A DESIRE to finish what has been a glittering Country Rugby League career on his own terms has convinced star half Warick Colley to re-sign with defending Group 10 premiers Orange CYMS for a further 12 months.
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A series of hamstring issues as well as a hand injury suffered in 2013 restricted Colley to just a handful of games with the green and golds in the last two seasons.
The 36-year-old pivot put pen to paper ahead of season 2014 with CYMS a fortnight ago and said a burning desire to go out on a high would serve as the perfect motivation for his 18th year of top flight country football.
"(Motivation) does get tougher as you get older, I won't lie ... but the last couple of years have been a little disappointing," Colley said.
"I'm running out of seasons. At my age your not really sure how many games you've got left and I'd really like to finish on a good note."
A representative main-stay with Group 10, Western Division and Country for the better part of a decade, Colley first played in Group 10 with Mudgee in under 18s in 1994.
His debuted with the Dragons in first grade game in 1997.
About to embark on another pre-season, Colley said he'd begin a fitness training next week in a bid to avoid re-injuring a couple of hot spots he's developed in his hamstrings over the years.
Colley's return will be timely as well.
CYMS captain-coach Mick Sullivan will miss the beginning of the 2014 season after knee surgery in the November.
Ear-marked as a star halves pairing when Colley initially made the move to CYMS at the start of the 2011 season, the Sullivan-Colley partnership guided the green and golds to the premiership that year but has been fleeting since.
"With injuries we have probably only played a handful of games together," he said.
"Hopefully with Mick out to start the year I can guide the boys around the paddock but it'll be good to get a few games together this year."
A four-time premiership winner with Mudgee, Colley said remaining with CYMS was an easy decision.
"It was. I've enjoyed my time with CYMS. I haven't played a lot of footy in the three years I've been here but I'm looking forward to getting out there and playing next year," he said.