some point – but coaching is likely to be off the table.

“Coaching almost definitely not,” Brimson said.

“I see what they go through and I don’t think I have the time or patience for that. I’d like to be involved in the game somehow, whether that be with Tweed Seagulls or whoever.

“Without being on the pitch, I can still offer a valuable impact to the players and those around me.

“It’s definitely not anything in the short-term. I have a few things with work to focus on but it’s not the end of the road of me.”

Tweed coach Dave Penna said it was sad for the whole team to see Brimson bow out with so much left in his career.

But he’s still coming around as much as he can and for that, the team is grateful.

“Every player at some stage has to make that decision on when they want to give the game away but it’s a lot harder when someone else makes that decision for you,” Penna said.

“His pre-season and right up until he got injured, the football he was playing was some of the best of his career.

“He’s been a massive part of our club for a long time now. He’s going to be missed but he should be very proud.

“Will had this competitiveness and belief in his teammates. He was very passionate and he was just one of those players that every week you knew you could rely and trust him.

“That’s what he brought to this club.

“He has still been popping into training and he loves a chat and likes getting around the boys.

“That will be the toughest thing for him - he was a team man and loved the off-field part of rugby league, probably more than others. I think it will be hard to keep him away.”