The Price is right

June 2010

While Suncorp Stadium is expecting a sold-out crowd for the second State Of Origin game on June 16, Queensland rugby league legend Steve Price has joined a long list of mature-aged business degree graduates with an MBA qualification.

The veteran of 28 State of Origins for Queensland and 16 games for Australia, was never going to leave his post-playing career to chance.

Price announced his retirement at the end of the 2010 season earlier this year, and says achieving the MBA qualification though Southern Cross University (SCU) will provide long term security.

“A lot of my team mates, when they retired, thought their high profiles would secure them a job. Many have been shocked to find that this just hasn’t happened and this has been a ‘wake-up call’ for me,” says Price.

“I realised that I needed to get some proper business credentials behind me so that I could move into a new career after I retired as a professional sportsman.”

After playing 313 National Rugby League games with the Canterbury Bulldogs and the New Zealand Warriors, Price says ‘the time is right to walk away’.

“Rugby league is my passion, I love the game and I love the sport. But after 17 seasons, I want to spend more time with my family,” he says.

“Walking away from my rugby league career with an MBA behind me is just fantastic and I want to thank the NRL and Southern Cross University for supporting me to achieve this. The support I have received has been absolutely sensational.

“I now have the confidence and skills to move into another role. I am not sure what will come up for me, but I love sport, I love people and I love leading and inspiring people.

“I do believe I have special skills to offer the right organisation, which coupled with my extensive sporting experience, should make me very employable in a role that combines both sets of attributes.”