Painkillers and operations thirteen years on, Barrie McDermott is still feeling the effects of his rugby league career

Most mortal beings would struggle to handle a single day in the life of a rugby league player. The sheer ferocity of a tackle, the brutality of a carry, the inevitable injuries. Even the most experienced, hardened supporter resorts to a grimace during most matches. Yet for some, it is a way of life. For those that call rugby league a career,