Grand final victory would be the perfect ending in fairytale career for the Bulldogs' goalkicking magician
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday August 27, 2009
HAZEM EL MASRI would love to have the fairytale farewell €“ to end his career with a win in the grand final. He deserves it. But he certainly doesn't need it to qualify his career €“ and he would hate for anyone to judge it on whether he goes out with a victory or not.El Masri is very comfortable in his footballing skin, as he's entitled to be. He's the game's all-time leading points scorer, it's greatest goalkicker, it's equal-fifth highest tryscorer , and he has already won a premiership, in 2004. "El Magic" has also played for NSW and Australia.The 14-year Bulldogs star has done more than enough to warrant being included in league's pantheon €“ and that's just on the field. His work off the field €“ with his Muslim community, with people in general €“ sets him apart even more from the average footballer. He doesn't have to go out with a grand final win to be satisfied with what he's done.But he still wants to. El Masri's a competitor."Of course," El Masri said yesterday, when asked, during a media session to promote Sunday's Bulldogs-Warriors game at ANZ Stadium, whether he believed in fairytales."But whatever's meant to be, is meant to be. I can't change that. It would be nice [to go out with a grand final win], but this is already a fairytale ending for me, with everything that's happened on the field and off the field in my career. I've already had all I could ask for. That would be the cherry on top."The Bulldogs have got to get to the grand final yet, before El Masri can at least get into position for a possible fairytale farewell, and he is keen not to get ahead of himself.Royce Simmons had the fairytale finish with Penrith, in 1991. Mal Meninga did it with Canberra, in 1994. Brisbane's Shane Webcke, in 2006, also went out a winner.But for each one of those greats lucky enough to go out a winner in the biggest game of the year, many more don't get to enjoy the luxury."It crosses your mind, but it's something you don't want to think about too much," El Masri said. "I've seen it happen, and I've got fond memories of watching some of those great players do it. It would be one of the best feelings you could ever get, but I don't want to base my whole career on whatever might happen in the next few weeks."I'll be going out and giving 100 per cent and doing whatever I can to give the team every chance of getting to the grand final, and hopefully winning it. I'd cherish the memory for the rest of my life, if it happened. But if it doesn't, then I've still got an awful lot out of this game."The Bulldogs are expecting a crowd of at least 40,000 for Sunday's match, which will be El Masri's last home game of the regular season. Members of any football club in the NRL will be admitted free, as will children 15 years and under.The crowd will be allowed on to the field after the game and a commemorative photo will be taken with El Masri the centrepiece.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald