Hey guys, welcome back to Ebbs and Flows where we talk about the highs and lows on and off the field
up here in the sunny Gold Coast today and joined by my friend, Jared Wallace.
Bro, thank you for jumping on.
I appreciate you having me, man. It's good to see you.
Bro, first and foremost, obviously got the utmost respect for you on what you went through on the weekend.
I don't know if you're brave or crazy, bro, but let's just talk about the experience.
How did it come about?
Oh, it was kind of midway through the year.
I got a phone call from, actually from my old man.
He's like, oh, I got a phone call from Gavin Orr, who was, I think, Jason Tomololo's manager.
Asked me if I was keen to have another fight.
I was like, yeah, like, why not? Like, it'd be, yeah, it'd be good.
Like, obviously we'll get everything kind of sorted.
Preparing, like, I'm going to fight Jace.
I had it all agreed.
Got the contract through.
It was ready to sign.
And I, as I signed it, got to the last page and I noticed the fighter that I was fighting for was Nelson.
I'm like, oh, they've sent me the wrong contract.
Like, that's sweet.
I'll just, I'll let Dad know.
No, he can get it sent back to me.
And they're like, no, no, mate.
You know, we were going to fight you with Jace, but unfortunately we've had 30 to 40 contracts that we've sent out to Nelson.
And they've all, like, not got back to, like, not even one of them.
They've all responded.
Not even a response.
Not even a response.
So not even a response.
So not even like a, no, we can't or anything like that.
Just not even a response.
So me, in my, I don't know, like you said, dumb, crazy thing of like, it'll be sweet.
I'll give the man a fight.
Like, you know, I know that he's wanted to fight for two or three years.
He's, you know, he's trained and wanted to do it forever.
So I was like, yeah, like, let's do it.
Like, it'll be, it'll be mad.
And I think that was the last time I ever said.
Honestly, I really thought about it until I got in the ring.
Actually, no, it was until weigh-in, actually, until weigh-in.
I was like, I remember him on the field, you know, like, when we're all on the field
and we're together and stuff, like, yeah, he's big.
But I'm like, he's not that big.
And then we stood near him at weigh-in and he got on the scales.
And I was like, bro, what are you doing?
He is not just big.
And, like, I'll get on the scales and they're like, what are you, like, what are you weighing?
And I was like, oh, I've been trying to put.
It's a weight of maybe, like, 112.
Like, yeah, yeah, sweet.
You just hit a 111.
I'm like, yeah, sweet.
So, 111, 6'1", sweet.
Nelson gets on and I'm pretty sure he said, like, 125, 128.
The scales just went, poof, went straight to 140.
And I was like, oh.
Oh, so he weighs 140, bro.
I think they told me he was 139.8 or something.
And, like, to be that big and mobile and agile like he is, like, he's a big man.
And he's reached, like.
I just, like, don't worry about Jordan, bro.
Oh, bro, he's crazy.
But that's kind of how it went.
Like, I thought I was fighting Jase and I kind of, Nelson just kind of got, you know,
But obviously, obviously respect for that.
You sort of talked about, like, I was going to roll into that anyway.
And I've played against Nelson in the past.
And when you go out, you feel all right on a football field because, one, you've basically
played the game your whole life.
Two, you've got some guys around you as well.
What was the big difference between rugby league and boxing?
You know, guys talk about boxing and they say it's almost more exciting because you
can only rely on yourself when you walk out.
It's all about you.
But I've also heard the other side, when you jump in the ring, it's like, look around,
you know, you've got your boys with you.
What was the big differences, bro?
When you're on the field, obviously, you know, you have that kind of twirl of the players.
So, like, you know, when you, if you make, like, you know, a little stuff up or something
like that, you know someone's there to cover you and you can do that.
But, you know, in boxing, it's kind of very isolating.
Like, I actually had a really good team behind me and we trained the whole time.
We trained together.
We did everything together.
We did recovery together, everything.
And then, you know, on the night, you get up there, I sat down, you know, we had dinner,
we're always together and stuff like that.
And then you forget how actually, like, isolating boxing is.
Like, when you're boxing and it's just you and, you know, it's only one, you know, one
on one, the mentality you have to have is so different.
And I think I kind of, I forgot about that because I was, even though, you know, I was
I knew that I wasn't in my team.
I still had such a great team behind me.
And then, you know, you get in the ring and, you know, it's just every little thing that
you do, it has to be, like, perfect because if you don't, they just make you pay for it.
And now, you know, and that was what my thing was is I can't stuff up because if I do, Nelson,
It's a big consequence.
It's a big consequence.
And a few times it happened, you know, in the fight.
And I didn't even realize, like, a few times, like, you know, where I'd got hit or something
Like, it all, because it all happens so fast, too.
And you have, like, a split second.
So, I think the difference is there is, like, you end up being, you feel very isolated and
you feel very, like, it's all on you.
Like, yeah, because I also didn't want to let my team down.
I remember, you know, after the fight got stopped and I knew I'd lost and stuff, I just
turned to my trainer and that and I was just like, fuck, I'm sorry.
And he's like, what are you sorry for?
I was like, well, yeah, because I let you down.
He just looked at me and goes, shut up.
Like, you didn't let me down.
Because that was my thing.
Because, like, my mentality is still I'm a team first person.
You know, that's what I've always grown up to be.
So, like, that was my thing is that I still let my team down even though I lost.
So, I think that's the biggest difference.
It's like you go from a team thing to being very isolated and just kind of one-out mentality.
Do you remember that?
Or do, is it like, you know, when footy and you get, like, sort of those head knocks, is
it a similar feel?
Because, bro, Anapaka, and especially from him, that's a scary thought.
And I swear to God, this is what I thought happened was, so, in my game plan, he's so
Get inside and get in.
And if you get in there, get in fast because don't give him the reach.
You know, throw a double jab so he's kind of on the little bit back foot.
Get in tight and just stay there.
So, I've kind of come in and, like, what I thought I'd done is, like, half, like, that
And then I got, like, I bounced straight back up.
And I was, like, no, I'm sweet.
The ref's, like, are you all right?
And I'm, like, yeah, mate, I'm sweet.
And he just kind of giggled, like.
I was looking at the ref.
I was, like, mate, I swear to God, I'm, like, I'm sweet.
Anyway, so, we, like, had the rest of the fight.
And then after, they're, like, bro, how did you get up from that?
I'm, like, from what?
They're, like, that first uppercut.
And I was, like, what are you talking about?
They're, like, they showed me and I was, like, holy.
I swear to God, I thought I tripped over.
But I reckon I probably just tripped over my feet after getting put in space
from the uppercut from Nell.
Yeah, it's scary, huh, how strong he is.
Do you see a future in boxing for him?
Oh, for him, 100%.
I know it runs in his family.
And I know, you know, and that's what, like, I caught up with him after the fight.
I saw that post he'd done about you, bro.
And I've got so much respect for him, even more after the fight,
for what he did after the fight than he did in the fight.
Like, the first thing he did, he'd come up to me, my team,
he gave us all a cuddle, said thank you.
But he went up to my partner and gave her a cuddle and said thank you
for letting your man, like, get in and do that.
Like, no one wanted to do it and you let your man.
Because he obviously had seen the newspaper article about my baby
and what I went through and how hard it was to do it.
And he just said, like, I don't know why you did it, but, like, thank you.
And that is the respect I have for him even more now than the boxing part.
But I know that it runs in his, you know, his family's blood
and it's what he wants to do.
And he literally said to me after, he goes, bro, if I lost that,
I would have lost, I would have had nothing after footy.
Because, you know, like, that's what he wants to do, which is fair.
And that was, I think that was probably, like, one of the biggest things.
For me, it's, I don't want to box.
Like, I just, I literally just did it for a challenge to get fit,
to train, to show my kids that, you know,
you don't have to do just one thing in life.
Like, you can have so many different opportunities
and when they come up, you just take them.
Even if it is against a big,
biggest guy in Australia, you just, you know, you get out and you do it.
But that's what he wants to do.
And, bro, for how big he is and how mobile he is, like, you know,
and how hard he trained.
And he probably would have only realistically been able to train
maybe one or two weeks properly because he, like,
he made the semis almost all the way through.
