NRL: Connor Watson gets premiership ring cut off finger after it becomes stuck
Departing Sydney Roosters star Connor Watson has had to have his NRL premiership ring cut off his finger just days after the Roosters’ grand final triumph over the Newcastle Knights.
In a video posted to the social media pages of Affinity Diamonds, the jewellery shop that makes the rings, it showed a staff member attempting to cut the ring off Watson’s middle finger on his right hand.
The clip was posted on Thursday afternoon, although it’s unclear if that’s when the procedure took place. What is certain is that he was left with a nasty bruise and discolouring of the skin where the ring was.
Watson was unable to play in the Roosters’ 19-18 win over the Knights after sustaining a head knock the week prior in the preliminary finals.
After the game, coach Trent Robinson gifted Watson his; however, it was later revealed the NRL had also made one for the Roosters forward.
“I knew it was his ring, but later that night, Peter [V’landys] and the NRL knew what he’d gone through and gave me a ring to give to him a couple of hours later,” Robinson told 9News in Sydney.
“I didn’t know that, but they’d already made a No.14 up. That was a beautiful gift.”
Affinity Diamonds has been making the premiership rings since 2015, with the latest ones valued at A$15,000 ($18,600).
They are made out of solid white and yellow gold, featuring more than four carats of diamonds and were made in collaboration with former premiership winners Brett Stewart and Johnathan Thurston.
It was the fourth premiership the Roosters have won under Robinson.
Watson will link up with the St George Illawarra Dragons for the 2027 NRL season before joining the Papua New Guinea Chiefs for their inaugural season.