Durante finally gets his dues

FOXSPORTS.COM.AU

By Philip Henderson

NEWCASTLE defender Andrew Durante admitted he nearly gave the game away three years ago when he suffered a second broken leg.

His decision to battle through a another year of rehab bore the ultimate prize when he walked away from the Sydney Football Stadium with not just an A-League champions medal, but the Joe Marston Medal for player of the grand final.

"It's unbelievable. I knew that if we won it (the championship) it would be an unbelievable feeling, but it's just bigger and better than everything I expected.

"And to get the Joe Marston Medal on top of that is just the biggest honour I could ever think of. It's unbelievable," Durante said.

The 25-year-old, who may yet leave the Jets to join Wellington Phoenix next season, must rate amongst the unluckiest Australian footballers, but finally got his just desserts.

The centre back missed the 2002 NSL grand final for Sydney Olympic because of suspension and then broke his leg in 2003, missing almost all of the 2003/2004 season.

In the first ever meeting between New South Wales rivals Newcastle and Central Coast in May 2005, he again suffered a broken leg in a nasty challenge from Mariners striker Nik Mrdja.

The incident - four months before the start of the A-League - remains a key moment in the Mariners-Jets short rivalry.

Tonight, in possibly his final appearance from the Jets, he added another chapter to the history of F3 derbies.

"After the second break I did question whether it was all worth it, coming back and doing all the rehab in the pool and on the bikes on your own," Durante admitted.

"But you know there is a light at the end of the tunnel and tonight is what everyone dreams of and plays for, and I knew back then if I did the hard work I would get my reward and tonight was the greatest thing that could happen to me."

Coach Gary van Egmond said the defender would be difficult to replace if he left the Jets and took up what is believed to be a bigger offer with the Phoenix.

"Durra is not only effective on the park, but in the changerooms as well," van Egmond said.

"He's been a real leader and is very popular with his peers and to create that atmosphere again it is very, very difficult to bring in someone new.

"If we lose Durra it would be a real detriment to our club."

Durante said of next season: "Obviously it's no secret that I've had a fairly attractive offer from Wellington.

"I didn't want to make my decision until after the grand final, I'll have a think about it nice and hard during the week, but if I do end up leaving, then I've given everything to this club, and the club's been fantastic for me and if I do leave there's no bad blood between the two of us."

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Article source: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23269608-5000940,00.html