hey guys welcome back to ebbs and flows where we talk about the highs and lows ins and outs
fares and doubts on and off the field today i am joined off first of all i am your host ice
shout out to my brand partners sporting news australia for helping you bring this production
together joined today by a couple sharks greats and up and coming great wade graham and renato
thanks for having us it's good to be back mate changed over the years new room for me i haven't
been this fun so yeah i'm pumped to have you on board uh first of all we'll talk origin obviously
your guys captain oh it's not captain your guys halfback um is up for the mix you're paid new
south wales who would you pick before for the halves right now right now i'd still go nico i
think he deserves his shot um and then it sort of suits him a bit better now because he'd be on the
right hand side of the field for clearing right for kicker um but i really would like i would
have enjoyed to see him play with nate i just think i understand the combination between um
and jerome and with isaiah there in particular and it's easy for them to play that structure
but i just think you know the strength of queensland and the strength of the house part
like pairing it's not so much the opportunities when you play like off nate which jerome and
isaiah plays to nate it's you need to play to take the ball away from him when the opportunity comes
up elsewhere that's what nico would have done it would have been if the queensland set up on nate
wherever he was an opportunity came down the short side or on the other side of the field nico would
have took that space that's how he plays where i feel like because of the penner combination they
just wait to make to get around the field so yeah hopefully one day we get to see them two play
together because i think they could be um really good but i think at this stage you know i think
nico deserves his shot and i think jerome will stay there i thought he was pretty good in game
one yeah i thought he was awesome too um just this is the way that penrith play and i will
have the pen with boys in there before and they said that system took like years
and i know they try to plug that in straight away do you reckon they need to change that style of play
because obviously knave holds the middle part of the field when i watch the sharks play when i watch
nico like the thing i love about nico is the variations of the shapes that he has but it's
usually from the 70 30 split and it goes like seven six one and you guys stripping down the
edges like jerkin that style of play could work in origin because when i hear origin players talk
they say it's all about the small moments all about the small moments when i watch the sharks
play it's like beautiful it's like pretty to watch yeah i think that's the hardest thing with that is
when you have those combinations in the key positions like you can throw happy in there too
and you can throw happy in there too and you can throw happy in there too and you can throw happy in there too
you know it's not necessarily that those combinations are going to get around and
play the way they normally play at club level but it makes it hard for the other guys to get
in it makes it harder for tedesco to get in to that combo because he doesn't know he's not 100
up to speed with their communication or what they're even looking at sometimes
it's not even how you talk it's what you see and the other players because they're in that
structure together they're all looking at the same thing so it's harder for those other guys to get
in there and express their strengths because in the large chunk of the spawn are taking over i feel
like if you have more players who you know they play what's in play what's in front they play to
space they count the numbers they don't necessarily let the structure take over the game they wait for
the opportunities from the opposition to pop up and then they go and they sit like they seek out
that opportunity they seek that space or they seek the numbers to overlap which is what you know which
munster does really well for you know club level in queensland he lets the structure
go apart but then when he sees an opportunity to play his his his moment which is the moment
we're talking about he ices it which is what i was saying a bit before like if you put nico with nate
you know nace is going to touch the ball 50 times but it's the five times he probably doesn't touch
the ball which is when the defense is over compensated on you need the other half to really
take that off take that on and be aware of that when it's going to pop up and that's what nico's
trying to space count the numbers yeah what do you think the the criticism around obviously very
origin time of the year the criticism around tedesco and you're you playing that back three
do you reckon his criticisms being fair from game one as a former queensland great
no no no i think it's so funny that um for a player that's dominated the game for so long that
how quick everyone can change on them and and the respect that everyone forgets about um it's it's
sad to see because you know he still comes out and he's still probably one of the most feared
players in my eyes i mean i come against roosters i'm like like all we talk about is tedesco
you can't you can't just go out and get him because he's just so flighty and i think that
um i think queensland understand how good he is and i think the public still kind of don't and and
they've kind of forgotten that bit but um as a back three like it'll be it'll be honestly honestly a
big honor to to play against i'll play with someone like that and and have that kind of caliber and um
um i travelling and job isn't a big concern in journalism honestly i think you mai've got a
lot to work with with general epix he's got lots of development and he's got a lot of little engineering
but i think that that plays into um kind of the game and thing of what that means it's really
about um Roads and you can even play with local Gazelias and your own league that can influence
the ownership of those teams and how you play with those clubs and how you play with the organisations
too but yeah i really we've got lie finalmst time we're going back to last three different games
by FTES decade and i think the women's teams as you're
back in the day um what fullback wouldn't you want to see out of because obviously like this
is probably the biggest selection headache that origins ever had ever like you normally you know
who's coming straight in but in terms of fullbacks you got tommy turbo there la charles coming back
and teddy would teddy be the one you wouldn't want back yeah teddy 100 like uh i just feel like
he's he's those guys he's one of those players just pop up everywhere like you know and he's got
that um the ability just to run 200 300 meters and and eat up the middle and when we play the
roosters as well like if he gets going man like he just brings their middles to life he brings
their whole team to life and that's the thing that kind of hurts you and you're just on the
back foot the whole time so with the balance of that but um you know it allows you with those
three you just said turbo and natural and teddy it allows you to get all three into the into the
team right which is a big it's always been a strength of ours when those three guys play
um there's no doubt we missed the trail and how you know powerful he can be and how dynamic he
can be out of the backfield and because we didn't execute i just think we weren't connected that
well in game one no we didn't it looked like we're playing the power game and trying to play fast
which actually ended up hurting us a little bit because we didn't quite execute um our moments
we saw in the first half like teddy you know nine times out of ten he passes to the fox there
and he scores yeah because we're all i reckon we're just a bit over speed in our minds
and just we just weren't 100 um connected across the park at herders i feel like they'll be in
better shape for the run in game two although it isn't it's a big ass going up to suncorp
oh yeah um i kind of like the dynamic of like everyone started talking about reynolds and cody
walker and if i'm if i'm freddie and they say his job's on the line i'm only going off speculation
i think i'd almost go down that line like well it's a good it's a good option
yeah okay see and that's that's the thing like when you talk about pairings you look at adam
and cody and i talked about it before they're not so much going to be structure like adam is going
to kick the boys into good positions he's going to play the field position game he's going to be
simple with his communication he's probably going to let the forwards do their work and the obese do
their work just come in at the back in the sets when you know to kick and get an opportunity but
you know cody's going to play all over the field he's going to play and attack and run and support
the space you know and play the numbers so that they're a good combination for that sort of arena
because that sort of arena structure is it's not like you know you had the boys you need um fischers
and lyoto and they said it took years to understand that structure and for all of them to be on the
same page you only got a week in origin to sort of get um get the team connected and and understanding
what they're trying to achieve and what their goals are and in attack and d so i think simpler
The more simple it is, the better.
And you just need to have the opportunity, the eyes,
and the know-how to take the opportunities when they present.
So it's a good – it's a big decision for Freddie
because if his job is on the line, like, who are you going to back?
Are you going to back the guys you had in game one
who you thought, bar a couple injuries, you know,
you pick the team that you think is going to get the job done?
Or do you just completely rip it apart and throw a new combination in there?
What would you do?
I'd go Nico, like I said.
I think he – he'd had the seven on his back, but he wouldn't –
he'd be playing both sides of the ball.
He'd pop up at second receiver.
I think how he – a lot would depend on his communication with the hooker
and say if Jerome was there again, like,
what sort of looks they were expecting to get to.
But I think he, over the last 18 months, probably deserves his shot.
He's been, like, one of the premier elite playmakers.
And he's not going to be phased by a sun call, would he?
Well, like you say, that's why –
and Reynolds is so appealing too, right?
Yeah, that's the backyard.
That's the backyard now.
So he's had so much success in a short time at Brisbane.
And if there's one guy you want to sort of get in there
who you know is going to be steady for you and just do his job
and kick the team into good positions, that's probably ad.
So, you know, a lot comes down to this weekend of footy, I reckon.
Yeah, it's pretty exciting, isn't it?
Like, just as a – like, I go for Queensland, like, as a casual,
but it's pretty exciting to listen to everyone else's different takes.
So I found it interesting because normally it's like,
oh, Nathan's in and Jerome's in.
It's been cool to have something like a little bit different.
Yeah, it's probably a position we haven't been in for a long time.
I know you said it's normally simple to pick the teams
or, like, at least in the key positions.
But we've had a lot of guys, particularly in New South Wales,
just putting their hand up and playing good, right?
Like Dylan Edwards, we haven't even mentioned him at fullback.
We had, like, Latrell is obviously playing fullback at Clubland
and one of the most dynamic players in the competition.
So do you – you have the ability?
Do you move him or do we leave him there at fullback
and, you know, find another good centre?
Like, Campbell Graham's been killing it.
He's back this weekend.
You know, Critter's been playing well.
Lots of guys, eh, bro?
Yeah, lots of guys.
You say, like, with Turbo, there's question marks about Turbo.
He wasn't playing that well.
But, like, you can never knock a champion, and he's a champion.
Like, he's one of the – I know he hasn't had the greatest 18 months
because of his body, but, you know, when he's on, he's, like,
probably the best player.
He's the best player in the competition.
Yeah, there's some guys you just throw in an origin and always –
I remember Jenko was always, like –
I think he made origin out of reserve grade one year.
Or Jimmy Maloney, too.
You just know, like, he could be rat's arse for two weeks,
didn't get picked, and then he rolls in game two, gets made in the match.
Kicks every goal from the sideline because that's just –
And it pisses him down with rain, too.
He just slotted him over.
It might be a bit of a different one.
In terms of coaching staff, when I look at Freddie,
when I look at Joey, that's probably our generation.
And those guys rock up into our camp, would run for a brick wall for them.
Now the generation's gone, like, a decade past.
And, like, say – I'll give you an example.
So, say if, like, Wally Lewis had given us lessons or Mel Meninga,
I didn't really watch those guys play.
So, I've heard about how great they were, and I've seen highlights,
but it wouldn't have that impact where you look at someone like Queensland,
got JT, got Cam Smith, Billy.
Like, you look at Reece Walsh, he's, like, one, he's picked over KP straight away.
Two, he's picked by the best full-back to ever play the game.
And then three, he throws on that maroon armour.
Like, how can his debut game not be like that?
Do you reckon – and I don't think there's any better substitutions for him –
but do you reckon the coachings in today's modern-day players,
is there a big difference there?
Or am I just fucking picking?
I think there would be a difference for sure.
Like, one guy we haven't spoken about is Josh Hennay.
Like, he's our assistant coach at the Sharks,
and he does all the behind-the-scenes stuff, no doubt, for the Queensland team.
And, mate, he's a gun.
Like, he's a gun.
What makes him good?
Is he the one who used to take ages to kick a ball, eh?
Oh, yeah, he was a goal-kicker.
He was a goal-kicker.
He's just, mate, he, like, he understands where the modern game's at, pretty much,
with, like, the rules and interpretation, you know, what the trends are in the game.
But he's, like, straight to the point.
Like, communicates well.
There's no bullshit about him.
He's just, like, he's just got it, mate.
Like, he took over when –
when the club made a decision to sign Fitzy and move Johnny Morris on.
So he took over as interim.
And, like, for a guy who I had nothing to do with before he came to the club,
I reckon within half a season, man, I had so much respect for him as a coach.
And he's an ex-young gun coach, I mean, off the rink.
I feel a bit, like, worried about saying it, like, publicly,
because eventually he's going to get the attention.
Well, I want to keep him at the Sharkies all the time.
But I have no doubt whatsoever that he's doing a lot of the –
behind-the-scenes stuff just to help Billy and, you know, Cam and JT out
because they're not in the day-to-day, week-to-week grind of, you know,
coaching in NRL and running sessions and planning the weeks.
We're ahead of years, and, you know, he's unbelievable.
So – and that's the thing where I know the Blues have Mary,
who's been in that system, but they don't really have a coach
who's right now, right in, you know, the game this season, last season.
There's Freddie, Brandy, Mary.
Obviously, Badiris is there, too.
You know, maybe, you know, possibly, quite possibly,
we are lacking that little bit of mouse.
And the hard part is, is because Queensland was so dominant for so long,
like, if you went off the – if the winning halves from when New South Wales
finally jagged one, it'd be like Hocko and Reynolds, you know what I mean?
So, like, the level of halves that – due to success, I don't know.
I think about that little stuff a little bit, eh?
I was telling the boys the other day, because obviously my short life in Queensland camp,
before they found the imposter.
But, yeah, like, when I went in, and Billy was our backs coach,
and it was, like, me, Reecey.
Reecey was meant to debut in 2021.
Like, Kyle Feld and Val were in there as well.
And I remember he got us into this meeting, and he's, like, such a, like, technical man.
They say that, yeah.
He's like a, yeah, maniac at it.
And gets us in this room, and I was thinking,
oh, we must be having our normal back five meeting, blah, blah, blah.
And he pulls out his little iPad, bro, and he goes –
This dog chaperoning this horse, like, following this horse.
So when the horse goes right, the dog's, like, chasing it, like, just getting in front of it.
And he's like, this is how you got to be at the, like, effing back.
If you want to be a, like, good fullback or a good outside back, this is the difference.
You got to be like this dog.
And we're just watching this clip of this horse getting chased by this dog and, like,
followed by this dog.
He's like, you got to fucking stalk it.
You got to anticipate when it's going to move.
And, like, you saw that in Reece Walsh's games and how he played on Origin as well.
And the anticipation, every reaction kind of thing.
And I think just by seeing that, I kind of looked at it and I was just like, man,
that dude would have done that every day of his life and his footy career.
He never missed a line break.
Will Kennedy, he never misses it too.
I wonder what the key is to good support.
Did he teach you anything through that?
No, he kept it to himself.
I think you just got to keep your feet moving.
Anticipation over reaction.
He'd jump in our drills and just look like he could play in our house.
He would get in and just do something freakish.
And I'm like, what the hell is this guy doing?
I played a World Cup with both Billy and Cameron.
And they obviously had that years and years to play together.
But Billy, he was even like that as a player.
He would run the back five sessions.
And then we'd get onto the field and I was in the back row.
He'd talk for a whole – his talk for a set was unbelievable.
He'd be like controlling the middles at the rock,
talking about whatever shape that is.
And then over the back of it, yeah, wait, I'll be on the back of you in two plays.
He's sorting it all out.
So his level of understanding and footy IQ is through the roof.
And he would be like the play-by-play, playing every play talk.
And then there was Cameron, who was the captain and the hooker,
who would just – he'd take control of the long game
and take care of the field position and where I'm putting the team,
just constantly putting the team in the right places
to allow the likes of Billy and JT and Cooper to take over and play their footy.
And it was sort of like, yeah, Billy, he'd be like the play-by-play guy,
but then Cameron would be the long game.
He'd understand what the team needed at that time, in that moment,
and he'd get that done.
So I was pretty fortunate to have that opportunity to play with them
because we got beat by them for a long time.
That's annoying, eh?
Let's talk about the Sharkers for a little bit, obviously,
a bit of origin chat there.
When I – I just associate my time with the Sharkers
when I used to play against you guys,
and you guys were kind of more so like the gritty side.
We'll score two for winning by eight.
Let them get a try so we can get back into this little arm wrestle.
When you had guys like this, now you're into this sort of new phase
where sometimes you can put 40 on a team
and sometimes you could let 30 roll past.
What's the biggest transition you've seen over this –
well, you've obviously been there for a long time,
but let's just go after your premiership winning year
and the year you're at right now
because I think you're in a premiership window now.
For me, it's just the coaching styles, really.
Like Fitzy has his philosophy and his way he views the game
and what he coaches us every day.
Like we talk about – you know, we – like our staff are pretty cool, man.
So we've got Fitzy and Steve Price who's a part of the 2016 team, do the D,
and then we have, you know, Josh Hanna who takes the attack
with Daniel Holdsworth, DJ.
So they're like –
Yeah, they're there too.
It's a cool crew, man.
You can all have – you can have a beer for those boys too, right?
Yeah, they're all good, but they're just precise in what they want.
They know what they need in the game.
It's just our style is completely different to back then.
Back then, we sort of had –
we were led by Gowza and Louie and Mickey Ennis, this experienced team.
Yeah, Townsend and Robson who were kind of more like steady-ed.
Yeah, just steady-ed.
And it was just like we'll – just through experience and through grit
and just, you know, wanting to get into the fight, we'd score.
And like that's how we get our results.
I'm not saying we didn't have classy players because we had Benny Barber at the back
and we had, you know, Val was coming through and Birdie
and Ricky and Josiah Fecky were killing it as well.
But we just were more dominated by –
we were more dominated by that hard-edge, older, experienced team
when now we're driven by these young guys who are just, you know, fearless.
They're fearless in the way they play
and how they want to prepare to attack on the weekends.
And our biggest thing for us is that consistency in the defense.
We can get our defense right and put ourselves up into that top tier of defensive teams.
We'll find some points with our style because it's a hard style to play,
but when we get it right, it's hard to defend.
It's so pretty, eh?
Like obviously you see you guys just walking tries over.
And probably the only team I really see do that is like Rabbitohs
and that's when they've been in their system for so long.
But it's so pretty to watch, isn't it?
