Mark Kheirallah : « I’m retiring to move on to the next chapter of my life »
Mark Kheirallah, fullback for Featherstone Rovers, talks about the Championship final and the end of his career.
Are you surprised after London’s victory in Toulouse?
Not surprised, London played very well against us so I knew it was going to be a good game.
Why are you stopping your career now when you still have a few years ahead of you?
I’m retiring to move on to the next chapter of my life. Yes I could have played a few more years but my goal was to play Super League. That dream will be very hard to achieve now.
Who are the coaches, French, Aussie and English players who have marked your career?
Coaches : Rohan Smith, Trent Robinson, Chris Studdorn had the most influence on my career and what shaped me to learn the game.
Players :
- Sebastian Planas, his dedication and work ethic was one of the highest I’ve ever seen.
- Johno Ford : his knowledge and curiosity to make rugby league better created conversations that brought out the best in me and the team.
- Anthony Minichello : the ultimate professional and what it takes to be a winner.
Do you have any regrets when you look back?
No I don’t have any regrets over my career, each failure was a lesson and I tried to learn from them as much as I could, so I didn’t make the same mistakes in the future.
What do you want to do after rugby?
After rugby league, I want happiness and fulfilment. Raising a family, travelling the world.
What are your best memories with the different teams you played with?
The favourite memories with every team I played for is the stuff I did with the boys. The experiences we shared, the conversations we had, how much we laughed. They will be the things I’ll remember forever.
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