'A matter of time': NRL great's plea amid health battle
Those 433,000 Australians living with dementia are the reason why the Penrith legend will set out on his fourth annual "Big Walk" next month, hoping to raise funds for dementia research programs.
Simmons, accompanied by fellow ex-players including Terry Lamb and Luke Goodwin, will walk from Penrith for 11 days and more than 200km, beginning on August 13.
He'll arrive at Glen Willow Oval in Mudgee for Penrith's round-25 clash against Canberra - a fitting destination for the hero of the Panthers' inaugural grand final win over the Raiders in 1991.
But the walk is about much more than footy for Simmons, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2022 at only 61 years of age.
"When I was diagnosed, I sat around whingeing, really frustrated and cranky with the world," he told AAP.
"After I did that for a few months, I thought, get off your bum and get out and try to do something positive.
"That's the reason why I'm in it now, trying to help out as much as I can before the dementia gets me any worse. I know it's only a matter of time until I go down that track."
Even now, as he lies in bed in the morning, it can take Simmons more than half an hour to remember what he did the previous day.
"You wake up in the morning and you think to yourself, 'What did I do yesterday?' You lie there for half an hour and you think and you think and gradually you work it out," he said.
"Then I suppose the stage comes where you don't."
Simmons has despaired at seeing his mates go down that path, so he has helped create a "virtual steps" program that allows donors to pay $30 to complete 30 steps "alongside him" this year.
"I'm not just crying out to Penrith fans, I'm crying out to all rugby league fans," he said.
Simmons is hopeful he'll arrive in Mudgee for another Penrith win, with the four-time reigning premiers currently on a five-game winning streak that has revived their season.
The 66-year-old said a fifth consecutive premiership shouldn't be out of the question.
"They gradually just build their way into it every year, pick up some momentum, and things are looking positive again this year, but there's still a fair way to go," Simmons said.
NRL great Royce Simmons says it's only a matter of time until dementia completely takes over his life, a reality being faced by almost half a million Australians right now.
Those 433,000 Australians living with dementia are the reason why the Penrith legend will set out on his fourth annual "Big Walk" next month, hoping to raise funds for dementia research programs.
Simmons, accompanied by fellow ex-players including Terry Lamb and Luke Goodwin, will walk from Penrith for 11 days and more than 200km, beginning on August 13.
He'll arrive at Glen Willow Oval in Mudgee for Penrith's round-25 clash against Canberra - a fitting destination for the hero of the Panthers' inaugural grand final win over the Raiders in 1991.
But the walk is about much more than footy for Simmons, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2022 at only 61 years of age.
"When I was diagnosed, I sat around whingeing, really frustrated and cranky with the world," he told AAP.
"After I did that for a few months, I thought, get off your bum and get out and try to do something positive.
"That's the reason why I'm in it now, trying to help out as much as I can before the dementia gets me any worse. I know it's only a matter of time until I go down that track."
Even now, as he lies in bed in the morning, it can take Simmons more than half an hour to remember what he did the previous day.
"You wake up in the morning and you think to yourself, 'What did I do yesterday?' You lie there for half an hour and you think and you think and gradually you work it out," he said.
"Then I suppose the stage comes where you don't."
Simmons has despaired at seeing his mates go down that path, so he has helped create a "virtual steps" program that allows donors to pay $30 to complete 30 steps "alongside him" this year.
"I'm not just crying out to Penrith fans, I'm crying out to all rugby league fans," he said.
Simmons is hopeful he'll arrive in Mudgee for another Penrith win, with the four-time reigning premiers currently on a five-game winning streak that has revived their season.
The 66-year-old said a fifth consecutive premiership shouldn't be out of the question.
"They gradually just build their way into it every year, pick up some momentum, and things are looking positive again this year, but there's still a fair way to go," Simmons said.
NRL great Royce Simmons says it's only a matter of time until dementia completely takes over his life, a reality being faced by almost half a million Australians right now.
Those 433,000 Australians living with dementia are the reason why the Penrith legend will set out on his fourth annual "Big Walk" next month, hoping to raise funds for dementia research programs.
Simmons, accompanied by fellow ex-players including Terry Lamb and Luke Goodwin, will walk from Penrith for 11 days and more than 200km, beginning on August 13.
He'll arrive at Glen Willow Oval in Mudgee for Penrith's round-25 clash against Canberra - a fitting destination for the hero of the Panthers' inaugural grand final win over the Raiders in 1991.
But the walk is about much more than footy for Simmons, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2022 at only 61 years of age.
"When I was diagnosed, I sat around whingeing, really frustrated and cranky with the world," he told AAP.
"After I did that for a few months, I thought, get off your bum and get out and try to do something positive.
"That's the reason why I'm in it now, trying to help out as much as I can before the dementia gets me any worse. I know it's only a matter of time until I go down that track."
