Hey guys, welcome back to Ebbs and Flues, where we talk about the highs and lows on and off the field.
Come back to my old stomping ground here in New Zealand, Wiles Nation.
Joined today by the Bald Brothers, D-Walks, Jazzy Tavonga. What's up, boys?
Oh, this judge can't put straight into it, Curtis.
Curtis Scott's called you out.
Obviously, you guys got a better history there with the fight on the field.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But bro, let's be honest, he's blindsided you online.
Yeah, he's got me.
I got a cent to me last night.
I'm a father of two, so things have changed back in the day to what I am now.
But look, if they want the money, if they've got the money and they want to make the fight happen,
you know where I am and I'm all ready to rock and roll.
So you're ready to go?
Not straight away, but by the end of next year.
This year, sorry.
Obviously, you've never been shied away from a fight or a punch on.
It's not a big deal.
It's not a big deal.
It's something that boxing, does boxing interest you?
I like the training aspect of it.
But yeah, I guess when you get caught out, you got to front it up, eh?
You got to front it up.
You can't take it.
Just tell him, bro.
I can't backward step it.
But yeah, if he wants to have a crack and they make the money right, then yeah, I'll
What's the right money?
No one's paying that, lad.
Oh, I don't know.
I'm not a cheapo.
I'm not a cheapo.
Jez reckons he'll do it for free, then?
Yeah, you'll fight for free, eh?
Well, it didn't piss me off, but I was just like, Jez told me he had a bail for him in
And then the way I was carrying on on socials, it was like, fuck.
Nah, I didn't make it into drama like real drama, though.
Like, I know like if you fabricate it-
Nah, I reckon it's a payday, yeah.
It's like in their best interest to pump it up, to make it better.
The way he was talking online compared to what he was talking to him in person.
I didn't find it that bad, what I saw, to be honest.
He just said, oh, if he wants to get square, you know, it was in a respectful way.
I like how sort of Nelson's moving, eh?
Like, he goes, oh, anyone that's had an issue with me on the field, like, can fight me.
But he's calling out guys like Victor Radley, and there's like a very, there's a massive
Did him and Jared ever go?
Yeah, I interviewed Jared about that.
Are they boys, though?
But Jared was just keen just to have a, like, a scrap, eh?
Like, he just wanted to, like, test himself.
And I was like, oh, that's actually mad.
Like what, like a boxing or just a scrap?
Oh, no, just like, just boxing.
But he got clipped straight away.
And then, like, he was stumbling, and he thought, he goes, nah, nah, I've just lost
And the ref's like, nah, nah, he got you.
Where did he box?
They fought, I interviewed maybe, oh, straight after the footy season.
They had a fight?
Nelson and Jared?
Jared, oh, we were, oh, fuck, I thought it was Jared Wallace.
Oh, Jared Wallace, nah.
Oh, I thought you were talking about Jared, we were at Hargraves.
Jared Hargraves, yeah.
Nah, yeah, he got hurt, but he did well to stay in the fight.
Yeah, I'd love to see Jared fight.
No, I thought, because Jared Hargraves.
And Nelson, like, they always, you know, butt heads, but I don't know if they're boys,
like, because they play Kiwis and stuff.
Yeah, that's just the two alphas in the team going at it, you know what I mean?
It'll be like, at it and going at everyone.
Nah, Jazz reckons he's a boxer.
He's always show that boxing in the shits.
He's going to the boxing classes on the Saturday.
Don't lie, boy, don't show it, mate.
I can't fight for you.
You love the niggle, though, don't you?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Shoot, fight, nah.
Nah, I don't like fighting.
I put up a post on YKTR Sports, and there was, like, this Maldi coach,
and he was spraying all the young boys, and he's like,
well, put your hand up if you can tackle.
And I remember you commenting on it, and you go, that was my dad.
But the question I want to ask you is, like, obviously you're not the biggest dude,
but you never back away from things.
Is that a product of upbringing?
Is that a product of coming from South Auckland?
Where's the chip on the shoulder come from?
Yeah, I think that's, yeah, a bit of everything.
Like, I grew up in Papakura.
I was never good at running the ball.
I was always good at tackling it,
because I was always the smallest.
Out of my mates, everyone tended to run at me.
So, yeah, right from a young age, my old man had me out there practicing tackling.
And then, yeah, just being brought up in, I guess, South Auckland,
everyone has a bit of, you know, mongering them.
Yeah, me and James Bell, we used to go out at school.
He was another small fella too.
So, yeah, just where we grew up, I guess.
I mean, talking about boxing, is there anyone in the league that you would like to fight?
No, not anyone I'd want to fight.
I wanted to fight.
Here's your chance.
Oh, yeah, yeah, that makes sense.
To me, that makes sense.
Yeah, they're both similar.
Yeah, pretty similar.
But, like, I don't have any beef with him or anyone.
But I'd just love to fight and get paid.
It's something I'd like to do, obviously, get in the ring,
because I like the idea that it's just you in there.
You don't have your team to have your, you know, have your back and whatnot.
So, I'll be keen to have a bang.
Yeah, you didn't say that.
I reckon that's...
I'll fight walks, nah.
I didn't say that.
I reckon that's pretty cool, but, like, putting your balls on the line.
You know, chucking it out.
But, Freddie, I remember when all the boys were laughing at Freddie
when he got tossed by Talon, mate.
Oh, was it Talon, mate?
Yeah, Talon, mate.
Talon can fight too, eh?
And then I was like, fuck.
But just having the balls to go out there and have a crack.
You've got to respect that.
I want to see Ed's fight.
I've seen him sparring that a couple of times.
Bro, he's got hands.
We were at Manly together, and, like, we had a wild fucking cup side.