So to still have that agility and boxing and skill, like, yeah,
a massive future, I reckon, a massive future.
Is it hard, like, obviously, like, I've played football
and say, like, playing a half and you go into the line
and someone hits you a little bit late and people that don't play the game,
they're like, does that, like, fuck you off?
And I watch, like, AFL and they're all, like, niggly and elbowing people
and stuff like that.
And boxing, when you get clipped, is it hard to, like, keep your temperament?
I think, so that was my trainer's biggest thing was emotion.
Don't, like, one, don't show it because it's like footy.
If you get hurt and I show that to you, what's the first thing you're going to do?
You're coming straight at me, I'll get spotted.
But, like, it's emotion.
If you get clipped and then you get angry and then you go and throw everything in,
you're actually going to make your, you know, you're going to throw all the energy
and use more energy than you should.
So every time I got, and I'm pretty, like, obviously played footy, you know,
professionally 15 years, you know, my emotion and my patience and all that,
that's real high now.
Like, no one can.
Yeah, kids, yeah, kids.
My patience and emotions went straight through the floor.
They teach you patience and calmness real quick, I tell you that.
But, so in that sense, like, it didn't worry me.
When I got clipped, I just, in my head, I was just like, oh, well, don't do that again.
Yeah, or keep this, you know, this, like, this hand up or do this.
And there was a few times where, like, he hit me and he got me, like, good.
And I actually, like I said to him, I was like, good shot.
But in my head, like, yeah, it stung me a bit.
But, like, I'm not giving that back to him.
I'm like, yeah, good shot.
You know, because in his head, he's thinking, fuck, I threw everything into that.
And it doesn't hurt him.
But I ain't, like, I'm not showing him that he hurt me.
Like, I'm on one leg.
And I've got both eyes that way.
Yeah, but don't show that.
And I remember my trainer, like, especially inspiring and stuff like that.
Like, don't get emotional.
Because there was one day, I did six rounds.
I did two with, like, Big Dempsey McKean.
You know, he's, like, up there with, like.
Anthony Joshua and stuff like that.
He's a real good mate of mine.
So he'd come in, did some sparring with me.
Did two with him.
Did two with another young guy who's fighting this Saturday as a weapon.
And then another younger guy than that.
And there was kind of three, like, as a heavyweight, kind of like cruiserweight.
And I don't even know what the other fellow was.
And I remember getting through with them two.
And then in the last round, because I was so tired and I couldn't, like, keep my hands up, bro.
Like, this young fellow was just punching the piss out of me.
I couldn't do it.
I was getting so angry.
Because I knew what I wanted to do.
I knew what I could see.
And, like, all I wanted to do because he was punching me was just knocking me out.
And I was getting.
Every time I'd do something, like, I'd miss.
And he'd just go whack, whack, straight back.
And I was getting even more.
And I remember going in on, like, the first round with him.
My coach is like, settle down.
Like, why are you angry?
Like, I know why you are.
But, like, what are you doing?
And I was just like.
Like, I understand.
Because I did four rounds before that one.
I threw it sweet.
But then that one where I, like, was tired and let the emotion get to me.
I was more tired in that fifth round than I was in the first four.
Is the hardest part of your boxing training, say, if you think of the worst time that you've ever got to,
is that harder than your hardest training from rugby league that you've ever got to?
Like, your toughest pre-season, army camp, or anything along those lines?
I think so different, eh?
So different, yeah.
So you can't really compare them?
Because the thing.
So we did a lot of, like.
So my biggest thing, especially earlier, was get fit.
Like, get trained.
Get through rounds.
Like, you know, those assault bikes.
My coach smoked me on there.
Especially the first one.
Like, after the week off at Mad Monday.
Why are they so hard?
But get rid of them.
Whoever come up with them is, like, is crazier than I am, bro.
Because they are the stupidest bikes I've ever been on.
Like, they're ridiculous.
And I got on that.
And they said three rounds in, I was spewing all through the bucket.
Like, and I've never spewed before.
Like, I'm not a spewer.
Like, you can throw anything at me.
The Mad Monday got me a beauty.
I'll tell you that.
And I just, like, remember getting through that.
