Mason to ‘end league career with Catalans’

Veteran NRL player Willie Mason has reportedly received a lucrative offer to finish his career at Super League side Catalans Dragons in France.

According to Fairfax Media, several NRL clubs have approached him about a one-year deal but he is tipped to join a star-studded Dragons squad already containing Todd Carney, Glenn Stewart, Willie Tonga, Krisnan Inu, Dave Taylor and Justin Horo.

Aged 35, Mason has played with Canterbury, the Sydney Roosters, North Queensland, Newcastle and Manly, winning a premiership with the Bulldogs and a Clive Churchill Medal.

The former Australian and NSW State of Origin forward has dismissed any thoughts of retirement, telling Fairfax Media he has more to offer.

“I’m 35 but my body is in good nick. I don’t miss any sessions. If I didn’t get suspended, I would have played every game this year. I was playing more minutes, doing more work and, if you look at the stats, I’m more productive than my last three years.

“So I’m thinking ‘why retire?’. Because of my age? It doesn’t mean anything really.

“I know I’m one injury away from retirement but I’m not injured – I still enjoy it. I don’t wake up every morning thinking ‘I hate my job’ – I love my job.

“You can’t do anything else where the pay is good, you wake up and muck around with your mates and get to compete on the weekend. The only thing that sucks is pre-season. I’m trying to hold it off as long as I am,” Mason said.

While Mason maintains he is undecided about his future club, he believes he is suited to the English style of play.

“Apparently, forwards are allowed to offload over there,” he quipped. “I might even make a line break!”

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