And, like, he was part of that.
But him and Willis used to throw hands.
And Carly was one of our trainers.
So, whenever the boys were injured,
he was the rehab trainer.
And he'd just have the boys boxing, bro.
Like you said, like, when you watch him on the pads
and you hear that, that.
Willis was different.
Yeah, he was scary.
Bro, you know how I like a bit of niggle?
I knew who Willis was and what he could do.
And we played 20s.
And then I've gone to, like, kick pressure, turned around,
and someone just bumped me in the back.
I've turned around.
I'm like, who the fuck was that?
And then Willis goes, what are you going to do?
And I went, you're lucky.
You're lucky, bro.
They put those running away ones, eh?
We were Willis-y.
Yeah, he's a scary man.
Bro, I remember one time we were out.
This was before, like, he stopped drinking and stuff.
And he's like, bro, I haven't drunk in, like, eight weeks
And we went to the Wharfie, bro, and he ordered, like,
eight vodka lime sodas.
He's just getting around for the table.
Bro, he smacked the other, like, six or seven straight away.
I was like, oh, let's just go Casablanca.
He was like, bro, you're in a football jersey and thongs.
You won't get in.
Bro, boom, straight up the front.
Like, his godfather was the guy who ran it.
And all the bouncers were scared of him.
He'd just walk in, let me in.
Like, yeah, oh, Willis, Willis, Willis.
Wait, I'm behind him.
Yeah, I'm gangster.
Off the shoulders, huh?
Man, I remember Willis, bro.
He was, when, because we were in the same school,
he was just totally different.
Like, just never drunk.
He wouldn't even drink lemon lime bitters.
Because they had, like, that, you know, he was real churchy.
He sold me and Carly and just how he was raised.
But I don't know.
I think his first drink was with Ashley Haddon.
Oh, that would be a dangerous party.
I remember we had a cup side one time and it was, like,
the pack was, like, Adam, Liam Knight, Willis, and Jamil.
I think I was like, man, this is a naughty airport.
And they're all just trying to get into fights, too,
because they're like, our team wasn't that great.
So it was a bit of a giggle.
All right, boys, let's talk about, obviously, Warriors,
a.k.a. the Waz, being a bit of a vibe over here.
It's been cool to watch.
Like, obviously, I come through the club.
And at the time when I was here, we had really good success.
With 20s teams and our NRL sides were making finals every year.
It's back, and you guys are a big part of that.
What's it been like, bro?
Yeah, I think it's been mean.
Obviously, I've been here my whole career,
and we haven't had too many good years since I've been here.
But the boys come over and change the club.
Hey, hey, Waz, that's what he likes to say.
Different sometimes.
But, yeah, the buzz was mean.
Just every home game, you know, was sold out.
Even walking the streets, everyone's doing the up the Waz.
And, yeah, it was a tough year for myself, personally.
But to watch the boys and what they could do last year,
it was, yeah, something to watch.
Yeah, was that sort of frustrating?
Sort of understanding, like, you've gone through that period of struggle,
and now we're starting to fly, and you're sort of in and out
through injuries and shit like that?
You know what rehab's like.
You sort of feel isolated, and by yourself, all the boys are having fun,
and you're, like, on the side doing shit.
You're doing rehab juice.
You're like, boys, what was the change?
Jazz reckons, yeah, like, every time we was laughing,
he was like, oh, you guys are doing great.
You guys respect me.
You guys forget about me, eh?
No, but, yeah, it was definitely tough, bro.
And just watching them, you know, even just play at home, win,
and they just wanted to be a part of it.
Wanted to be a part of the success.
And, you know, it was cool to watch, but it definitely hurt,
like, not being out there.
What about you, Walks?
You've come through a couple clubs now where probably South was a better
reference of, like, a diehard fan base.
Mainly it's a little bit different, like, the other two or the not,
you know what I mean?
But what was it like?
Like, comparing someone like the Warriors fan base to someone like
Yeah, I think it's similar in ways because they sort of had to sit
through the struggle, especially the Wilds fans.
I reckon, you know, when we were winning games,
they were turning up and selling out the stadium, which is cool.
But, you know, we were doing some video and watching some old clips back
in 2019 or 20, and the boys were, like, positive.
And then looking at the stands, it was about, I reckon,
200 or 300 people in the stands.
And they weren't always here, boys.
But I think it's just the appreciation of what actually Webby sort of brought,
you know, and part of that was just, you know, just the real detailed game
plan and everyone bought in straight away.
And we've been having a joke about it today where, you know,
I think it was Wade O'Shawn and I, and we were saying that he was like,
trust me, you're going to believe it in a few months' time.
What we're doing is going to be right.
And it's sort of hard to sort of grasp sort of, like,
is it actually going to be right?
Is it actually going to be right?
Is it actually going to be right?
Is it actually going to be right?
Is it actually going to be right?
Is it actually going to happen or is it just going to be in another one
And then, you know, as soon as the – I think it was that Cronulla game.
I think that's where the sense of belief and confidence sort of grew
within the squad.
And I thought every time we went out in the football field, it wasn't,
oh, we're going to – I hope we win.
It was the, no, we're going to win.
And we were always in it.
And I think that was the attitude and everything that we're doing
within certain details of the drill and what Webby and the assistant coaches
have been doing with us.
It sort of just translated straight into, you know,
training into the games.
And it was real cool to see a player, you know, as a player,
you sort of see it come together as clear.
You know, when you're young and when I was at South, it was very –
I was a young guy, so I was just following the lead off the older boys
and sort of you're oblivious to all those things.
But then actually, yeah, when you get older, you know,
seeing what we did last year, it was real rewarding.
And, you know, I think it was just a little taste of,
you know, what we want to do.
