Kallum Watkins will get back to his world-class best – Luke Gale

He has been released by Gold Coast for personal reasons and first and foremost, I hope his family is all right.

That’s the most important thing.

It is a shame it didn’t work out for him in the NRL, but what’s really bothering me is the prospect of having to defend against him again!

I used to hate doing that.

When I was at Cas, I used to make Michael Shenton defend him, because I never wanted to.

His feet are that good, he can make you look silly so I would always defend a slot in when we played against Leeds.

I always knew he was talented, but probably didn’t realise how good he is until I played with him during the 2017 World Cup.

He was awesome and I thought he was the best centre in the world that year.

It has been a shame what has happened since, he has had a couple of bad seasons with injury and that has set him back.

I know what that’s like and I actually spoke with him about it over text after he injured his knee.

Having been there myself – though not with the same injury – I wanted to give him some words of encouragement, because he’s not just a good player, but a good bloke as well.

I think he showed that last year with Leeds.

It was tough for him, just coming back from injury and with the team not going so well.

There was a lot of responsibility on him and, when you are captain in those circumstances, you have to cop a lot of the flak.

It sort of comes with the territory, but wasn’t really fair on Kallum who has been a fantastic servant for Leeds over the years.

After something like a knee reconstruction you don’t come back and hit your straps straight away. You might be back in the team, but it takes you a while to get up to speed,

That’s not an excuse, it is just the way things work.

From the outside looking in, I could see how hard Kallum was trying last year and how much it meant to him. He is totally committed and his character really stood out when he put his hand up to play in the second-row.

That’s a tough gig and he was really putting a shift in, getting through a lot of work in defence and that says a lot about what sort of man he is.

I know he played only one game for Gold Coast in the NRL this year but, from what I have heard, he had a good pre-season and he’s looking back to full fitness.

During the recovery process there are times when you feel like nothing is going right and people write you off.

I’m sure people have done that with Kallum, but I’d be one for massively keeping faith in him because he is a great player.

He is 100 per cent dedicated and he will get back to his best.

Going to Australia was a brave move and it is a pity things didn’t go better for him over there.

I am sure he would have proved a lot of people wrong if he’d been able to stay at Gold Coast and show them and the NRL what he is really capable of.

If he does join Toronto, which is what the media are reporting, he will be a big signing for them and it’s a challenge for Kallum. They will have signed a quality player, but Toronto haven’t got off to the best of starts and it’s never easy going into that sort of situation.

As a big-name signing he will be under pressure to perform but, on the other hand, the environment might suit him. There’s a few ex-Leeds boys there so they’ll help him settle in and Brian McDermott is a coach who knows how to get the best out of him.

I am sure he will get back to his best sooner rather than later and he will be terrorising defences again.

Injuries happen and not many players go through a whole career without any or playing at the top of their game all the time.

Kallum is only 29, which is no age at all. From personal experience I know what he has been through and the fire that burns in you when people have written you off is the strongest first of all.

I wish him all the best, just not against Leeds.

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