NATHAN HINDMARSH has long been regarded as the heart of the Parramatta side and tomorrow night he will prove his mettle when he plays just two days after the death of his father, Bill.
Mr Hindmarsh died yesterday morning after a battle with cancer, and Hindmarsh stayed at the family home at Robertson in the Southern Highlands, last night. He won't make it back to Sydney for the team's final training session today but vowed he would turn out for the Eels against Newcastle at Parramatta Stadium.
"I'm going to play," Hindmarsh told the Herald. "Dad's gone. There's nothing I can do now. He'd been ill for a while with cancer and it really took off in the last month or so. I'd been bracing myself for it for a while.
"The only way I wouldn't play is if it really hit me all of a sudden and I didn't think I would be any good to the team, because of the emotion. But, yeah, I'm playing."
The Eels issued a media release late yesterday, saying it had been the wish of Hindmarsh's dying father for his son to play.
Hindmarsh was a shock withdrawal from Parramatta's team for last Sunday's game against the Warriors. The news of his withdrawal emerged only when the Eels gathered at Sydney airport on Friday for the trip to Auckland. The club said its star second-rower had a flu virus.
Rumours circulated early this week that the real reason Hindmarsh hadn't played was because his father was gravely ill, but Hindmarsh said the virus had forced him out, and it was clear from his coughing down the phone yesterday that he was still feeling the effects.
"I was already out with the flu," he said. "I was too crook to play.
"My dad took a turn for the worse after that. I was on the way back down to Robertson this morning. I wasn't able to get there before he passed on - I got the news when I made a phone call to home - but I was able to spend time with him last week.
"I'm in a tipping competition and dad usually did my tips. He was going pretty well, too. He was five for five on the weekend. We didn't get any of the last three, but five turned out to be a pretty good score in that round.
"I haven't got the shakes or the sweats from the flu anymore, that's gone. I'm still coughing a bit, but that won't stop me from playing. I'm going to wear a black armband and I'd like the rest of the boys to wear them as well.
"It would be good if you could put the funeral details in. It will be at St John's Church at Robertson, at 2pm on April 1."
Hindmarsh's brother, Ian, retired at the end of last season, after a career spent mainly with Parramatta. He also joined the family in Robertson yesterday.
The fact Hindmarsh is playing should not surprise Eels fans, who have previously seen him overcome difficulties to play.
Newcastle's former long-time Parramatta coach Brian Smith had no doubt he would play.
"It doesn't surprise me at all," Smith said yesterday. "He's always been able to put all sorts of things aside and play - and always to his typical high standard. He's a great guy and I'm feeling for him and his family at the moment."
■ Wests Tigers fullback Brett Hodgson's chances of playing in Sunday's game against the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium, Homebush Bay, have improved after he received a good report from his doctor yesterday.
Hodgson, who was badly concussed against North Queensland last Saturday, now has to get through a couple of training sessions before he can gain a final clearance.
■ Goal-kicking forward Corey Parker has re-signed with Brisbane until the end of 2011.