I was out at Penrith last week and I was talking to Ivan
and he was always sort of my head coach.
And I go, what's like the big difference that you've noticed
over like past 10 years?
And you've been in the game for 10 years now.
He goes, we just leave nothing to chance anymore in terms of preparation.
Who'd nickel clutch that?
But I thought it was such a good point.
And now I watch you guys play last year and obviously Webster's
come from that system.
Even like I was watching some of your guys' trials and I know like
that first Tigers trial and I'm like, oh, something like a little bit
And then obviously I'm a Roosters fan as well.
And I come out early.
I'm like, oh, the boys got four pre-season games.
Yeah, I know, I know.
I think we were all talking about that shit.
This guy forgot where he come from.
No, bro, that was, the big difference was the fence, eh?
Like, you know, the Warriors of old, you know,
teams would just have that mentality of stay in the game
because the boys would crack.
Got tired out, yeah.
But just last year, like, we very rarely cracked, you know,
and when the times got tough, someone was always there.
Someone was always turning up and guys were getting their job done.
Like, Shawnee, for once, the bro was making his tackles.
That's my boy, man.
But he was stepping in, hitting, and I was like,
have you ever seen this?
Yeah, I think it was, no, it was good.
Just the whole club, it was, we spoke about it,
even with the whole organisation.
It was just, it was a chance for just the whole brand new book.
You know, rewrite the script and, you know,
everyone bought in straight away.
And Webby, he's like one of those guys where he, he was,
he's real detailed about his work, but he's also,
he allows you to be yourself and, you know,
have a joke and he's real cool like that.
But just having that as a head coach and it sort of filters down to,
you know, the old players and to the younger boys,
everyone sort of just bought in and it was, it was cool to see.
Like, it was very logical.
What he was, the way he was thinking was logically clear to everyone.
And how he explained it.
I know he's a head coach, but what area of the game does he look after?
Or does he just oversee everything and delegate the rest out?
I reckon, yeah, I reckon he oversees everything and does it.
But yeah, just, he's real smart.
But in the detail, it's not so much, or, oh,
you could have done this.
He lives in the grey.
It's not black and white.
He lives in the grey.
So that's an Ivan reference too.
That's where it comes from, man.
He was claiming it was him, man.
He was claiming it, man.
So where, where Desi is very black and white, he's like, no,
you got to do this.
But Madge was different.
Madge was to me, that's where he was saying, he was like,
if you, you go up and you make the decision in defence,
if we're going to use, um, that as reference, but yeah,
it was very grey, but it was on you.
If you were going to team, you have to solve it.
I remember, I remember this, um, when you first come to Manly,
cause you arrived a little bit late and we'll do an edge show.
And we had, um, Seabes as our coach and he come from Melbourne,
who was really black and white.
And like, same as you, I've come from a, where, where we were
allowed to make the decision.
And I remember a video session and you made the right read,
but because you didn't tick off his checklist, it was classed as
At one moment I was going, what?
To me, that's weird.
He goes, nah, defence is black and white.
If, if they like throw, like score a try, we can clap and they
beat us, but there was no room for grey and I'd come from a
different system.
So it was interesting to hear the, like, yeah, it's, um, yeah,
I think that's spot on.
And I remember what you said, but you're like, Oh, like I felt it.
You take the footy away from the actual football.
I think it's, that's a, we talk about footy players and how
robotic they can be.
And look, don't get me wrong.
Some people need checklists and need points to sort of understand
But, um, when you go too much into detail and saying black and
white, I reckon you lose the footballer in the actual football.
So what's the balance now between structure and, and like sort of
ad-lib football for you boys now?
Cause I was watching your tries and obviously beautiful watching
Dallin go down the side.
And you guys are walking tries over.
You're almost like what Southside where like your shape is so good.
What's the balance between that type of shape and then the natural
football that we grew up playing in New Zealand and offloading and
They talk about that.
Well, we play off QZ.
we're about momentum,
And then when we get to a spot,
we have certain cues,
if they stack the short side,
then we come to the open.
Short on the short side,
we played it that way.
walks can talk more about this cause I'm usually just a bashing
We had a little love.
it was all momentum and cues.
but I think it's just a reliable,
we'd be sort of likes to use,
especially with Sean.
he's always get the spine in.
nine and the one and seven,
we sort of just come up with a game plan,
what we sort of want.
it's pretty cool to see cause it's,
we'd be all for it.
like not out of the shape,
but like our plays work within the shape.
I think shapes make your looks more predictable.
You know what I mean?
Like if you're in shape and you get a hair,
you kind of know what's going to be coming.
So you can make your,
your football instinct read off.
So I think cause we'll be,
we weren't a really big offload team last year.
We'll sort of gone off cues,
you look at Bronx who,
they killed us with the offloads and say how much damage that can work.
benefit is they're the benchmark.
So you sort of look at their shape and we sort of play similar styles.
It's just the way it looks.
it's easy because you get,
your best players like Shawnee,
your best players with the hands and ball,
just the little combinations that we worked on during the year.
I think big ads scored like 13 tries during the year.
He scored heaves.
All off the back of me.
I just swing this conversation back a little bit and I fuck,
I don't want to sound like I keep talking about Ivan,
he was always big on having certain personalities in the room.
And I see you guys,
when I'm looking from the outside in and I look at you guys,
you guys look like you two are the energy and they have that out in Penrith with,
with their boys who do it in their way.
is that something that's encouraged or is that something that just comes natural
Or is that something that comes natural and the coaches going fuck?
He's not going to.
Like we were just sort of happened either.
When you sort of,
we sort of play similar,
like when we were in the middle,
I don't know the energy.
it's just the water.