Yeah, well, it was funny because for a long time after the premiership,
we were trying to play the same style that we used to through those years.
Just didn't have the same troops.
And we just didn't have the same troops and it was just different styles of players.
And it really took that fresh start from Fitzy to come across and, you know, really,
it was almost just –
tear the page out and start again because everyone who was involved previous Fitzy
had come through Flano's, Shane Flanagan's system.
So they were all trying to implement the same system,
whether it be training week, game plan.
And it was just a different – it was a completely different team.
Like we had – you know, at the time when we won in 2016,
we had three guys with over 300 games.
And, you know, we still had like Matty Pryor and Fafita who were like 150 gamers.
I might have been, you know, 180 at that stage.
the week was always about building, building, get your prep done.
But then come game day, it's on.
And you just knew everyone was going to show up and play well or just do their job.
And we tried to sort of adopt that through.
We just didn't really change it.
And we were so inconsistent because we just probably lacked a lot in our prep.
They let us down on the weekend where Fitzy, he came over and he shaped us.
And, you know, not to embarrass like Ronnie or the young guys coming through there
and just coming into the best parts of their careers.
And a lot of them are only 23, 24.
And as someone who's, you know, going to be finishing up soon,
I've just made the clubs in a great spot with our staff
and the core of the young guys coming through.
And for someone who's put so much time and years into the club,
you know, I'm so happy with where it's at.
And I'm excited for what's in store for the next, you know, however long.
What's next for you?
Do you know what you're doing?
There's a few balls up in the air I can finish.
If I do finish, hopefully I stay away, like stay around the club.
Are you going to coach?
I've always thought you'd be a coach.
Well, I've been doing a little bit of coaching.
Always trying to tell him that.
I've been doing a bit with the Pathways already.
And I've just started working with the women's team, the W.
They've only just started their preseason,
so they're only doing real basic stuff.
I've got the stuff in the media.
I'm signed with Triple M at the moment and I do a bit of Fox.
Work with Fox and Nine freelance.
And then I think, well, then options are still to play
if I'm feeling good at the end of the year.
You've still got that fire in your belly?
I still love it, eh, like coming to training.
But because of where the squad is at and the staff is at,
it's just a real easy place to come, man, and work
and just do your job.
You know, I can't see myself leaving Cronulla.
Like, when kids are settled there,
there's still a little bit of maybe going overseas.
You know, obviously my partner's French-Canadian.
Can you speak French now?
I'm getting better.
I'm getting better.
So there's still a little bit of a pull
to maybe spend some time in France.
Or then if I do finish and we're okay,
like there's an option to move to Canada for a bit as well.
Got some good options.
I'm juggling a few balls at the moment.
I'm sure you'll figure it out anyway.
Your coach, Fitz Gibbon, obviously, like,
I think it's important when you come into a team,
especially when you're young and it's a good side
and a winning side like you spoke of.
But what's some of the greatest lessons you've learned from Fitzy so far?
Oh, you know, obviously what Wado said,
like we lost a couple of our experienced players
after the grand final years and I didn't debut till 2019.
So that's like three years, you know, from that.
And then it's coming to a side with so much experience still.
You know, we still had Galza, Wado, Priscat was there around then,
Moisa, all those boys there that kind of led the way for us.
And I remember, like, always remember vividly,
like we always get on the beers,
always try and go and drink with the older boys
and you listen to their stories and that,
like just to get a bit of a laugh.
So, you know, one thing that probably like stuck with me
during those hard times was like,
like I said, Wado is one of those guys that he talks and you listen.
And he's just been that core leader for us for so long,
especially us young dudes.
And when the club was kind of going through all that turnover
of coaching staff and all that jazz,
I think the only person that kind of really held us together
was probably Wado.
He's probably the only reason why boys stayed.
And during this time, you know, during that whole time,
Wado always used to be like,
don't worry, boys, you know, we'll see better days.
And I mean, the whole bomber thing happened when bomber got fired.
Now that was probably someone I love, like John Morris was like,
you know, that person that held me in first grade.
And to see that kind of thing happen kind of put me off a bit.
And then Wado was always the one that made sure that,
boys, don't stress, don't worry.
It's all going to be, it's going to be all good.
I promise you, I promise you.
And to come out on the other end,
obviously we still haven't done anything, you know,
we haven't won a premiership, we haven't done anything yet.
So there's still more to be done,
but it's just nice to see Wado kind of,
sit back now and just, you know,
kind of chaperone us in a different way.
And I come in as a 19 year old, I'm 23, 24 this year,
and Wado's watched me my whole career so far,
and all those older boys.
So it's nice to be able to let them sit back
and have a laugh at our stories and have a giggle about us.
Yeah, just let you learn.
Yeah, let us learn.
We'll be there, bro.
That's not going to play to us.
Fitzy is just one of those guys that,
the way he played his career, you know,
he's just tough and just one of the-
Was he ever on stage?
He's always offside.
Big, long thingy.
Yeah, and the way he's kind of teaching us,
and I still, like Wado said,
we're still trying to find that consistent footy.
Like, we want to play pretty,
we want to play that nice brand of footy, but-
It's hard to get that balance right.
And that's what we're getting wrong at the moment,
is that balance of,
like, man, sometimes you've got to bend your back,
and the wingers don't bend their backs,
so I just sit there,
and my ones catch the highballs, I guess.
But yeah, like, you know, all those little things, I think.
And Fitzy's trying to get it out of us
to make sure that, you know,
we come and balance that right.
And yeah, I'm just enjoying my footy at the moment,
enjoying the club environment.
Like, Wado said, man, our staff, like-
Definitely helps, bro.
Yeah, we want to invite them to have beers with us.
That's how funny, like, that's how good they are.
Like, we want to invite all of them,
including our coach.
You know, you go to other clubs
and hear stories about them
not even wanting a bar with their coaching staff.
But whereas our group is like,
if we have, like, a team drink-up,
we want them to be a part of that.
And I think that's important.
And even our development players,
where we get everyone involved
at our club, like,
when our rule is, like, you come in,
you're just one of us straight away.
Yeah, that's cool.
none of this hierarchy.
Obviously, you have your hierarchy
at the back of your head.
Like, you know, you've got the older boys and that.
But Wado, like, he'll talk to anyone.
Like, Moise will talk to anyone
and they'll reach out to anyone.
So I think we've got a good crop of boys around our club.
Um, I want to watch you play.
Like, get in a little battle.
Firstly, I love it.
Let him answer first.
You know, it's all about-
I'll tell you a funny story.
I'll tell you a funny story.
Um, I'll ask you a question.
Do you do that to get yourself motivated?
Or is it a point where, like,
someone does something to you
and you just can't help it?
Almost Cody Walker-esque.
sometimes I just-
I just want to do it,
like, to test someone,
I know everyone likes-
this guy's a freaking dick,
like, you know what I mean?
if I'm versing someone,
why should I like them?
You know, for 80 minutes, right?
Like, whether it's my-
or whoever it is,
whatever game it is,
whether it's a video game,
whether it's a rugby game,
I just see it as,
I hate you with my life,
like, I hate your guts,
and I'll do anything
for my 17 boys in my team,
and that's all I care about.
like, nothing else matters
more than my teammates, right?
Does this come from gaming?
Oh, it probably does,
but it gets my brothers in there,
but no, no, no, freaking-
and I take things, like, personal,
and I probably take it
too personal sometimes,
and I do cross that line
at points in time, and-
Where's the line?
I don't know sometimes.
I'm getting abused online.
I've probably been too hard
or when I'm trying to walk out
and I'm almost on my deathbeds,
but yeah, no, like, I-
you know, I play my game
to motivate myself,
this mental game,
like, I want to see
a few of you arrive,
I want to see a few
you came to play,
it's one of those things,
you just go at each other,
and if someone wants
to do it back to me,
I'm not going to sit there
and cry about it,
or complain about it,
like, I'm like, oh-
You just try not to make
eye contact with them,
Yeah, yeah, like,
one of those things,
you just want to, like,
like, Jared played
and, like, we were-
went on camp together,
run here, you little,
Jared, get in the car.
Yeah, and I was like,
yeah, come on out,
you know, I love that
like, and it's part of
who I am, I think,
and as long as that
stays on the field,
and I'm a dick on the field,
and whatever on the field,
but as soon as I cross
the white line back in,
I'm a partner to my missus,
and I'm a good son
and I'm a good man
in my community, so-
I hate when, like,
I know fans in there
want way more access,
it's almost the old,
like, what happens
stays on the field.
we come through that way,
it's still like that to me,
You'd have a spray education.
