There are some things more important than football in life, as the Melbourne Storm found out this week.
Even as the Storm aim to return to their winning ways after suffering shock back-to-back losses, Tui Kamikamica's stroke had the players in reflective mood this week.
The Fijian-born 31-year-old suffered a stroke on Monday and was rushed to hospital, where he is still recovering.
Many of his teammates visited Kamikamica in hospital to offer support, including former housemate Will Warbrick.
"Once I heard the news about it I went straight away to the hospital," Warbrick, who scored four tries in a losing effort against North Queensland on Saturday, said.
"When I first found out I was a little bit emotional and a bit rattled to be honest."
Warbrick and teammate Josh King both had positive reports to share on Kamikamica, though the full extent of his condition and return to play remain yet to determined.
"After seeing him the first thing he said to me was a joke so he was in good spirits in what was a difficult situation for him," Warbrick said.
"He's in good spirits and he's up sort of walking around a bit and talking so that's really positive," King said. "I'm not sure of the extent of everything at the moment."
Fellow prop King was in shock an athlete in prime fitness could suffer this kind of medical episode.
"It's the last thing you want to be hearing the morning of your day off that one of your players is in hospital," King said.
"I think that's in the roller coaster of rugby league, you never know what might happen again. We expect to lose boys from hamstrings, but probably not from things like that.
"For us like it's a timely reminder how precious life is and how you sometimes take your health for granted. Tui's a fit young man and you would never have thought something like that could happen to him.
"So for us after two losses ... think about how important other things are in life than just football."
However, the Storm do have to prepare for their round-five match against Penrith, desperate to avoid a third loss in a row.
The unfortunate run would be only their second three-game losing streak in the past 11 seasons; their last before a four-game slide in 2022 was in 2015.
After squandering leads in their two recent losses, winger Warbrick is hopeful a bit more focus will have Melbourne leading come final whistle at Commbank Stadium.
"At half-time, we've been leading in both games and we just haven't finished the job. So I think it's just more focusing on concentration for the full 80 minutes," Warbrick said.
"The main thing is not to panic, we just need to probably narrow focus on a couple areas in our game and also remind ourselves that we have been playing good footy."
It comes after the Warriors confirmed New Zealand international Warbrick would join the club on a three-year deal from next season.
"Ultimately, I think it's just the opportunity now to be back home in New Zealand and closer to my family," Warbrick said of his decision to leave the Storm.