I ended up shaving my head and I said,
when I come back from injury,
you got to shave your head.
So when I came back,
he shaved our head and then we got put on at sort of the same time,
when it like clicked straight away.
he scored straight away off the back of me.
I think it was like 10 or 20.
I think it's just naturally.
It's just how it's sort of gone,
you get different personalities and everyone has their,
their fitting in,
in a group like that in a squad.
we're out there top guys,
it's throwing ads as well.
You would know if you go,
So try to get heads on the board,
but he loves his face too much to learn.
I was talking to like someone,
The other day about it.
so how much the middle has changed compared to,
let's say I have like 10,
15 years ago where everyone was kind of like the big Jared build.
Like that was like the dream,
I think that style of Ford is starting to move out a bit
because you want guys who are like,
kind of like you guys,
like strong through the body,
but quick in the legs and pass and versatile.
especially when you play off tempo of guys,
of Shawnee who can go like double drop.
come onto the ball,
you don't need momentum.
you can get meters in,
in other ways for late feed or post-contact.
It's been crazy to see,
It's the game is so fast now,
you gotta be really fit and to be just one dimensional,
like those big guys,
He's got feet too,
And he's got skill too.
you got to evolve,
He's a footballer that people don't know as a footballer.
he's not all looks the bro.
He gets football.
he understands the game while we work to a certain point.
I think it's just,
and you kind of need that leader in the pack too.
especially in the Islander boys,
like you're not going to answer back to him too.
You know what I mean?
that amount of respect,
not only within the club,
but around the league.
And I used to think about this when we played South,
like you need a guy who's like the leader of the pack.
And when you just run out and Zed and you watch like GI,
they'll walk in and Sam Burgess is straight behind him.
I was about 10 boys back behind them and going,
you're just running past.
I forgot about the 14 position.
Obviously you picked up a ward there in the,
in the Dallium it's a horses for courses sort of type of position.
Now I knew probably someone asked me what's,
what's the ideal 14.
what's it like moving into that position?
Everyone reckons it's like,
you can cover anywhere.
But I sort of see it as just,
I've been playing in the middle man.
Like if you need me at half,
But I think the first port of call,
that's when Webby sort of got announced as coach.
He gave me a call and he's like,
I want you to do exactly what you're doing at Manly.
And how that sort of come around was funny too.
Cause I remember I did,
I was playing fullback in 2021 and we'll get smoked about 40,
40 nil for the last four weeks.
do you think it's a you in the fullback?
what do you mean,
I'm pushing the numbers.
So everybody's not going to do a hundred point swing game.
And then I got injured.
He comes straight back in and the boys were winning 40 nils.
so when I come back,
the boys are gone.
where are we going to put you?
put me in like lock.
who are we playing this week?
maybe it's just about 10 minutes.
Say Jordan McLean going his time.
And I love my first three tackles.
So I was running back and I'm straight on my haunches.
Got the fuck am I doing?
that's sort of how it developed.
just sort of seeing it,
played a bit in the house.
just sort of running,
shaked in the middle.
It sort of helps.
it's kind of like,
you've got all the good pieces from playing sin.
You know what I mean?
you probably can see things.
You know who was,
who was actually the first person to ever like,
sort of say that he thought a position was a Reynolds back in 2013.
you'd be a mad lock.
He even said it to much.
he's just saying it through and through.
sort of just developed it.
It always kept in the back of my mind.
maybe he was right.
So I'm giving him his flowers,
how do you find the balance between ball playing and running the ball?
Cause that's always a hard one.
you always want to thread people through the whole play at the back and play.
You'd rather set one up,
but then I think it's just,
that's what I'll probably work on this preseason.
It's just finding a momentum play instead of trying the bit,
Is that like a back of that and yeah,
You go tip adding it on a fade line into a four man.
Two middles wrap around the short side.
Give me one down the middle.
There's a hooker.
Give me one down the middle.
you got jazz calling hot.
they got fucking seven people in there.
I haven't had a touch.
I'm going to go crash,
He's looking in the drain.
There's fucking seven defenders in front of him.
I think that 40 position is so cool now cause you can play it in so many ways.
Like when you were playing,
you're like the 39 sort of version.
Now it's expansive out of the football.
It's a pretty important position,
bench play that sort of changes the momentum.
Like Penrith had Spencer,
like when he came on off the bench,
you need that guy.
You got like a bit of that,
Adams got it in as well.
if something goes down,
it's Barney Mitch Barnett.
but he's done his bond.
ago we had no big dogs in our team and our team just used to get bullied bro like every team has
they are a big alpha dog like storm had brown merchant nelson roosters had jared jared and
victor radley and that and then our team we had bangers bangers just like not mongol no no
anyone that has to be keen to get in there and always get in trouble
or some shit yeah no it's a good balance actually but now i'll just stand behind barney and ads and
go yeah you can't you can't have too much of him though it swings the other way yeah i don't think
well i don't see yeah barney barney's more there like i don't he just looks scary and i think
people would like he knows he doesn't have to say too much for people to be like no one's gonna try
and mess with him yeah that's a big one when moses is going at him last year i just looked and i was
like good luck yeah they're gonna have a go i don't know but he's pretty fat he's hk too yeah
he's solid yeah okay um so obviously you guys
aren't a surprise everyone's got expectation of you guys you guys have got expectations of
yourself there's not many teams that you go actually you guys are the only team that uh
got a weight of a country on your shoulders or they can either lift you up how do you how you
guys dealing with that expectation this year because i to be honest like and i've been a
part of this club before i feel like warriors always handle expectation the greatest yeah i
think um i don't know when we were saying before what how webby sort of said trust me in six months
we're going to be thinking like this is just this year knowing that
you know last year is not good enough but just having that mindset for us to go into a pre-season
with the same similar squad and then you get roger coming back as well um makes it very exciting
makes it um you believe your belief comes in a lot more into context when you're explaining
things because we hit the ground running instead of like learning a whole new system whole new
process um and then when you add in someone like roger who's been here but went out for a few years
yeah silky his man his head just just snapping off the left foot and i think
yeah just the leadership i think within the whole group like you know bangers barney ads jazz
gets in there mate roger um just how they just all explain it and what we expect from each other is
pretty it's pretty high standard at the moment and you know we you know you can't be your best
all the time but then when you're feeling down we allow ourselves to have those days to sort of get
better and you know it's it's a it's a it's a it's a it's a it's a it's a it's a it's a it's a it's a it's a
And Webby's real big on that.