And then getting on the pads.
And just, like, in my head, I'm like, I'm not that tired.
But, like, my body and my arms are, like, you know, I can't lift them and stuff like that.
And then on the Thursday, we went and did a track session.
Because, like, just change it up.
Get a change of scenery.
Go, you know, sprints.
All that sort of stuff.
And it was real footy based.
And I was doing it with my team.
And it was funny.
Because when we were all boxing, I looked like I'd never trained.
A day in my life.
And they were all sweet.
And we'd get on the track.
And I was barely puffing.
Like, barely doing.
Because that was my thing.
And that's not theirs.
Where they were all, like, cooked.
Like, they couldn't run.
They couldn't do anything.
Like, it's just so different.
Like, you put me on a running field.
I can run for days.
You put us in a, you know, I suppose.
Especially me being a front runner.
Like, that sort of stuff.
I'm not built for that.
I'm not used to it.
So, it was very different.
Which is why I wanted the challenge.
I suppose when you go and do boxing.
And in the off season with footy.
You come back so fit.
I remember Sonny talking about that.
Like, some of the skill sets that he learned from there.
Especially around, like, skipping and footwork.
And the sort of stuff that you can carry.
Like, he was talking about when he goes into the line.
He can shuffle his feet, like, a little bit quicker.
And get underneath people.
Definitely so many similar.
Like, so many similarities to boxing and footy.
And, like, the agility on your feet.
I just feel like.
My biggest thing was being able to, like.
My upper body, bro.
Being able to move.
And trying to, you know.
Like, get out of the way of punters.
And stuff like that.
Because in footy.
I'm just so, like, straight.
And I'm just stiff.
And then, all of a sudden.
I'm being told to, like, twist.
Like, my neck and shoulders don't even do that.
After 15 years of footy.
You know what I mean?
After learning that.
You're going to start throwing, like, the little no-lookers.
Why are you going to go back?
I'm going to, like, have this.
Well, I did have movement before.
Before I copped that uppercut from Nels.
But I did have some nice movement in my upper body.
Like, there's just so many similarities.
But it's so different at the same time.
But I reckon it gives you this mentality.
And this toughness.
That, like, is what I want to go back in.
Which is kind of what I wanted to do.
Because I did it for the reason, too.
Of, like, when you're playing footy.
And you're doing it over and over.
Week in, week out.
You don't get complacent or anything.
Like, I feel you get a little bit, like, stale.
Does that make sense?
Like, you know, when you're in business.
And you're doing the same thing all the time.
You want to change up.
You want to do different.
And then to go back to what you were doing.
That was my thing this time.
I did it five years ago.
And I remember coming back after that fight.
I had, like, the sickest year ever.
Because I was so fit.
I got real light.
Like, it was mad.
So, my thing was.
I had a good year of footy last year.
Now I've got to change it up to be better again.
So, that was why I took the fight.
I love that, bro.
And you see, like.
Say, wind us back ten years.
You look at our off season.
It's like eight weeks.
I'd be away for six weeks.
And it'd be two weeks in Bali.
Four weeks in America.
It's changed so much.
And you see it with the young generation coming through.
They're not fucking off and getting on the piss for six weeks.
They're still training and shit.
It's a big change, isn't it?
I see those young guys.
I tell them you've got to have the balance of it, though.
When we're there every day.
Like, it's a long season.
Like, we're November 1 till, you know.
Like, early October, late September, early September.
Two weeks off for buys.
Like, maybe three.
I think we got last year.
But you don't get all the time off.
Like, coaches will still make you train.
Wayne was the best, man.
It was the first time ever where he.
One of the weeks we got the whole seven days off.
Waiting for, like, a text message.
Got you some beauty.
Like, come back in.
You've got to hit this test first.
You've got this test first.
Like, that was what I was waiting for.
But he actually gave us a whole week off, which is good.
And I feel like young guys have got to find that balance.
It's like, yes, you've got to keep training.
Yes, you've got to go back fit and stuff like that.
But you've got to get away from footy.
You've got to enjoy some family time.
If you're single and that, go on a holiday and look after yourself.
Because when you get back, there's nothing else but footy.