You are the person
who's not necessarily
who you are as a player,
like, Mickey Ennis
is a perfect example,
Everyone hated him
on the field, right?
he's the best dad,
he's got all his children,
he's humble off the field,
when I first met him,
this perception of him
or what I thought he'd be like,
I thought he'd be
an old school knockabout,
see you at the pub
after training sort of guy
because that's how
he'd come through
the Newcastle system,
and he's a teetotaler,
he was completely,
completely different,
crosses that line,
the whistle's on,
the competition comes out,
it changes people,
if you didn't have that
sense of competition
in you as an athlete,
you wouldn't make it anyway,
you wouldn't have that fire
It comes out in different ways
in different people,
and you can see it a lot,
but you need to have
that ultimate competitive spirit
to be an athlete,
because at some stage
in a game of rugby league
if you want to win,
you've got to pick yourself,
a funny story about him
when he first came in,
he's always chirping
at training in the team,
he's got that in him.
It's good because
he brings the energy,
you know what it's like,
middle of winter,
everyone's a bit banged up,
and then you're just
searching for something,
and he's one of our,
he's one of our guys,
and he's one of our
who really drives
and sometimes he does
slip over to the,
maybe just ease up
so in his first year
of playing the Dragons
I don't know who he's into,
or maybe the young,
he's the young half,
and then we ran down
and we scored a try,
and he's given him
on the way through,
and then Tyson Frizzell
and Frizz is like
one of the best players,
and I play with him
in Origin and stuff,
and then I grab Tyson,
that's all right,
you better tell him
he's going too far,
he's been a couple times,
he's a competitor,
he's good for us,
we love that energy,
that's what it takes,
when Sean was at our club
and he used to do
this double drop play,
and I was playing
on the right edge
and Wader was still
on the left edge,
and Wader's like,
he's not a test match,
just get me to Saturday,
I'm already at Saturday
and so we did this
double drop play,
and I go straight through
like Moise and Wader was,
but Wader's just chilling,
and I go straight through,
and I'm carrying on,
grade three carry on,
and he turns around,
you better bring that
on fucking Saturday,
you better bring that
play out on Saturday,
I better have a good game
because I think Wader's
going to be like,
you're going to train
and obviously you've
where you've dropped
the ball over the line,
a couple weeks ago?
how do you bounce back
it just doesn't bother you?
I get out training,
this is what I mean
by he's been a pillar for us,
so he's always saying,
if you're going to live
you live by the sword,
you die by the sword,
if you're going to be able
to give people shit
when you do things to them,
you better be able to take it
if someone's going to do it,
when I got offended,
when I put my hand out,
I'm disappointed,
that I couldn't get right,
you go on with life,
I'm going to go home,
it doesn't bother,
I don't want to do it again,
I'm not saying I don't care,
it's not the point,
it doesn't mean anything,
address it there,
and just make that,
kind of the last time,
and then go home,
mature mentality,
Because I remember,
everything was everything,
you know what I mean?
We've been around,
you've been around a lot longer
than I have in the football game,
is it weird just seeing,
how professional young followers,
obviously it's a great thing,
you know what I'm saying?
it has changed a lot,
every generation's going to say
I remember when we first came in,
it's changed a lot from then too,
from the older guys,
we were only at the start of social media,
I know Facebook and that was around,
but we were only just sort of starting
through social media,
and we were still at the,
we still had the ability,
you didn't have to leave,
you could leave your phone at home almost
when we were like 22,
you didn't really necessarily need
to take your phone out,
we'd get to the pub
and we'd have our time
and we would have that separation
even though we all
stayed at different clubs,
that time spent with each other
was our separation
and was sort of our way
but maybe I was feeling bad
about yesterday's game,
but hang on a minute,
I'm hanging out with my five guys
three other different teams
and it's all good,
so then you go home,
you sleep that night,
you wake up in the morning,
but it's harder for the young boys,
especially if they're on their phone
to get away from it
because you're always,
it's always there,
and with all the content
that's coming out,
whether it's Twitter
Foxy's reporting,
Nile's reporting,
you've got yourself
who are my friends
are even talking about footy now,
and you need to have
of course you're going to feel,
when you don't play well,
you're going to feel,
you need to look at the game,
that's always been like that,
no one's a harsh critic
on yourself than you are,
you know when you've had a bad game
you're waiting for that session
that video session on Monday,
you've probably had a couple
you've had a couple of looks
at it on your own,
but at some point
there needs to be a cut off
because it's on again this week,
it's on again this week,
it's on again the next week,
it's on again the next week,
and if you can't have
and the same thing
when you win too,
it doesn't matter,
How long can you celebrate it for?
Just the night or?
we do recovery the next day,
so whether it's a swim
and then some video,
and then into a day off,
so you have that sort of
into that next day,
that's when you sort of
even celebrate it,
is when you celebrate
that next day for me now
or the young boys
that's your actual day off,
where you don't really
need to worry about
and you don't need to worry
about what's happened
because it's gone,
but then on Tuesday morning,
that's probably one thing
I struggled with,
early in my career
and I was just always here,
and I was just redlining
and I don't know,
halfway through the year,
and I was just mentally drained,
work for 15 years
and I was just redlining
but then as I've gotten,
and just learning
off the older boys
and how to manage it,
I'm kind of getting better,
and that's probably one thing
that transition period
and is what I really struggled with,
redlining that game
and then having to try
I think now that,
now it's getting a bit older.
it takes time for everyone,
and you can be told
this is how you do it
or this is what you need to do
or try and do this,
but you need to live it
and do it yourself,
that's that old saying,
you're not a first grader
until you've played 100 games
because you have all those
lessons that you need to learn
because it's a hard sport,
it's a hard game,
you might be a good player
but you're coming up
against good players every week,
as soon as you can sort of
give yourself the best opportunity
and to prep well,
you give yourself the best opportunity
as a team to play well
You said Josh Hanna
is great at identifying
what's changed from 10 years ago
what's the big ones for you?
the biggest one would be,
the momentum in the game,
you've always been able
to feel the momentum
when you're playing against it
or playing with it,
but the swings now
how much faster the game's got
with the six again
and the rule changes,
there's less at start,
there's more ball in play,
so when you're against it,
if you haven't got the momentum,
you can feel it even more now,
that's why we can see,
the Warriors games,
and it's a factor in all sports,
ours has never been a different,
and you could sort of feel it,
but you could feel,
in periods of the game
where it's hanging in the balance,
I feel like those periods
because the momentum's
when you don't have momentum,
trying to fight for it back.
How do you fight for it back?
it's either your system as a team,
your belief as a team,
just staying in the,
staying in the fight
when you don't have it,
or it comes up to your individual players,
you see a player come up
or a combination,
they'll make a break
to force an error,
it's an individual play,
you'll know yourself
you could always feel
when you had the momentum,
you just could feel it,
and you could feel it
and you didn't have it,
you could feel those even more,
Do you reckon they,
are starting to time
those little swings
we've got momentum,
based off fucking current trends,
roughly last about five or six sets
or something along those lines,
is that just getting too detailed?
I think that there would be
coaches that explain that
and they would understand it,
it comes down to the team,
the coach isn't out there
when the game's happening,
so you need to recognise
when you don't have momentum
let's just roll the sleeves up here
and get through this tough period.
Chez does it well,
Be under the pump,
that's why I like those,
it's hard to replace
with such a good kicking game
because they can feel it,
they can feel when it's like,
we haven't got momentum here,
so they'll actually
pull out of the sets,
just give me three or four
and I'll kick you into a spotty
or I'll have a crack at a 40-20,
and it might take them
to finally get that opportunity
in the right spot of the field
when they can have a shot
Teddy's still in the pocket
organising the DEA
and just swings around,
Guarantee they've been thinking
of it for the last,
because they can feel like,
we're not getting easy metres here
our fullback's not catching
the ball on the full,
so that's another way
that I gauge for them,
if your fullback catches
and brings it back,
the good experienced halves,
they'd be knowing,
we're on front footy,
get it to a point in two plays
and we'll have a shot
those old experienced halves
if we had good ball
two decent shots,
that'd be kind of classless,
you haven't really wasted your set,
I watch you guys play,
I think that's a big trend
that's changed a lot too
and obviously you need personnel
are pretty elite.