Even now, as he lies in bed in the morning, it can take Simmons more than half an hour to remember what he did the previous day.
"You wake up in the morning and you think to yourself, 'What did I do yesterday?' You lie there for half an hour and you think and you think and gradually you work it out," he said.
"Then I suppose the stage comes where you don't."
Simmons has despaired at seeing his mates go down that path, so he has helped create a "virtual steps" program that allows donors to pay $30 to complete 30 steps "alongside him" this year.
"I'm not just crying out to Penrith fans, I'm crying out to all rugby league fans," he said.
Simmons is hopeful he'll arrive in Mudgee for another Penrith win, with the four-time reigning premiers currently on a five-game winning streak that has revived their season.
The 66-year-old said a fifth consecutive premiership shouldn't be out of the question.
"They gradually just build their way into it every year, pick up some momentum, and things are looking positive again this year, but there's still a fair way to go," Simmons said.
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Pezet is signed with the Storm until the end of 2029, but is believed to have a clause in his contract that allowed him to speak to rivals if Hughes re-signed. Hughes did so last week, extending his time in purple until 2030. The other factor is the future of Cameron Munster, who is contracted until the end of 2027 but been linked to potential Perth interest. Both Pezet and Munster share a manager in Braith Anasta, while a loan deal could potentially buy time for Munster to decide his future beyond his current deal. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to play NRL every week," Pezet said. "As a kid you grow up and that's what you want to do. So of course I want to chase those opportunities. "But I'm just focused on putting my best foot forward every week, so that's when Belza (coach Craig Bellamy) picks me in the team." Melbourne hooker Harry Grant this week backed the idea of loans, speaking of the good it did him at Wests Tigers while stuck behind Cameron Smith in 2020. Asked whether a loan deal could be an option for him, Pezet said it was not something he wanted to be considering. "I think I'll leave that up to Braith and everyone at the club ... they'll sort it all out," Pezet said. "With Hughesy going down there's an opportunity there, and I'll keep putting my best foot forward so that when the time comes I'm ready for that wherever it might be. "Obviously the best footy I play, the more NRL I'm going to get, so that's what I'm focused on." The Storm have stuck with Tyran Wishart as Hughes' replacement at No.7, after the reigning Dally M Medallist dislocated his shoulder last month. Bellamy on Wednesday left the door open for Hughes to return before finals, with the 22-year-old avoiding surgery and back training away from the main squad. Melbourne have not got a specific plan for Pezet off the bench, who has had limited football in the past 16 months with an ACL rupture and subsequent setback. Pezet was brought on at halfback late in last week's win over Parramatta, with Wishart shifting to lock. "I'm definitely confident in my own ability to go out there and play 80 minutes of footy in the halfback position," Pezet said. "But that's not what's best for the team at the moment." Jonah Pezet says he wants to chase the opportunity to play in the NRL every week, but insists a loan deal away from Melbourne is not yet at the front of his mind. Melbourne's half-in-waiting for several years, Pezet has been named to come off the bench against Brisbane on Thursday night with Jahrome Hughes injured. Pezet is signed with the Storm until the end of 2029, but is believed to have a clause in his contract that allowed him to speak to rivals if Hughes re-signed. Hughes did so last week, extending his time in purple until 2030. The other factor is the future of Cameron Munster, who is contracted until the end of 2027 but been linked to potential Perth interest. Both Pezet and Munster share a manager in Braith Anasta, while a loan deal could potentially buy time for Munster to decide his future beyond his current deal. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to play NRL every week," Pezet said. "As a kid you grow up and that's what you want to do. So of course I want to chase those opportunities. "But I'm just focused on putting my best foot forward every week, so that's when Belza (coach Craig Bellamy) picks me in the team." Melbourne hooker Harry Grant this week backed the idea of loans, speaking of the good it did him at Wests Tigers while stuck behind Cameron Smith in 2020. Asked whether a loan deal could be an option for him, Pezet said it was not something he wanted to be considering. "I think I'll leave that up to Braith and everyone at the club ... they'll sort it all out," Pezet said. "With Hughesy going down there's an opportunity there, and I'll keep putting my best foot forward so that when the time comes I'm ready for that wherever it might be. "Obviously the best footy I play, the more NRL I'm going to get, so that's what I'm focused on." The Storm have stuck with Tyran Wishart as Hughes' replacement at No.7, after the reigning Dally M Medallist dislocated his shoulder last month. Bellamy on Wednesday left the door open for Hughes to return before finals, with the 22-year-old avoiding surgery and back training away from the main squad. Melbourne have not got a specific plan for Pezet off the bench, who has had limited football in the past 16 months with an ACL rupture and subsequent setback. Pezet was brought on at halfback late in last week's win over Parramatta, with Wishart shifting to lock. "I'm definitely confident in my own ability to go out there and play 80 minutes of footy in the halfback position," Pezet said. "But that's not what's best for the team at the moment."
