LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
'I needed a wake-up call': Horsburgh feeling fitter than ever thanks to spicy sacrifice
Corey Horsburgh, the Raiders forward, never thought he'd be able to eat a meal without a side of sauce.
But in 2025, he's a changed man.
After a tumultuous NRL season filled with injuries, suspensions, and a well-documented tiff with Canberra coach Ricky Stuart, Horsburgh described it as "shitty".
He admitted, "I didn't come into the year in the best knick, I got some niggly injuries, and made some bad decisions."
Following a lackluster performance last season, where he didn't quite live up to the expectations set after his stellar year in 2023 as an Origin debutant, Horsburgh knew he needed to make a change.
"It was definitely disappointing.
I believe everything happens for a reason, though.
I needed a wake-up call body image-wise," the Queenslander explained.
"I've always been a little bit more chubby, and if I want to achieve my goals in this game, I needed to get fitter."
In a storyline straight out of a sports movie, Horsburgh embarked on a journey of intensive gym sessions and diet changes to transform his physique.
It seems the setbacks of the past season were exactly what he needed to kickstart a positive transformation in both his physical and personal life.
Now, as Horsburgh gears up for the new season, he's feeling better than ever, ready to tackle the challenges that come his way on the field with renewed determination and commitment.