I think with the fatigue
and that that's come into the game
and the momentum,
it's not so much about,
it's actually allowed
the footy players
to come back into the game
and about those guys
to just see space,
count numbers and play,
before when it was
so much structure
and even so much structure
everything was really structured
because you need to,
all these set plays
to try and pull teams apart
because they were set,
defensive lines were set,
there wasn't as much fatigue.
it's just a simple
strip everyone to win
because you're out on your feet
because the momentum
has been going for so long.
so I feel like it's allowed
we have Nico and Mujo,
and even Will Kay,
they're not really
They're over the ad line,
they're challenger
and because they're challenger
creates opportunity
and it's because of our style,
our guys are those style
if we had Adam Reynolds
our style would change
just to that player,
you've got some strikeout
probably my favourite
winging combination
these are my favourite
props in the comp,
good under the high ball,
you've got some guys
he's probably like
I don't want to test
he's like a journeyman,
you know what I mean,
he's been through it all,
he's seen probably
and he's probably,
he's gone the track
to go down that track,
he stuffed up at training,
got sacked from South,
then went down that pathway
learning what it was like
to get a job again
because he came straight
out of high school
into the NRL system
and had all this money,
and this is a kid
what to do with any of that
and so he lost his way
then obviously come back
I think he's matured now,
he's got kids now,
There's not many guys
that go the other way,
they usually start at set
he's gone the other way around,
that's the dream.
he went the hard way
and actually found out,
what it took again
he's one of those players,
see if at training,
we do heaps of like,
Fitzy loves jiu-jitsu,
so we do heaps of grappling.
He's in there too,
he likes to just do
what he needs to do
in that sort of area,
but if someone goes hard
if you want to tone it up,
and then he's so strong
lucky he's not test matched.
All the boys just say,
thank God he's not.
just pat him on the back,
I played with a guy
called the G-Train,
you've got a guy there now,
what's the difference
in leadership type
and what's the similarities
in leadership type?
Because they're both
a bit tapped, eh?
full tilt all the time.
That's red light.
It's red light all the time.
don't care how sore he is,
he walks into a game,
Cam McInnes is the same.
he's got a little bit
but Cam walks to training.
You know how he walks to training
and mission walks
with his headphones on.
how fast does he walk?
it's a 10 minute walk.
if you're running,
So Dale's full tilt
That's just how he's wired,
as soon as he's in,
in the gym before anyone.
He's got his routine,
he gets strapped up,
he's got all this,
he knows what works for him.
He goes through that process
at 100 miles an hour.
But Gowza was more,
he was a bit more redline
when he was younger
when I first started with him,
but he sort of grew
into that leadership role.
he calmed down a bit
and he wasn't 100 miles an hour,
to just float around,
but a bit like Sifala,
as soon as someone
he takes that personal
everything's personal
if it's a one-on-one battle.
He would still try
at the back end of his career
because they call him out
and he would go 100%
get them off the side
he's so competitive.
in his boxing matches,
even the back end,
you know he slowed down
he just refuses to give up
even though he just
toughs it out to the end,
And that was Gowsey,
he never said too much,
spoke about the game,
he obviously played a while
don't worry about
and catch this offload.
just showing through,
there was no one,
he's getting a dressing shirt
and you look around
and he's lacing his boots up,
he's on for the fight here
for the whole time.
And Dale has that
don't get me wrong,
he plays the game
he probably speaks
a little bit more
that Melbourne system,
really well coached
around the footy field.
the young guys out
bumpers and everything.
You got the bumpers
And Gow's was more just,
he just was tough,
our coach would give us
a 90 when I played
this massive rundown
about the opposition
just before we go out,
he'd get us in the heart,
and then just run off
and then we'll all
just follow through,
you can do all the
game planning you want,
and prep on the opposition
and game plan yourself,
you need all that detail,
you need all that detail,
you need it in the back
so you can execute
but unless you get
the basics of our game
right at the start,
unless you're running hard
and you're tackling hard,
you're winning the collision,
you're losing the collision,
throw all the details
because it's not going
You need to give the game
that it's deserved
that long a spin around,
and you need to get
your physical commitment
in the right place,
you put all the trick shots,
keep them in the back pocket
because they don't
want to come out.
That was Gals' game.
And if you put your energy
and your commitment
in the right spot
and you play the game
then the details come out,
I know they set three
down that short side
if we send a back rower in
so you tip your fullback up,
or I know if we get
to this position,
the fullback's going to plug
so there might be
a chance to swing
The detail only comes out
if you give yourself
the right opportunity
and the way you give yourself
is to respect the game
the physical commitment
is where it starts.
He would run for like
and he's almost 40.
just get out there,
run for 200 metres,
come back on the bench
and just be like,
work's done today.
I was just looking at him,
suddenly he's tapped
you see it in the fights,
polarised people,
You either loved him
if you were a Sharkies fan,
if you were a Queenslander,
probably if you didn't like,
any other team you were neutral,
you didn't really like him
because of that persona
but by the end of his boxing,
whether you liked him or not,
everyone just goes,
you've got to give him
the man that he deserves,
his will and his determination
and just toughness,
Is that pay packet legit?
he said I've made like
I think that's like
the gross that they made
but he did well out of it.
You boys are off the
Is that number close?
I think it's the rev.
But he would've like,
he would've probably,
I don't want to say triple,
I would say double,
lean towards triple
with what he earned.
His whole playing career.
with his pockets.
He's so smart with his money.
Smart with his money,
He owns half of Canola,
He doesn't want to say it.
I don't want to speak out of school.
He won't tell you that,
he'll just be like,
I know a couple of his investments
and I won't speak out of school
because he's one of my good mates,
I'm talking like almost generational stuff
that's very smart.
What stops you boys
from winning a comp this year?
Hopefully nothing.
we're building the right,
for sure we're going into a good period.
That's why I said,
I'm excited for not just this year,
the next five years.
if the club gets it right,
which they're doing,
they obviously have Fitzy at the top there
looking after everything he's experienced.
He understands the game.
We've got a good group of young guys
who are just coming into their best.
It's exciting for someone like me
who's given a lot of time to the club
to see how good a shape it's in.
we need to fix up our defence.
at times when we've been under pressure,
we've leaked too many easy tries
and you just can't do that.
we talk about the momentum swings.
you can not have the momentum,
but somehow you're going to find a way
Because when you do get the ball
and the momentum go your way,
that's your opportunity to find tries.
we've let ourselves down.
up at Magic Round.
It's the worst feeling
when someone's going to,
you can feel someone chopping you down.
It's a lonely place.
You can say whatever you want to,
but you can feel it.
It's a lonely place.
You can feel it like that.
you're just on your heels
is it like 13 on one here?
But we're trending.
We're only halfway through this year.
What have we got?
We're not even halfway,
I think we're still,
probably a couple of weeks off
I think we give up.
You want to time it too,
I think we give ourselves a pass
for where we are.
even with those games
we've let ourselves down.
we were really disappointed
with Magic Round.
didn't see that coming.
it was sort of a really,
bit of pill to swallow.
And then the Warriors game
and it's probably the best
footy you've played in ages
And then they came home
they just out-competed us
really in that second half.
that was a hard one.
even those two performances,
I think we're going okay.
if we want to be serious
at the end of the year,
like when it counts,
we still need some improvement,
particularly in defence.
do you have a mindset coach?
I work with a guy,
How'd you get into that?
my manager and my mum,
they were just like,
what do you think about,
talking to a mindset coach
kind of thing and,
just have a look at it,
organised the meeting.
I just sat in there.
I didn't really know what to expect.
Just sat down and just said,
it can go good or it can go bad.
what's the worst that could happen?
It's worth a try.
sat down with him
and I really enjoyed it.
I obviously like talking to people.
I like communicating
and I'm not one that's shy
of expressing my feelings
and if I'm feeling sad,
I'll tell people I'm sad.
If I'm feeling happy,
I'll tell people I'm happy.
when the opportunity came up
and presented itself,
I just took it with two hands
and just thought,
why not get something out of it
and I played some of my best footy so far
while having them.
What's a couple of the things
that you've learnt from that?
Redlining myself all the time
and just like my mindset
and making errors.
That was hard game.
I'm still pissed off at myself about it.
Like Anthony Milford
kicked bad the whole year
and then just had a beauty blinder against me.
But to be fair to you,
Had him prepped him for that.
never played wing.
Yeah, he's prepped
and he gets stuck in like.
Oh, you'd never played wing?
Never played wing.
I was always a centre fullback.
Played in the middle a bit.
so then my debut was rubbish
and then I played for Salmore
I was starting to think
I was the problem
in all these teams.
Dufty beat me up that short.
Dufty beat me down the short side.
So I had these like,
just these mind things
that thinking like,
when one thing went wrong,
I just compounded it
and I just thought,
what is this like?
going into these games.
So I wanted to ice that out
when I got the chance,
I was just open with him.
I'm starting to think
in these big games,
like in these games
that are important to me,
my milestone games.
And so we spoke about it
if you make an error,
your mindset shouldn't waver.
Your mindset is dominate
like whether something's wrong
You've got that personality
that you want to dominate.
and I am that person
that I just want to dominate
in anything I do,
anything like that.
And so he just tapped into that
and probably a lot
of gratitude stuff as well.
I come from nothing
and I start to forget
or what I've got given
and the opportunity
And so tapping back
was a massive thing for me.
