Disability league gives former marine Moon a chance to shine with Warriors

[josie andrews]

Following a life-changing attack on tour in Afghanistan, and a stint as a PGA golf pro, a 36-year-old army veteran is relishing the healing power of PDRL

Physical Disability Rugby League is unsurprisingly filled with inspirational stories, but few are quite as incredible as Aaron Moon’s. The 32-year-old is one of the star players for Wigan Warriors’ PDRL team, fulfilling a lifelong dream by representing his hometown club at rugby league.

Moon’s journey has taken him to the Royal Marines, on tour in Afghanistan, through life-changing injuries, and even a career as a professional golfer.

“I joined the marines in 2006 and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2009,” Moon says. “We were on a routine patrol and the vehicle went down a ditch where there was an IED [improvised explosive device] planted.”

Moon nonchalantly reveals the scale of what happened next. “Smashed right heel bone, broken bones in my right leg, dislocated both knees, broken left femur, broken hip, dislocated pelvis, broken back and a ruptured spleen.” A painstaking year of rehab followed, before Moon made a decision that would change his life for ever.

“They kept trying to fix my right leg up but couldn’t – so they gave me the chance to either spend my life in a wheelchair and on crutches, or have the leg cut off. It was a no-brainer; just get it off and let me get on with my life.

I had it done and got a medical discharge from the marines. It was almost like a relief. I was surrounded by double and triple amputees and they were running and things like that – they were just further advanced than I was. They were a lot better off, and as soon as they gave me the option I said, ‘Let’s do it’, and there was no looking back.”

Moon left the marines to become a personal trainer, helping those, like himself, with disabilities. But having played rugby before his injuries, the opportunity to play competitive sport remained unfulfilled until he embarked on another change of career. “I started playing golf because I couldn’t do rugby, and became a PGA-registered professional in 2015. I did three years as a pro, and it was very interesting. I worked at Bolton golf club, coaching while playing in local PGA events. But in 2018 everything changed again.”

That was the year rugby league launched a competition for players with physical disabilities – and it immediately caught Moon’s attention. “I played league as a kid, and I managed to get a summer at Leigh Centurions before I broke my collarbone. The PGA were great with me, but after seeing the adverts for Wigan’s PDRL team … to find out I could play full-contact rugby again was incredible. Golf was great but it just didn’t scratch that itch properly.”

Moon walked away from life as a golfer to become one of the first PDRL players, returning to work as a personal trainer for a day job. “The concept is amazing,” he says. Moon is a frustrated spectator at present because of injury, but he will be at Wigan next weekend when they honour those who have risked their lives as he did, in their annual Armed Forces Day celebrations.

“I’ve been across the world, I’ve played at Twickenham in front of 70,000 people before … but coming here with the Wigan badge on your chest is far scarier,” he says with a smile. “Get down to a training session if you’re eligible to play, and if you’re not disabled, get down and watch. The standard is ridiculous. PDRL is only going to get bigger and it’s an honour to be part of.”

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/ ... n-warriors

[josie andrews]

Aaron Moon's story now on official page!

https://www.wiganwarriors.com/news/2019 ... thers-moon