Day's bad break for Brothers

A broken arm suffered in the IRL A grade elimination semi-final against Fassifern on Saturday has ended Tyron Day’s season and rugby league playing career.

File

IT is a tough bloke that can play half a season of rugby league with a broken arm and not even know about it.

The sore elbow Tyron Day has been playing with this year was actually broken in two places.

On Saturday against Fassifern, Day rebroke the arm, though he played out the match without thinking much about it.

But there was no ignoring the injury on Sunday and its diagnosis is a huge blow to Brothers’ premiership hopes.

It has also ruined Day’s ambitions of a fairytale farewell to the game, with the hard-as-nails front rower having decided this was to be his last season in the game.

“During the game I thought it was just a sore arm,” the 29-year-old explained.

“I’ve had it during most games so I didn’t think much of it.

“But when I got up on Sunday I couldn’t move my arm.”

A trip to the doctor confirmed the worst fears, the break forcing Day’s retirement at least one match early.

“The doctor said I did it four to six months ago,” Day said.

“When I broke it again, the broken bone in the joint locked up my elbow.

“I just thought it was a standard injury.

“It goes to show I should have had it checked out back then.”

The injury is a massive setback for the premiers, with the veteran prop the foundation stone the Brothers pack is built around.

Day was in a better mood yesterday than he had been on Sunday when the realisation his career was over two games short of another grand final hit him.

“On Sunday I didn’t want to talk to anyone,” he said.

“I didn’t want to go to the footy and spent (Monday) moping around.

“When footy has been your life since you were six, you wonder ‘what am I going to do now?’”

Day, who captained Brothers to last year’s title, decided mid-season this would be his last year playing for his beloved Brethren.

“I discussed it halfway through the second round,” he said.

“I had a knee operation at the start of the year and I always said if I couldn’t make the top grade consistently and play good football, I wouldn’t hang around.

“I’ve had a pretty lucky run through footy with injuries.

“I’ve had no major operations but this year everything has come at once.

“Plus work and family have become more important.”

With a couple of days to come to terms with the injury, Day is now happy to look back on the highs of his career, rather than his most recent low.

“I’ve got plenty of good memories,” he said.

“Four grand finals and my time at the (Ipswich) Jets and the people you meet though footy.

“There’s plenty to look back on.”