I just watched an interview
growing up in garages.
So like that type of thing
and I don't know,
there's probably kids out there
that have done that
in the NRL already
and just haven't spoken
but I'm comfortable
enough to say obviously
just things like that.
I wanted to practice
my like practice gratitude
I remember my first session
I'm really grateful for you.
Thank you so much
those little things like that.
if something does go wrong,
at the halfway period
I went down to the cafe
and I just wrote out
how my year's been so far
and I was pretty honest
and the paper doesn't judge you
so I just went hard on myself
you're your own toughest critic
I'm probably inconsistent
for where I want to be
and I'm not too happy,
about how I've been playing
but like I want to turn it up
just back another year
and if I'm serious
I tell my parents all the time
I genuinely love my teammates,
I genuinely care about them
probably more time with them
or things like that
and they probably know more
than any of my family
that's a bit weird.
Are you getting up too,
so I'm lonely nights
I've got so much respect
for the group of men
and I've got so much
and for the leaders
and the coaching staff
I remember one of the boys
and something that stuck with me
why is your time more important
with my kids and that?
I was just sitting there,
I was thinking about it.
It wasn't me in trouble,
I should have been in trouble
but I was thinking,
that's one of those things
that sting you like,
he obviously wants to go
take his kids to school
and be with his partner
all the other boys do
but why is my 30 minute sleep
and mean more to him,
like mean more than his reason
that was a pretty good lesson
and just little things like that
and I try and pick up around,
I've got some notes in here
you live off 350 bucks a week,
so I had to lift it up
because the inflation's,
they're getting me the gas,
I had to ask for an extra 50 bucks
for the gas on their diesel.
obviously being an Islander boy,
we don't get taught finances,
I think a lot of blue collar kids
don't get taught about money
because we're taught
it's rude to talk money
or ask people for money.
Where's all this just come from?
Mum seems pretty switched on.
She seems pretty switched on
I obviously want generational wealth
and I live off 400 a week,
had to bump up the extra 50
obviously if I need something
or if I'm going out with the boys
and I do want to enjoy my time,
I do take out probably 100,
200 bucks for beers
and stuff like that
all my bills are paid
but I do have access
to all my accounts
so I can see what's going on
now that it came about,
I'm going to sound like
I asked Wado about it.
You've always been good with money,
I wish I'd have been
a bit better when I was younger
I've always had a good time
but I always did well with it too
because we looked after it
that was my biggest advice
I think what Ronnie was about to say
because I've like,
there's been a few boys
like Brayden and Toby
and a couple of other young boys
like a finance guy
that you can see everything
they just organise you.
They give you a basic understanding
Because I remember you
always being like,
on the phone like,
you're still like,
So I was 300 a week as well
so me and my manager
used to solely look after my money
and I was 300 a week
and I was stretched for a while
because when I moved
I bought a house.
I was lucky to start with
because I debuted as a teenager.
I was living at home
with my mum and dad
so I had all this money saved
like instantly pretty much
and it was back then,
I bought my first house
In Glenmore Park,
And then there was
first homebuyers grant
so I didn't even need that much.
I think I had a deposit saved
in my first year of first grade
because I played that
and I was living at home
I didn't have any expenses
but then when I moved to Kurnala
That's crazy, eh?
So I travelled for a year
remember I was in Maroubra
So I did that for a year
and the whole time
I was looking for a house
and this was like
pretty much two years
after I bought the Glenmore house
but the boy house in Kurnala
I was looking at $850,000
that was like my stretch
and you could only get
units and that for there
and I looked for,
I must have looked at
35 different places
until I finally found
the one that I still have now
I stretched myself
I had to sell the one
and I was stretching myself
even the $300 a week
sometimes I had to
bring up the manager
and he'd dip some of his own money
to me just so I could
get through the week
but then the following year
I extended and upgraded
set in stone then
was actually all I had
it was good right
when you stretch yourself
when you finally get
through that period
the same thing actually
happened to me in COVID too
a couple of other things
it was a 20% deposit
whacked up a heap
all my other money
and that was hemorrhaging
so I couldn't pull
any money out of that
so me and the missus
actually just buckled down
lucky she's quite
so we buckled down
but then post COVID
it actually turned out
to be the best thing ever
because we grinded
it was a hard period
but it was a good period
when you're young
if you have a finance guy
who gives you a budget
teaches you the basic skills
money in money out
you learn the grind
the reason behind grinding
I don't need $300
because every time
I dip into the other side
it takes something
away from anywhere
and once you're organised
and understand it
I think you see value in it
once you understand it
you understand the value
it's good that all these
Ronnie's got a finance guy
Brady's got a finance guy
Toby's got a young guy
well Blake is a bit different
because he's with his brother
and he's an old man
but they're all buying houses
like Nico just bought a house
they're doing the right thing
to the right place
and you know what
if you're doing that
or if you want to go out
and do what you want to do
you're allowed to have
a good time as well
as long as the rest
is working for you
while you're getting there
just have some pre-drinks
going away to his house
give to his fridge
and then he's out
that's what we do
and get kicked out
but that's actually
a really important part
because obviously
we ain't taught about money
my parents used to go
and save for retirement
but that doesn't really
saving is just like
sitting in the banks
not really doing anything
see how he's kind of
spread his money out
you would have done the same
like putting into stocks
making your money
is probably the biggest thing
that I've been trying to learn
I think the word saving too
like I'm investing
something like that
that's what I've kind of learned
even learning off him
when he showed me
how his bank accounts work
like he comes from
when you're showing me
like he's got money
so when he was showing me
this is how I break it down
I was probably just looking
he didn't give me a loan
but just to see that
like why it has come
that's done well for himself
and worked hard at it
the way he did his stuff
these are all guys
who grew up the same way
but it's different
to what you learn
from your parents
because it's all about
when you're young
say pay your house off
pay your house off
pay your house off
or take like equity
what can I do with this
portfolio over here
there's none of that
it's all about just
paying your mortgage off
well hang on a minute
two million dollar house
I'll borrow two million
to see if I can make some more
that's about understanding
they're all lessons
like I learned on the run
from other players
in the same situation as me
and it's changed a lot now
there's a lot more
and guys are like
to what you're talking about
because I would like
because he was like
comfortable with who he was
he would have had to
to what the team were doing
does that make sense
and then he gets like
because he's not being
who he actually is
and then he's not comfortable
asking those type of questions
because I played with
a lot of Islander boys
they're all very shy
generational change
there's a lot more money
when we first started
signed from the Broncos
and he signed for
and that was like
who doesn't sign props
more than 200 right
and Petro had played
30 origins in a row
and that was his payday
a couple of seasons
and they've got potential
you get a million
if you don't have
the right processes
to handle that sort of money
because you're not
your whole life right
that's the biggest thing
that I'm learning now
is trying to subsidize
how much I'm geared up
how do I still make that work
now that I'm not on
that I used to be
been doing it for a long time
it's still a struggle
to live that same life
try and balance the books
into the back pocket
and there's a lot more
that the young guys
and willing to talk about it
and that's important
like him showing you
like what the money
that's a massive life
and he didn't make it
like the point of
like trying to be
that's probably what
successful people do
like when I hang around
like they'll open up
and like same thing
I see something in you
I want to teach you
I'm the same as you
like I start looking
but then you didn't
when you see it like that
fuck that could be me
like he's just coming
from a bad place of it
totally up to you
your thought process
is probably the wrong way
every time I'm learning
spin it in my way
the learning process
of things like that
like because I was
and you see the guys
get paid all the big money
and sort of stuff like that
my little period's over
that and out of it
bro there's no salary cap
it's what you got
with what you got
and what can I work at
to get some more luck
and I was hanging
around these dudes
and the same thing
it changes your mindset
on a couple hundred K
you think that's the ceiling
then you get out of football
the ceiling's just
got a little bit bigger
well that's what's
with my financial advisor
like when he goes
when I'm with my family
the guys that own
and so I'm mixing around
was talking about
how a 75 million dollar
and someone's driving
it down the highway
and someone's calling him
going why are you
I didn't take my yacht out
so things like that
learning off those
and I appreciate him
she's always the one
just be all ears in there
and be a fly on the wall
hopefully you get
the chance to do that
athletes are very
very short term goals
and you've got to
look at the value
especially if it comes
to that sort of stuff
you've got to be looking
10 years down the track
15 years down the track
or what it could be
obviously there's stuff
you can do in the intermediate
to get short term gain
but it's all about
time is getting in
putting the work in
do what you need to do
season to season goals
these things of life
you've got to be able
to see 5 years down the track
10 years down the track
okay I'm willing to
live a little bit less now
or to take a little bit
or not do the things
you understand it
but you need to live
through it to understand it
yeah you have to live
again I talk about