If you're going to be something good, do something good, you know,
reward yourself with it.
But then if you have some shit, let it out in a way where, you know,
fuck, get it out so then you can move on and be present.
So, yeah, the belief's there.
I think it's – I'm super excited with it, with the expectation,
with the country and stuff.
I think you've got to walk towards it instead of shy away from it.
You walk with it.
Yeah, I definitely feel like there's a sour taste there from last year.
So we had no expectation last year of what we had created,
but there's definitely, like, after that Broncos game, you know,
it's still, like, you know, lights a fire in our belly
and you can just tell by the way the boys train.
That's cool because it's an easy thing to do.
Like, fuck, we're in the finals.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And obviously that was a fucking ranked game.
Like, all the shit that was going down.
But, yeah, I don't know.
That's cool to hear.
Yeah, it was one of those games, eh?
It was like we scored first and they scored two.
I thought you were on it.
Yeah, I was like, we're going to the GF.
We were sitting on the bench and I was like, shit, we're on it, we're on it.
And then we're down by 20 and you're like, oh, fuck.
Bro, one thing that does sort of tighten the squad up is obviously you talked
about him with Roger and you looked at that Broncos side.
They could just sling early ball.
They've got guys that can do things, you know what I mean?
And no disrespect to the boys, but, like, dang, Roger.
And you guys got Roger now.
What's it like having him back?
Nah, like you said.
Some of the shit he does, man.
Like, edge-to-edge stuff.
Give him the ball and he's like, bang, bang, bang.
And you're just like.
What the fuck was that?
He just trains hard, bro, too.
Like, he trains so hard.
He's mean jazzed as a flat stick trying to bench 100.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And some GST on there, 120.
The bros benching 140 and we're like, oh, yeah, two reps.
And he's doing six reps.
I'm like, fuck, bro.
And probably the big thing is, bro, he doesn't have to be the guy anymore.
He can just be a part of the team, you know what I mean?
That's why I think the recruitment did really well.
They just got first graders and, like, they got, like, Chans.
Like, even though he was in.
He was in reserve grade that year when they pulled him out.
You just knew that he was a solid first grader.
That's going to get you 200 meters, have about 50,000 supports.
And you put him in a team where, you know,
put him in a situation where he just has to worry about two or three things,
like ball playing-wise.
Or the rest he can just think, oh, support.
And then you had Shawnee pulling the strings and, fuck, he had a year.
And, like, the thing with Shawnee, because he's so smart
and he's got a ball player like Chans who can strip a three on two,
but if Shawnee can give him a look when he's playing two on ones.
You just push the ball player a bit wider with the center running.
Just walk him over.
Yeah, I think he just, yeah,
simplified it heaps for Shawnee too last year, Webby.
It was just not, like, simple where it was like, oh, hit-ups to here.
But it was like everything we're doing was in the system
where he didn't have to worry about the middle
because bangers, you know, was sorting it out for him.
And then on the edges, it was just basically get to the four men
or get to the three men.
And that was his job.
And then he's had an order.
He's other spices in.
And then, you know, the Sean comes out where he scores, buddy,
a right foot off the Dolphins.
And then a show and go again.
And it's just, there's things coming up.
Fucking pretty, pretty good year, man.
It's just, he's kicking game.
After the trial last year against Storm, I was like, fuck,
get your kicking game.
I was like, what?
And then, yeah, all of a sudden he's just, bro,
he was just pinning him in the corner.
Had it on the string.
Yeah, he just had it on the string.
Just put him in the corner.
And then just let the big boys do the rest.
The battle of 5-8, it's an interesting one for you guys.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Bro, he got some, like, three elite options.
Yeah, he got some depth.
The thing is, we don't know who it is, bro,
because he's just chopping and changing.
Like, Mides will be in.
Then next session, Luke will be in.
And it's just like, we don't even know who it's going to be.
That's a good thing about, like, having a great system is, like,
it's not kind of dependent on, like, the one guy.
And obviously, like, the penalty fund is, like,
even when Nafe goes out.
And, like, a Sean O'Sullivan or something plugs in
and they still get dubs, bro.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I think, yeah, that's what I think Luke is.
He's going really well because he's just more of the halfback style.
But Mides, fuck, he's a gun.
And I think he'd be, I don't know, could be first choice.
But I think he just suits the six a lot better in the system.
And then, Luke, if something happens like Sean,
you don't have fucking me and Tamari.
You're trying to foot penalty in the halves in the semifinal
getting dished up for 40.
Oh, that was rude as, bro.
But, yeah, I think Luke's, yeah, he's coming into his own too.
But he's a little bit older, understanding of the game.
Put on some weight too.
Oh, what do you weigh?
Bro, but he was skinny, bro.
He's actually doing weights proper.
Yeah, he's throwing some 10 around now.
Eating a few bars.
But, yeah, I don't know, since Sean hurt his ankle at training,
I think he's sort of taken on that role a little bit better as a half
and it's a lot more dominant.
