Crusaders still hope Thorn will return
January 22, 2002

Canterbury has not given up hope that Brad Thorn will return to the club in the future, despite recently turning his back on the game to travel with his girlfriend.

Thorn, a premiership player with the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL, switched codes at the end of 2000 and played for the Crusaders in the Super 12's last year.

But just hours after being chosen by the All Blacks to go on their tour of Ireland, Scotland and Argentina in November, Thorne withdrew.

Speculation at the time centred around a move back to the Broncos, but it emerged later that the 26-year-old has simply wanted time off to be with his girlfriend and family.

"After nine continuous years of professional sport he just wanted a break," Canterbury Crusaders media officer Jo Malcolm said. "He hasn't ruled out playing in the NPC."

While Thorne would walk back into either the Canterbury or Brisbane teams when he returns to competition, it remains unclear what he plans to do in the future.

"Brad Thorn does what he wants to do," said a source close to Thorn. "He's his own man."

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