how long I looked
and was stretched
you look at it now
what you knew back then
you'd play more for it
are just at the start
it's exciting to see
it's a good thing
like the old boys
I'm not naive to the fact
that you live a short career
to even get 10 years
as long as Wader has
I want to get out
of this game safe
I want to be able
and I want to have
live a comfortable life
as well outside of it
like the older boys
coming to the back end
how they address it all
and how they've set
and so I look at that
and go that's the example
I want to be able
if I want to go to Canada
or wherever I want to go
a sneaky part of me
because I'm close
like I love the idea
of moving to Canada
there's a shit about footy
I could see myself
like in a couple years time
you boys talking here
in a couple years
like whatever happened
he looked like a big
whatever happened to him
oh the last I heard
he moved to Canada
bro that's the cool thing
once you get past
because like football
because it's always
in the same time period
for the last fucking ever
you know what I mean
I'll go to New York
I'm just going to park up
mate if you get jams
fly up to Montreal
go to house up in Montreal
and stay on the lake
for a bit if you want
you're going to ride
it's different up there
I've been to Toronto
I went to catch up
go to Montreal man
before it gets frozen
Montreal's a nice city
see the bushfires
up there at the moment
out the whole of New York
it's pretty crazy
it always has that stuff
they probably say the same
when we get our bushfires
but it's kind of weird
I feel like it's in LA
but mostly isn't it
the bushfires normally
because it's so dry
but I think Canada's
they've got bushfires
imagine like the rocks
but built the same way
like all the terraces
if you're in New York
just pop up for a few days
let me know where you're at
you talk about players
and you're a big part
and you've always
been for the boys
even like when you're young
you're going for bad
to have tough conversations
what's that whole experience
however long it's been
yeah it's been good
I think like overall
I've learnt a lot
sort of actively involved
I don't mind asking questions
I'm like that too
if I think something like
this is how I think it should be
like and it's not that way
just tell me why it's not that way
okay that's fair enough
and then the COVID period
and when the COVID period
the game shut down
and there's a lot of
whether we're playing again
when we're training
so it was sort of
all hands on deck there
and I was involved
pretty much all the meetings
even with Greenberg
Andrew Abdo would come on
Greenberg and Valandis
and then Abdo came in after
and then we worked
the COVID periods
back up and running
so then I was sort of
so then when the next thing
the money coming back
because it wasn't as bad
then I was already
I was on the board
I joined the board then
so I was involved in that
rolled into the CBA
now I'm involved in that too
because we have board meetings
non-financial directors
directors from different
avenues that I've come from
and you learn a lot from them
like there's pretty
impressive people there
like footy players
we judge ourselves
that's our wheelhouse
that's our profession
that's what we know
well he's really impressive
and a lot of it comes back
to how he carries himself
and performs on the weekend
out of that environment
like the boardroom
and you hear these other people speak
and some of the business women
I've come across too
they're impressive
and they're impressive people
and you sort of get
through their confidence
and their experience
you get drawn to them
you understand that
was there elements
of imposter syndrome
when you're sitting
in those boardrooms
what was going on
I've always felt comfortable
I've always been happy
I've always been happy
or I'm even happy
to challenge someone
I think what I know
is more than that
but then I don't have
an ego with it either
like I'm happy to be told
it's always held me
I ask the question
I don't feel like an idiot
if I don't know the answer
I feel actually better
because I learned
something from it
and now I've just
sort of been involved
relationship with
relationship with
and boss of the game
has been good for me
at an individual level
because I'm juggling
like a director there
I sit on the board
where my heart is
every opportunity
how we can get better
where we can improve
what the week looks like
how can I help the boys
I pour a lot of time
and I've got the media
stuff on the side
it's helped me out
and meat and ends meat
compared to what I used to be paid
that's helped heaps
and it's enjoyable to do
Woods is good too
he's good to listen to
he's angling for something
he's angling for the big time
he wants a breakfast show
or an afternoon show
he needs his own show
he's got the best
he reminds me of Mace
where they're not afraid
what's on their mind
watches every game
he'll watch the Super League
mate if there was an
under 8s game on TV
and he's good at it
the only other time
I'd say the best thing
I'm listening to my kids
when I'm with them
and I'm chilling with them
the phone actually goes off
and it's cool time
it doesn't drain me
completely separate
I'm not thinking about
when I'm with them
I'm taking them down
I'm trying to get them
get them the golf bro
I take them the golf
and sit them in the car
and spend 3 hours
as soon as I get home
if I need to do anything
because I've had that
off time with me boys
so it's been good
that sort of stuff
what would you like
and this could be like
pre-seasons are too long
like what would you
change about the game
and in 5-10 years
do you play too much games
it probably hurts
at the start commercially
but if we get 18 teams
so there's 17 games
and then you have
and then you've got
and a final series
maybe you could add
to the final series
and you still get
I think the season
could be shortened
and the draw is weird
you can never have
when they're situated
find a perfect solution
yeah if you played
almost like conference
or someone within
going to get that right
but that's something
clubs in the game
status and recognition
what are they doing
not a lot in that space
fighting hard for
and it's got to be
a combined effort
have the prestige
in a coaching role
there's only so many roles
but I'd love to see
you're always involved
players can offer
because I feel like
so many great players
once they're finished
they're just gone
but they're the guys
we're winning games
getting through training
or having success
and I just feel like
once they're done
you sort of have this
the next crew comes through
your welcome's over
you've done your job
thanks for coming
and a bit from them too
they don't feel welcome
that Fitz has been
as long as we're ever here
you've played before us
you've got a Sharks
number just as us
your contributions
just as valuable as ours
through the gates
to walk through the gates
come watch training
come and hang out
because you wore the jersey
just the same as we did
I think the Warriors
are doing it really well
like I look at their
social content at the moment
they look like a club
it looks fun to be around
I think it's good
if you get it done right
to your young guys too
if I dedicate myself
it's not just over
like if I give myself
a good enough run
and carry myself right
and do the right thing
and leave the game
it's something I'm connected to forever
where there is a little bit
of a disconnect at the moment
I'd love to see that
because I was a footy tragic too
like just all the old players
I love when they come in
and tell their stories
because we're sitting in their shoes
they did it before us
they paved the way for us
I'd love to see some more
done in that space
it takes everyone
when we first started
like you'd have to drag
meaning it'd be three guys
there from the club
you had to be like
that's changed a lot
but that stuff takes time
and needs evidence too
for people to sort of
well it starts at the club level
because they have the connection
that's where a player
has the most connection
to either the club
that they play with
and play at different clubs
you still have that connection
to that playing group
because of that playing group
you would facilitate it
because it is a big
you can't keep track
of everyone right
people come and go
don't want to come back
oh man you know what
maybe I should go back there
there should always be a spot
for you back there somewhere
obviously you're sort of
in the start of your career
mid part of your career
what would you like to see
change about the game
you don't have to have
I just want to see
probably shorten the game
like the season up
I think you just get
like out of everyone
better product as well
the back end of the season
where you're kind of
like six seven rounds
and the boys are just
I think wrestling each other
you know you got one shot
so you don't want to miss that
and it's all those
little small things
like fucking bruise finger
yeah those little fingers
and just your whole hand
hurts all of a sudden
it's the time of the year too
it starts getting cold
and it's a little warm
so it's just like
is moving towards
the right direction
feel more involved
like we spoke about
that social media side
the protection of players
controversial thing
when I'm going out
or like for a beer
like anyone else would
I honestly don't feel safe
just like when I'm
going out for beers
I'm sitting with the boys
no one's going to hurt me
what people can say
and then I get hammered for it
with a beer waiter
have a conversation
and someone just walks past
and takes it out of context
and then goes out there
and just blasts us
right now as a player
and a young player
I've got no protection
and people just say
oh get on with it
just be a good person
because I want to be
have a beer with my mates
I want to be able to go
live a normal life
obviously you do get that
you've got to understand
that it comes with the territory
but how do we protect
our players in that space
and their mental health
because you're big on
obviously the open room
in our club as well
like Nico's a big advocate
he makes it known
that if you want to talk
to anyone about anything
whether it's financial stuff
or just family business
then be open to that
I feel like that's
and we should be driving that
just probably that
protecting our players
and them feeling safe
when they go out for a beer
that they don't have to feel like
obviously you've got to have that care
you guys looked after in Canola
even though you're partisan
you're very isolated aren't you
there's not really
is North East and that still pumping
it's all kind of dead
it's all gone man
it's good anymore
a few little pop-up bars
and all these still go
Highfield is good
we're pretty good in Canola
the boys don't carry on
a pretty good young crew
they've got a Zid's crew
when we do go out
everyone's polite
and it is like a bit of
one community feel
