The injury means he is unable to fulfil an ambition to represent the Wolfhounds again at the upcoming World Cup but he will continue to support the team and remains in regular contact with the Ireland players and coach Mark Aston.
“We had a great time at the last World Cup and even though we didn’t have success on the field we busted our arses every game,” Kostjasyn said.
“Honestly those four weeks were right up there with the most enjoyable four weeks I have ever had, not only in footy but outside of footy too. It rates right up there at the top for me.
“I can’t speak more highly about that experience, I enjoyed it so much and I was looking forward to this year. It is unfortunate I won’t be able to be a part of that now but I loved playing at the last World Cup and I would love to have played for Ireland more.”
The Central Coast junior, who qualified for Ireland through his Sligo-born grandfather, now intends to use the experience he gained from playing at international level as well as seven seasons of NRL for the Storm and Cowboys in his role with Under 16s and 18s players at Newcastle.
“I am a pretty average footballer but I have been fortunate to be in above average sides in terms of the blokes I have played alongside and I have had some of the best coaches going around,” Kostjasyn said of Melbourne’s Craig Bellamy and North Queensland’s Paul Green.
“Hopefully some of the things I have learned from those experiences I can pass on to the young kids coming through.”
He also intends to pass on some tips to the Ireland squad about coping with the heat during the World Cup, with their pool matches in Cairns, Port Moreseby and Perth.
Regardless of how the Wolfhounds perform, Kostjasyn said the World Cup was vital to the development of the game in Ireland.
“I have been in touch with the coach and I might try to get up to the game in Cairns, depending on what I am doing with work,” the former hooker said.
“It is going to be so hot up north for those boys but I am sure they will get through it. PNG will be even hotter and Perth will be hot too so they have got a tough gig but hopefully we can handle the conditions and get through the pool stage.
“I know that sometimes the competition isn’t as fierce as we would like to see but without the opportunities for the emerging teams to play you are never going to get that level of the game to grow.”
Kostjasyn, who was a member of North Queensland’s 2015 premiership winning team, said his biggest regret was never being able to play for Newcastle after sustaining a complex throat injury during a routine pre-season training session with the club in January.
He has undergone several surgeries to repair the injury but his airways have been significantly narrowed.
“Retirement was a combination of medical advice and how my body was unable to adapt to a reduced airway,” Kostjasyn said.
“It has by far been the most challenging six to seven months I've faced, not only in my career but in everyday life. Unfortunately, it's a challenge that I've been unable to overcome.”
By Brad Walter | @BradWalterSport
Chief Correspondent, RLWC2017
