One New Zealand Warriors players and staff will honour former team doctor John Mayhew in Sunday’s sixth-round NRL match against the Storm in Melbourne.
Mayhew, who died aged 70 on Wednesday, served the club for 347 NRL games across 14 seasons from 2006 to 2019, a period which he experienced the Warriors reaching the grand final in 2011 as well as the top eight in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2018.
His first match in charge was against the Storm at Mount Smart Stadium in 2006 and it’s against the same club that the Warriors, including a number of players who came under Mayhew’s care, will pay their respects to him by wearing black arm bands on Sunday.
Bunty Afoa is the longest-serving current Warrior treated by Mayhew during his playing career dating back to his time coming into the club’s system as a junior.
Others in Sunday’s lineup who came under his watch at some stage include fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, centre Adam Pompey, standoff Chanel Harris-Tavita, loose forward Erin Clark and second rower Marata Niukore while injured winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck came under his watch in his first stint with the club especially after his season-ending knee injury in 2016. Then assistant coach Andrew Webster was also at the club during Mayhew's time.
Many of the club’s leading players had much to do with Mayhew including Stacey Jones, Awen Guttenbeil, Lance Hohaia, Logan Swann, Steve Price, Ruben Wiki, Manu Vatuvei, Jerome Ropati, Sam Rapira, Wairangi Koopu, Shaun Johnson, Micheal Luck, Jacob Lillyman, Evarn Tuimavave, Nathan Fien, Ben Matulino, Russell Packer, Jazz Tevaga, Adam Blair, Tohu Harris and so many more.
And maybe at the top of the list, Simon Mannering, a particular favourite of Mayhew’s.
He vividly remembered Mannering being as tough as any footballer he had seen, using a match against St George Illawarra in 2007 as his principal exhibit.
Suffering from a gastric virus in the week of the game, Mannering had lost 5kg – weight his lean frame didn’t really have to lose – but he was cleared to play. Then in the centres, it was a game in which he scored two tries, ran for 200 metres, made nine tackle breaks and 19 tackles. Mayhew recalled Mannering was in poor shape when he came into the dressing room at halftime.
"He was only running on three cylinders so he was stuffed and looked terrible," he said.
"I took a look at him, then I was about to move on when he said, 'Oh, and my hand's a bit sore', just as casual as you like. I had a look and he'd broken it. We taped it up and sent him out again. He just shrugged it off. Remarkable.
“I've seen guys play with broken bones and others get pulled out of sick beds, but never both at once and he's the kind of guy who doesn't think anything of it.”
Mannering shared a mutual respect for Mayhew and always will.
Many former Warriors have posted messages about their old team doctor:
Ryan Hoffman: Rest in peace John. The care you showed for players you were responsible for over your many years as a rugby and rugby league doctor will never be forgotten. Many times you protected players from themselves. Thoughts are with your family, the @nzwarriors and @allblacks
Nathan Friend: A great man. Words can not express how good he was. Compassion and time for everyone❤️
George Gatis: “Omg! An Absolute gentleman. One of the best.”
Steve Price: “Can’t believe it. Condolences, prayers, thoughts and love to all family and friends. RIP Doc and thank you.”
Louis Anderson: “Rest easy Doc.”
Michael Crockett: "RIP Doc. Absolute gentleman."
Manu Vatuvei: “Rest easy now Doc. Your memory lives on forever. Thank you for everything you did for me. Ofa atu brother.”
Lance Hohaia: "RIP Doc. Love to the whānau."
Adam Blair: “The Doc. Condolences to the whānau. What a man.”
Michael Witt: "One of the greats. Rest easy Doc."
Shaun Johnson: He was my doc for over half my career. I grew a great relationship with him like heaps of athletes throughout New Zealand. Hearing the news break I was saddened and deeply gutted. Thoughts go out to his family. He's just one of the greats, a really great human, someone who at some of my lowest points instilled a bit confidence and self belief that I would be bouncing back from whatever I was going through. I'll never forget it."
Lewi Brown: "One of the greats. RIL Doc."
To know more of Richard John Mayhew – born in England on July 12, 1954 – was to wind the clock back to 1973, teaming up as 18-year-olds fresh out of school playing for the Northcote fifth grade team (bearded teenagers aplenty) which would win the Auckland championship that season. He was a lock who went on play for his beloved club for so many years.
Some years later paths would cross again as he began his journey in sports medicine, initially with rugby union and then rugby league when he was signed as club doctor for the Warriors.
As he had always been, he was wonderful company, many hours spent on trips to and from airports and hotels helping to load and unload team gear, copious coffee chats and meals shared. Always there was banter and a thirst for a decent story. He wasn’t left disappointed.
Memories will never fade. He was a precious friend and a pro in all he did.
Rest easy Doc.
