Storm coach Craig Bellamy described Marion Seve as the NRL’s unluckiest player after he was forced to play the remainder of his career in goggles following a traumatic eye injury.
Yet after previously overcoming testicular cancer and an ACL injury before undergoing surgery for a laceration of his right eye, Seve declared: “I guess you could say I am unlucky, but I think I’m lucky to be here right now. I’m so grateful”.
Seve has stitches above his right eye for a cut caused by the goggles rubbing and he had issues seeing in the rain during Thursday night’s epic 22-18 golden point win against the Panthers but he managed to score a try, while stopping one too.
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All the angles: THAT Harry Grant match winner!
The 30-year-old is the first NRL player cleared to wear the soft plastic goggles, resembling a ski mask, and he will now need to play and train in them for the rest of his career.
Melbourne team-mates have given him nicknames but Seve is thankful for their support during a career limited to 49 NRL matches in seven seasons because of injuries, including an ACL rupture in 2020 after he had fought back from stage three testicular cancer in his teens.
“I knew the boys were going to give me stick for it,” he said. “I could picture it in my head straightaway calling me all sorts of names, superheroes or whatever. They call me a Ninja Turtle, Pirate or Cyborg.
“They say the goggles give you superpowers, but I think I am just appreciative because you don’t understand until you have a setback or something happens in your life … especially in sport, you get injuries and whatnot.
“This eye injury was pretty traumatic, so every game now on for me is just about going out there and having fun, and just trying my best to do my job for the boys and just enjoying it.”
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Marion Seve Try
Seve suffered the injury when an opposition player’s stud made direct contact with his eye ball in a freakish accident while playing a NSW Cup match for North Sydney Bears, who are a feeder club for the Storm.
He was rushed to hospital and underwent surgery in a bid to save the sight in his right eye, which is still blurry and has forced Seve to wear reading glasses off the field.
“It happened so quick and then by the time I went to the hospital I couldn’t see anything but I’m just grateful for the surgeons and physios at the club who helped me,” Seve said.
Marion Seve is the first player to wear goggles in an NRL match
©Gregg Porteous/NRL Photos
“I pretty much got told by the eye surgeon that I have got to wear these [goggles] from now on.
“I’ve been wearing it for a while during training and my first game back was the North Sydney Bears game [last weekend] where I first wore it in that game.”
After scoring a hat-trick for the Bears, Seve was called up by Bellamy for the match against the Panthers and his only issue was the rain, with a Storm trainer needing to wipe his goggles so he could see.
“The weather wasn’t too good, it was hammering down with rain so it was a funny game to come back in wearing the goggles but it’s just good to be back playing now,” Seve said.
That’s probably the worst weather you can play in, wearing the goggles. Obviously, they don’t have wipers.
“I was trying to wipe it with my shirt but I was struggling.”
Bellamy was full of admiration for Seve after the match, which was just his second in the NRL so far this season and his third since 2023.
“I don’t think I have ever seen a player as unlucky as Marion Seve. With all due respects, it’s been the last couple of years. You just marvel at his resilience and how he keeps trying, keeps looking to get back into it,” Bellamy said.
“I think he may have played one game earlier this season but before that it’s been a while.
“He is a really talented player, he is strong, he likes the physical side of the game but he just seems to get these injuries right at the time when he doesn’t need injuries.
“He is so unlucky but he is such a good guy around the club. I think everyone at the club would be so happy for him and he got what he deserved.”