What do you do when you have the skill, talent, ability, and opportunity and you have just secured the professional sporting career you have always dreamed of and worked towards but then your body breaks down and no one can even really tell you why.

Ryan Stig dreamed of wearing the N07 jersey for the Newcastle Knights for many many years. It’s a jersey that had been worn by some of the most famous players in the NRL, notably Andrew Johns.

Ryan played a year for the Northern Pride in Queensland Cup with success and was contracted back to Newcastle and into reserve grade. Then the big chance arrived on Round 15 - 2011. “The Stig” as he affectionately became known, burst onto scenes later in the season and became a local boy crowd favourite. Over the next 6 months, he secured the No 7 role and resigned to play under Wayne Bennet in his inaugural year as coach of the Knights.

After some end-of-season operations, Ryan was training hard and preparing for the 2012 NRL season when disaster hit. Ryan’s body at the peak of his fitness broke down.

Please grab a cuppa and enjoy the conversation I had with Ryan and the insights he shared about dealing with Discouragement, Disappointment, Sickness and the journey to recovery.

Please enjoy… Ian