Onward Christian soldier: Welch ready to write next chapter

“I’ve got a long life to live after this, and I want to be healthy.”

With those words, an emotional Christian Welch closed the book on a stellar 163-game career, forced into medical retirement by a debilitating back injury.

Fronting the media on Wednesday, the 30-year-old revealed he had been struggling with basic household tasks as he battled to return to full fitness and was advised by neurologists that continuing to play wasn't an option.

Welch suffered the injury during a pre-season trial game against the Knights in Fiji last February but soldiered on through 20 games with the aid of painkilling injections, making it all the way to the 2024 decider against the Panthers.

By that stage he was suffering from a herniated disc which was pushing on a nerve but still tried to do what he could for his team - "I wasn't very happy with my performance in the grand final and physically it was a struggle."

Having overcome a string of season-ending injuries, including three ACL tears and a ruptured achilles tendon, Welch prided himself on his powers of recovery, but this would prove a bridge too far.

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“It’s really different. There’s no uniform rehab, or the way they operate. We’ve had a few issues with backs that have corrected themselves, but sadly mine is heading in the wrong direction,” he said.

“It’s been disappointing when you really pride yourself on trying to work hard in rehab and get back on that field.

"That’s probably what I base my career on. I’m obviously not a big, powerful guy, but I like to think I have a good work ethic.

“That was the frustrating thing - you put the work into rehab and applying yourself, but it’s not a linear thing, and I probably wasn’t getting the return that I was hoping for.”

Welch made his debut for the Storm in 2015 in a pack that included Jesse Bromwich, Kevin Proctor and Dale Finucane and was skippered by the great Cameron Smith.

Seven years later it was the highly respected Welch following in Smith's footsteps, leading the Storm for two seasons in 2022-23.

His glittering CV includes a premiership with the Storm and six Origin caps for Queensland, including two in 2020 when he was part of the Wayne Bennett-coached Maroons side that pulled off a stunning series triumph.

“Growing up through Townsville, Gladstone, regional Queensland and Brisbane, I have a real appreciation for what sport can do in communities,” Welch said.

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“It doesn’t matter the skin colour you have or where you’re from, or how rich you are. As a young kid, you come in and you join the local footy team or the cricket side, hockey side. It’s a really healthy thing for communities – sporting clubs, the impact they have.

"I’ve been able to really reap the benefits from the grassroots level to be professional for 12 years, and I’ve benefited hugely from behind involved in the system. So I’m very lucky.

“My parents always supported me in creating a life. That’s why I’ve studied hard. But I don’t think I’m more special than anyone else. I think I found my calling doing a commerce degree, an MBA, but we have a huge amount of guys doing carpentry and trades. We have creative guys.

“That’s Craig Bellamy’s big passion, and I think something he’s imparted on all of us, is to find something you’re passionate about and dive into it.”

Welch has consulted a neurosurgeon and surgery is the recommended course of action to shave back the disc that is pushing on the nerve.

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"I was taking a lot of painkillers and it was taking a bit of a toll on me away from the field, it probably wasn't the healthiest way to go about it," he said.

“Just waking up, on the left side, it feels like your glutes are kind of on fire. I’d sneeze, and you’d get a huge neural shoot down your leg.

“Times like that, where with my injury history and what I’ve been lucky to be able to achieve, it’s kind of like, 'Well, I’ve got a long life to live after this, and I want to be healthy'. I’d love to have a family and go down to the park with my kids and play sport and be engaged in a real active lifestyle."

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