And, yeah, it should be exciting these next few trials, to be honest.
Who goes in trials?
The Tigers next week?
Tigers and then Dolphins here.
Even their other center position has been a mad battle.
Like, because Wets and Rocco, obviously, Roach.
You'd think Roach is.
He's locked down.
He gets real estate with that.
That other center, bro, it's been Rocco, Wets, and even Ali.
They've just been battling.
Yeah, little guns, man.
We don't even know who's going to get.
Rocco will have a day and then Wets will come out and give someone the right foot.
And then Ali will just silk hands.
Yeah, it's pretty cool, man.
Like, I think it's good headaches, but lucky I'm.
It's a long season.
Lucky we're on the bench, bro.
Lucky we're on the bench, Jaz.
Lucky it is a long season, though.
Like, you think of the suspension.
Like, you need a team.
You need 23 guys.
Rock up and do a job, man.
And then, yeah, a lot of the young guys.
Like Zion, Dimitri, when he comes back, when he's fit, bro, he's a good footy player.
Like, in the middle, solid.
And then Zion, Jacob, Jacob Laban.
Just a whole bunch of good little crop coming through, which is exciting for the club.
Yeah, I fucking know if it is.
Elgar just talked about him a bit.
I don't know how individually close you are to Adam.
And, like, obviously, when I look at the Warriors,
to me, everything starts with him.
Obviously, this news of him leaving, pretty sad for you guys.
What's that mean to you boys?
Yeah, I was pretty off it.
I caught him straight away, bro.
I think Jazzy goes, did you see that, bro?
And I looked it up.
I was like, fuck.
I go, oh, you all good, bro?
And he goes, yeah.
Oh, I'll just let you know.
I was like, fuck.
Don't go, you fucking.
No, it was pretty sad news.
But, obviously, family comes first.
When you hear the backstory behind it all, it obviously makes sense.
And, you know, all the best.
But it sort of gives us a chance this year to go out and do something special.
Do you know what I mean?
The next question I was going to ask was, like, fuck, are we looking around and going,
fuck, is this us this year?
Like, that's the thing is, like.
And Shawnee, too.
Yeah, Shawnee, too.
We don't know what he's doing next year.
Ed's obviously off.
Like, this is the year if we want to make a move.
That's the way I look at it.
People are like, oh, you know, every year.
But if you were being fair to income over the next two or three years, this would be
Like, if you're going to be real about what you actually think, I think this is the year
that you would have to say and go, yeah, fuck, this is it.
When you guys hear yourself say that, does that get you excited?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Because, like, some people will scare off, you know what I mean?
When now, it's like, we're out.
You know what I mean?
It's been a fucking tough precinct.
I just want to start putting it in here.
I think Jazz has just been counting the days, going, wait, I'm all these for a week.
So, tomorrow's our next last big session.
So, we go, like, proper game, you know, end of the week is always a game.
And then we have Wrestle after, bro.
And it's just like, fuck.
I actually like Wrestle.
But Jazz is probably, I'd say he's top three.
Hey, guys, all right?
Get you down to CK, bro.
I always try to tell him, I go, bro, you're fucking 27, 28.
You're not 21 anymore.
You don't need to prove anything.
And he's out there.
You know when you just pummel out the stuff?
We almost thought we lost Jazz for three months.
But he reckons he tore his pec.
Come out, pink bib next day.
It was lefty right, pink bib.
He'd be running the ball deep into the line, too.
Play out the back.
The king of pink bibs.
Right here, guys.
We're like, who the fuck's that?
Is that Andrew Johns?
Oh, nah, it's us in the pink bib.
Obviously, yeah, just to dive into the Māori culture, obviously, when you go to New Zealand,
it gets grown up on it.
What's it been like for you, you Māori boy coming over here to the Warriors, New Zealand Māori?
Nah, I think it's as cultural as what the club does.
I think it's pretty cool.
You sort of understand it a little bit more.
But I've always been one of those guys that's like, fuck, I feel like a ratchet dude.
I don't feel, because I never lived here, never grew up in a Māori home.
So I'd never felt like, oh, I sort of belong.
But when you get into those camps and stuff, it's pretty cool.
It's hard to explain culture to people who don't necessarily have it, you know what I mean?
Like, when you get into a place, even if you haven't grown up on it, there's a feeling of, like, you belong.
Well, yeah, because when I hopped into the first camp, I was walking around.
It's like, shame that I didn't know a lot of stuff.
And I was speaking to one of the club cultural advisors there, all the guys.
And he said, no, we can learn from you.
And he was talking about all this.
And I was like, fuck, you actually made me feel good now.
I don't know anything.
But he was like, you know, he sort of gave me the pat on the back going, no, bro, you're still Māori.
I was like, oh, yeah, sweet.
But, you know, just having the kids around it, I reckon.
At schools, they're saying some words.
They sort of have a karakia for dinner or when they bless their food.
And it's pretty cool.
And I'm like, what are they saying?
They're like, taru, whātau, tenu.
I was like, oh, yeah.
But it's been, yeah.
In Ihaka's, yeah.
Nah, in Ihaka's, yeah.
Get them in there.
What about you, bro?
So, like, I look at the Warriors now and the Māori culture is really tied into it.
And it's always kind of been there with the symbol.
But I always felt like, and I always use this reference of cool runnings there.
I always felt like the Warriors were the Jamaican side, but they were always trying to be like the Swiss side.
And when Kearney and that were coming in, they were trying to do, like, wrestle and play that style of football.
Now you guys are just playing your own style and tapping it back into the culture.
I feel like you guys are so much better.
And I think it's important that, you know.
We pay respect, you know, first to the culture when, you know, guys come here.
