by Jocelyn Airth
In a season disrupted by injury, it’s not all gloom and doom for the Cronulla Sharks’ Gerard Beale.
Having spent the past three weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, the utility remains in high spirits, with less field time meaning more family time for the Beale clan.
“When I’m not playing footy, my life’s a bit like Daddy Day Care… but I love it.” said Beale.
“Having a bit of extra time to do stuff with the kids has been great,”
This year, Beale, his wife Roimata and children Nixon, Maxwell and Matisse were able to able to spend the Easter break relaxing at home as a family.
“It was a lot of fun,” he said. “We hid eggs all around the house and had an Easter egg hunt for the kids. Seeing their faces light up was great.”
According to Beale, having the support of his family has played a large and positive role in his recovery.
“It’s often overlooked, but the mental side of recovering from a physical injury can be really tough. It’s hard when you feel like you can’t contribute to the team or play with the boys,” Beale said.
“Hamstring injuries in particular can be a bit frustrating. A lot of the time, you feel like you’re ready to get back out there and play. But in reality you haven’t recovered from it yet.”
Despite having played only four NRL games in 2017, Beale has proven to be a valuable asset for the men in Black, White and Blue, scoring tries in both Rounds 1 and 5.
Beale indicated that while he is almost match-ready, he does not intend on taking the field until he has fully recovered.
“I could be back at it next weekend, but I’m taking it week by week. I want to make sure I’m at one hundred percent before I get back out on the field. Otherwise it’ll hold me back and the injury itself will worsen.”
Left out of the 21-man squad to face the Titans, Sharks medical staff are hopeful Beale will be cleared and made available for selection for the Tigers match in round nine.