is either a Dragons fan
but when we're out together
we're for the team
everyone's pretty respectful
it's a good environment
it always has been
like even when we used to
cause some issues down there
it was always you and Chicko
we had a rife crew eh
we were carefree though
that's what I mean
there was never any issues
no one really causing any dramas
we as a playing group
Polly Fitty too much
you don't want to fuck up a good thing
in our club we respect our
our senior players
like if Waito was to text and say
this is the curve for you
this is this and this
like one time we tried to go out
we went to Townsville
we were all the boys
pulling every string
to try and get out
Waito's our go-to man
for the tough questions
fuck alright boys
like we rallied up the young boys
and then we're like
oh we get into Waito
and hopefully Waito goes
and asks tough questions
and then so we did that
obviously his little talk with the coach
and like Waito knows
he's been around long enough
tells the coaching staff
we get back to our hotel
and all the boys are getting ready
like planning to get their best kit on
Waito tells the coaching staff
tonight's not going to be that night
we just got to cop it
but what we are going to do
is we're going to sit in this team room
we're going to enjoy
each other's company beers
and then we're going to get on this plane
we're going to stay safe
get on the plane tomorrow
and fly back home
and we're going to be better for it
and that's exactly what we've done
and we enjoyed each other's
we actually had a good night
we had a fuck man
we found who the true soldier is
I think the worry at that stage was
the COVID spikes were back
you don't want to be the team
you were allowed to go out
like there was no
protocols or anything
you were out for a week
like teams were losing players
and Fitzy was like
I think it was probably mid last year
so we were just getting there
like we were just sort of
we were just hitting some straps
so we were going to the back end of the year
well Fitzy's played the game too
he knows what Mad Cow is about
we're not doing it
we're not putting our season at risk
for one night out
like if they want to have a beer
so then I was sitting there
let me talk to the boys
because it's better to come for me
because they're not the bad guys
well, they're not the bad guys
they're doing the right things
plus the boys know
like I've got skin in the game
like I would come for a beer
like that night too
if everyone went out
for sure I'd come
we were sitting in the team
we actually had that much fun
ping pong tournament
it's like that next day
anyway after a trip
you're a bit dusty
trying to find your way home
you're on the aeroplane
and everyone's sort of
so you sort of get up
you didn't really miss out
because we had a good night
but Fitz is good too
it's not as if he says
he's old school isn't he
yeah a lot of times
we actually invite
like Ronnie's already said
we invite the staff
we bring them down
there's a good crew
bring the girls down
you kind of just like
his number one rule
is just don't be a dickhead
like don't be a dickhead
don't be a dickhead
anywhere around here
just be a good man
be a good partner
that's not that hard
so I think for us
we always talk about it
something's wrong
I probably shouldn't
like just because
that probably gives him
is obviously Toby
so he always comes in
what are you worried about
like I'm just worried
he's gonna let Toby
he's moved down there
he's such a free spirit
and it took a while
for him to really get
because he comes in
but once you realise
how much he actually
cares about the group
and how hard he works
and what he's willing
to do for everyone else
different but he's
if there's anything
I've been through that
so I can understand
you're on your own
can't help me man
he would organise
out to the city heaps
us to go out east
and next thing you know
there's a party bus
that's good for the
it's going to change
it's nothing better
you're happy just
to have the beers
to someone's house
drinking with the
like it's just like
that's the best part
there's something
you don't realise
the most out there
you know what I mean
enjoy it to be honest
just sipping on beers
going out partying
it sounds a bit weird
because I'm 23 years old
but that's probably
yeah well I enjoy
when we were younger
really never our scene
our scene was like
somewhere in the day
having a few beers
just talking shit
just spraying each other
that was the release
just talking like
for sure we would go out
we just never stopped
really we wanted to
keep the good times going
but we had our most fun
like sitting down
telling like stories
like bagging each other
that's the best thing
about those drinks
us internationals
if I could tell me
just take that one
when I was your age
just shit like that
just a couple more
issues on the game
the little change
it can affect the game
when they touch your head
that comes with it
where's your mind on that
like the changes happen
and affect the game
it used to be like
when you couldn't
you could hit them
and then it actually
changed a fair bit
crackdown for a while
so the crackdowns
always affect the game
I think it's been
with the sin bins
with the hip drops
I reckon it's actually
leveled out a little bit
but the concussion stuff
is just the space
like there's just
take care of the players
take the decision
out of their hands
you need to protect
protect us from ourselves
being that competitor
you don't want to
let yourself down
you don't want to
let your teammates down
like if it's a 50-50
again we talk about
players carry injuries
you're very rarely
throughout the year
we call that 100% fit
haven't been able
my ankle's a bit sore
I can get through it
I can get through
so you may as well
so if you have a head knock
you haven't got these
protocols in place
and you're feeling good
towards back end of the week
it's only seven days
but you're not quite there
if you had the option
these decisions are good
when I get more research
have an opportunity
to look at the research
and understand the data
because I've been
through my own issues
with the head knocks
I'd end up sitting
I wasn't worried about
I was more worried
about what would happen
like what other people
like would they make me retire
or would they make me
have this time out
Frendy had retired
Bordeaux had retired
I was on the back of that
will the game step in
or the club step in
and make me retire
have an extended period off
just to give myself
a chance to prolong my career
not because I was worried
about repercussions
but I was worried
about the pressure
might receive from the game
I might receive from the game
because of the head knocks
it's such a hard subject
because it's so subjective
everyone's different
every concussion's different
we played with him bro
but it got to a point
tap him on the shoulder
like he'd be like
pushing through a line
and you just get in front of him
but I hit him like
just at the right point
it was fucking scary
and you'd have chats with him
and you couldn't remember
like conversations
that you'd had from last week
that was my worry
after I had my third one
because you're a smart dude
but you don't want to lose your IQ
because I thought
so the first one that year
was a proper just
head in the wrong spot
stepping across my hip
I got up and kept playing
Moyes was talking to me
and I was nowhere
the second one was
I went up on the inside
and got a hip from
hips to the worst
a hip again on the out
and I was out that time
and again I was rattled
and the third one
I came across bodies
and I thought it was
but once I watched the replay
it wasn't that big
a collision at all
maybe I've lost my jaw
when boxers lose their jaw
maybe I've lost my jaw
and then that's when
I was going to do it
for the rest of the year
so I decided to have
but even coming back
like maybe I've lost my jaw
maybe it doesn't take me
for it to happen no more
because I've had them
fortunately for me
it hasn't happened since
but that was one of the
because that sort of
is a big issue right
when they're getting
it was almost like
was happening this year
yeah it looks like
it's just way easier
than it should be
than it should be
or what it's been
and I actually worried
I said maybe I've lost
and I need to give it away
but then you know
once you get back
and you feel fine
but it's a hard one man
and again it's so subjective
everyone's different
I think these protocols
like a really strong
like an opportunity
to keep being developed
better procedures
and then you know
to get through it
I understand all that
sort of medical side of it
it's really important
but like say someone like
like Flagler getting
like I just don't want
you guys are in the GF
the first weekend of October
and something like that happens
I don't think anyone
that's where it needs to be
we have these teething issues
and like that for sure
shouldn't have been a sin bin
and we've seen a lot of
that shouldn't be
sin bins or penalties
but it needs to be
that's definitely a sin bin
that's not a sin bin
because it's almost
too black and white
you're not too far
off the big three
I'll have to play
almost every game
deep in the finals
is that something
that motivates you
the team motivates me
more now than ever
the individual stuff
and experience it
and win a World Cup
is an individual thing
it's basically saying
because it's like
and to get to the top
they've obviously
for your whole journey
and seen how much
work goes into it
sort of through that
you have club success
where you live and breathe
it's sort of like
a little part of me
would trade all my
team and club success
a longer period of time
more time with your club
and your teammates
than you do your family
I know how hard it is
to get to the top
and how rewarding it is
it's sort of like
so that's what drives me
like getting team
does having that ring
like make you chill
a little bit more
it probably would
because if you got jagged
it could be a different story
and maybe if I didn't
have rep jerseys too
it might be different right
the way I feel now
and what I've had
before me in my career
off the back of that
my perspective is
I'd trade those things back
those individual stuff
to have greater success
more success as a team
because I know how
when you have that success
you work from November 1
or whatever it is
and to get that job done
is just the best feeling
you ever have ever
so my individual stuff
another thing from
because that's for us
boys get to take part in it
but really it's for us
to celebrate like
I'd rather have that
should be a nice way
to go out wouldn't it
you know what I mean
whatever happened to that
I just want to say
thanks for jumping on
almost hit the 2 hour mark
so I appreciate your time
and wish you guys all the best
obviously I go for the roosters now
hope you guys don't win
but thanks for jumping on
thanks for having us