Like, even the Aussie boys.
And it's cool that they're really buying in to the culture.
But I think, yeah, like I said, it's important because, you know, we are a Kiwi team.
And in the style of footy that we're playing, you sort of see it.
It resembles, you know, New Zealand and how we play backyard footy.
Even though now we're a lot more structured, you still get that.
Shawnee's still getting out the back.
Even get all the young boys, when they come in and have a jam, you can see their.
Their flair and, you know, comes out on them.
Who's some of the next guys that are coming through that you want to.
Obviously, I don't want to put pressure on them being like the older guys.
But who's some guys?
He played one game last year, the Crocus 300th.
You know, Braden Williamie sort of was the first choice center.
He's come back from injury.
And then when he hopped in, he was just.
You know when you just see people and they just get football.
Yeah, he's one of that.
And he's got a bit of spunk about him, too.
So he's got that confidence.
He's got a skucks fella.
He walks around like he's the man.
Is he in Auckland, dude?
He's Ali Lauteri's nephew.
And he's got the same.
Yeah, he's got the same, yeah.
He's got the same fucking hands.
Another Samoan prop coming through.
He reminds me of Ifatapalasino.
Sort of runs the same.
I reckon he'll be the next.
He's going to be the next.
He could be the next.
He said it last year.
No, he's coming back.
He's like Captain Mitchell type.
Like where you sort of walk behind him and go, yeah, fuck, he's out of cunt.
And Jakey Laban is another second row.
Laban is Wally's boys, eh?
Even, bro, even like Tane.
I see the fullback.
You know, like, you know, he filled in.
Did he play in the trials last year?
Against Tigers out here?
He played a couple of games, too.
He played a couple of games.
His first game was the Cowboys game.
And then he played in a few others.
Bro, he's a little gun, too.
Yeah, a little freak.
Yeah, he's a gun.
I know there's a, all those boys are the ones that are, oh, Lekker?
Yeah, just a few times.
He's playing cups.
I mean, scoring like, they're putting bombs up in the corner and he's jumping over like
Yeah, running over full grown.
He's just one of those guys.
All of them are raw.
Like there's Zion, Jakey Laban, and Lekker.
So once they get a bit more around reps in their training and pre-seasons.
It could be something pretty cool.
Fuck, they run hard.
Obviously, we're in a phase now where like sports and like business or there's a lot
more money coming into the game.
How are you guys moving outside of rugby league?
Because it used to just all be about rugby league.
Are you guys making any moves outside?
Have you got any interest in business or things like that?
The interest for me?
Not much, but a bit investing lately.
The missus, she's a bit more switched on than I am in that space.
She's got a blue.
She's got a blue business.
We're investing into a bit of development properties.
So hold this space, man.
I might have something lined up for you later in the next few years.
But I don't know, man.
That's the million dollar question at the moment.
It's, I don't know.
I've seen a few things on your Instagram and stuff and it sort of gets me going.
I'm fucking wasting my time here.
You know what I mean?
The weird thing is once you leave football, you don't realize how much time you have when
you're in your own football.
You remember with Manly, day off, coffee.
I'm still doing that.
Golf, coffee, fishing.
But that's what they do.
I think it's just.
What about you, bro?
You're into your hunting and fishing and stuff?
Yeah, hunting and fishing.
Never catches anything.
Never catches anything.
He doesn't catch anything.
Yeah, but I don't claim to be a hunter.
Tomoani, Tomoani reckons that we had.
Look, story, backstory.
He reckons when you get to it, it's like a little bowl, Bay Area.
I'm walking in, he goes, bro,
there should be some deer around here, so be quiet.
So we walk around there, and I was like, fuck, no deer.
And he goes, bro, it's just seen.
The other day, there was at least 30.
Yeah, I'm into that sort of stuff.
Me and Myde's actually planning on coming out with our own hunting brand.
I was just about to say something.
That's in the works.
Yeah, me and Myde's are actually starting to do something.
So yeah, keep your eyes.
You've had some shockers today.
I'll be a silent partner.
So what's the fishing show that Te Opawharangi and that do?
Do you know that one?
You guys have just created a show like that.
Even something, we're going to do something, Cam wanted to do something with me and Myde's
about fishing, eh?
People could come fishing with us.
Take them out on a boat, and that's an experience they could pay for.
A couple of mates or whatever.
Oh, bro, it's cool to see people thinking like this.
Like I said, we were in that Penrith chat the other day, and I was just tossing up like
different ideas for the boys.
And like, because rugby league's so cool.
You copy and paste.
It's like, they play that way, so that's working.
I think a lot of football players do that as well.
So they'll want to see us.
It's just my clothes.
Realize how hard it is.
How hard it actually is, yeah.
Like stuff like that, when you're actually passionate about it, and you've got to build
businesses around it, especially content.
Pretty interesting, bro.
Well, if you look at me and Myde's.
He's content king.
If you look at me and Myde's followers.
Oh, they're HelloFresh.
Hey, that pays bills, mate.
HelloFresh, shout out.
No, that's pretty cool.
No, I was just saying, if you look at our following, if you look at our pages, that's
what you'll see, what we're about.
We're into fishing.
I'm into fishing, hunting and fishing, motorbikes, and footy.
You've got to try and build something around what you're about, not trying to be about
I've always had this little dream, but if I start a little YouTube channel, because I'm
just a random, I'm just a random.
I'll go, yeah, I'm status.
You're pretty fucked up, bro.
I'll go randomly, go pick something.
I'll go pick it up, and I'm like, yeah, this is me.
And then three months later, move on.
I'm like, oh, I'm a master of that school.
It's something like gardening.
Like your came out gym shoes.
That'd be an easy way to do it.
Bro, gardening, yeah.
I was like, fuck, man, that'd be pretty cool.
Just randomly pick up something and just film it and just see how it goes.
What do you want to do on YouTube?
Oh, fucking random stuff.
When I started gardening, like gardening, planting all my corn, carrot.
No, I don't want to, but it's just random stuff.
You know when you see it?
Like the random dad picking up and doing all the housework or whatever?
Yeah, stuff like that.
Do you do gardening?
Yeah, what the fuck?
What do you mean, bro?
Why is your missus me your lawns?
Oh, that wasn't my lawn.
All right, no, no.
Backstory on that lawn.
Because I was curious, yeah.
Anyway, while I was doing the gardening, it was my first ride on, getting the lines out
It was looking nice as fuck.
Everyone comes down, they sees it.
My sister, her boyfriend, my partner.
They're like, oh, can we have a turn fucking up all my lines?
Doing figure eights around it.
I was like, yeah, done.
But yeah, I'm into random stuff like that.
I'll go fishing and stuff, but.
You could do like, you could do 12 episodes a year and you try one thing for a month.
Well, I tried fishing and that was a fucking horrendous.
Yeah, I don't get that.
Like, my dad was a fisherman.
I just don't get the fishing.
Because I took my sons, but they, well, a hook got stuck in my son's arm and the other
one was like, daddy, look, fish.
The one's going like that.
But the hell, this was, this is the whole story.
So we went out to Mission Bay, you know, the Mission Bay, the wharf.
Walked all the way.
So you got to park it up and walk about 15 minutes.
I get to the very end, just about to rig it up.
Daddy, I need to do a shit poo.
And I'm like, fuck.
You can't put it off the side.
So I was like, oh, let's walk back, walk back with fishing rods.
Gets there and he goes, yeah, did it.
Get all the way back another 15 minutes.
Daddy, I need to do a poo.
Okay, you're G-ing up.
And he looked at me and goes, nah, I need to do a poo.
Took him all the way back out there.
And he goes, ha, just joking.
I was like, sweet.
So we walk back out there.
And I was like, all right, no one needs to do a poo.
My mom rigged up the second one.
The first one, my boy was waving it around.
He got caught on my son's arm.
And he goes, look, daddy, fish.
And I was like, ah.
Fuck, we're going home.
Yeah, same time after that.
We're going home.
Mommy's just going, we need to take him to the hospital.
Put some betadine on him.
He'll be all right.
So it's just random stuff.
I'll just randomly do it.
Those kids hate him, mate.
We're at the beach.
And he was telling one of them off.
And one of them goes, dad, stop being a fucking jerk.
Yeah, well, I let my kids swear.
Like, they want to express themselves, you know.
I'm not going to stop them.
Fuck, that's mad.
So developing it.
Bro, I'm looking forward to seeing that hunting, fishing stuff.
Are there any dates on that?
Winter will be the one, because we're coming out of jackets.
Like, you know, like the hunting and fishing fleeces.
That's just going to be our first sort of range.
Are you going to do all the camo stuff and stuff as well?
We haven't sussed any colors yet or anything.
We're just getting all our favorite bits of pieces.
And we're going to try and go through a dynasty or another company to make it, tailor it how
And then obviously ship it off to China and make a fucking certain amount of pieces.
Because it's hard for like, I grew up in a bush town and everyone wears like that stuff.
But some of it's cool.
Fuck, that's mad.
That's what everyone wears.
I've been hunting.
I went hunting once and I've got gumboots.
I've got hocking shoes.
Bro, I come in from hunting and fishing and Aaron is like, what the fuck is that?
Bro, it's actually, yeah.
I actually, I like it.
Bro, the town we grew up in, there's heaps of forestry and like all the boys go like
pink hunting and stuff like that too.
So pretty familiar with it before that.
Yeah, that's pretty cool.
I'm going to wrap it up there.
But what's the goals for the season?
For me, probably play some consistent footy, try and stay healthy.
Is there anything else you can be doing outside or do you feel like it's just luck?
I feel like my injuries are pretty unlucky.
In pre-season, bro, I always get like a mad shape.
And then halfway through the season, I'm just fucking bad again.
So one of my goals is keep my skinnies under 80 for the rest of the whole year.
So what do you thought when he tore his pick?
Well, it was only a strain and he was in pig peeve lefty right there the next day.
You know what it is?
It's because I haven't drunk in two weeks since Dressy Fist.
So when I get off the piss, I was 100 days sober.
I had the worst injury.
I've ever fucking had.
Every time I jump off the piss, something happens.
So normally it's two and two together.
You're a grown man.
You can pick and choose when you want.
Yeah, well, now I've given up that fucking trying to be sober life.
So it's just about being smart.
So stay consistent.
I haven't really thought about it too deeply.
Really, I just want to try and stay on the field, bro, at the moment.
Everything else happens after that, eh?
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Play for some more.
I just fucking, I reckon there's bigger games than fucking Origin and shit.
Like, the beef is deeper in that.
The way the two squads are going at the moment, like, they should be playing that every year,
Got some squads, eh?
Bro, that's a fucking mean, yeah.
That'd be pretty cool.
Like, I don't know why they got rid of that Pacific test.
Like, now how the squads are.
It's actually a big game
What are you going to do
On the Pacific test
Yeah I would play it
What are your goals
Create the movement
That we started last year
The younger kids coming through
Wanting to be a warrior
What are your personal goals
Not taking a piece
But I've been serious
I used to be deep
Into thought about
As long as I'm happy
The footy comes second
Can you guys win it all
Thank you for your time
It's great to catch up
With you guys again
And had a great time
Off on the Gold Coast
Always remember that
All the best for the season
A happy and healthy one