Unfortunately, there's no more time for anything else.
Like, even family time and stuff like that.
It's hard because, like, we're always away.
We're always training.
You know, you come back from pre-season.
You're a bit overweight or whatever.
You've got to train Saturday.
So you get, like, one day off.
And then you're back into it Monday.
You've still got to find the balance of training and that, like,
and working hard.
But, you know, finding the time to be able to spend it with your family,
go on a holiday and stuff like that.
Because it's a long season, bro.
It's only getting longer.
It got longer again last year.
Yeah, I'm thinking about now.
Those boys are about to go play some, like, red footy and stuff now, too.
So it's just dragging out.
Like, Dale, I think they have two or three weeks off there.
They get back into training.
Go and play that.
And then they'll have another couple of weeks off and they'll be back in January.
You know what I mean?
Like, you see why, you know, like, guys, like, playing,
they'll do it year in, year out.
You know, it kind of works them down in the sense of, like,
their bodies are sweet, but it's just emotionally and mentally tiring.
Because it takes so much out of you.
Quade was saying the other day, like, when you look at them physically,
they look like great specimens.
But you're always carrying something.
You're always injured.
Always playing shit like that.
You know what I mean?
Bro, if I can play a game.
But anything probably over 75%, 70%, 75% fit, like, I'm laughing.
Because, like, I remember, I think it was 2017.
I'd just come from Bronx at Titans.
I had osteitis pubis.
But I was like, I'm not getting my groins cut this year
because I need to be ready for this season.
Like, I need to be raring to go.
But I'd also done my AC, and it was real bad.
I had, like, a four or five centimetre gap in my AC.
So you were walking around, your hips were all tight.
Yeah, it was so cool.
So I ended up, like, the whole pre-season barely trained,
barely did anything, but just tried to get through.
And then I would play a game, wouldn't train all week
until Captain Drunk, just to make sure my body was sweet.
And then I'd play again, and then I'd cook again, you know, like that.
And I just remember, like, there was about six or eight weeks
in the back end of the season, I was getting nine needles,
like pain injection needles, to try and just be right for the game.
You know what I mean?
So if I can be 70 to 75.
If I can be 75% fit without, like, even, like, without needles
or, you know, stuff like that, like, bro, I'm laughing.
Especially as a front rower.
Like, you're never going to be sweet.
You have to come off the back fence every day.
You know, you're getting beat up every day.
Our wrestler sessions are so much harder than the backs.
You know, like, you're just getting bashed week in, week out.
Guys are trying to take your head off.
Like, you're never sweet.
Sorry, just to run back to the boxing thing.
Obviously, when you watch people walk out,
I was a big wrestling fan.
I was a wrestling fan growing up.
And I watched a rock walk out a couple of weeks ago
and just how excited I got about that.
What was that experience like, walking it out with the, like,
entrance music, family watching, you're on your own,
compared to something like playing at Suncorp, playing Origin?
Yeah, it's very, like, it's similar in the sense that you get that mad,
like, rush and that buzz.
Like, it was sick.
Because they're like, what walkout song do you want?
What walkout song do you want?
I was like, I don't know.
Like, I love music, but I, like, I love all music.
Except for Screamer.
I want to be able to understand it.
But I love all music.
So I'm just like, you know what?
You guys pick, just pick something for the crowd
so that the crowd can, like, pump up and stuff.
And I remember I gave it to my trainer.
He goes, yeah, I got you.
And I was like, what is it?
And he goes, just wait, just wait, you'll see.
Oh, so you didn't know.
And then the day of the thing, one of the guys actually told me,
he goes, oh, the Vagabust.
I was like, that's sick.
That's a good one.
I was like, oh, you're the best.
And then when they come out, we're, like, standing there
and they started playing and me and my trainer
just looked at each other and just started giggling.
We're just laughing.
And, like, the crowd started pumping up, which was good.
That's what we wanted.
Like, you know, because I wasn't going to come out to anything,
like, hectic, like, doom and gloom, like, you know,
like, rocky type stuff.
Do you know what I mean?
Like, because that's not me.
Like, I want to have fun.
I want to, you know, I want to party and have a good time.
And I want everyone, like, even if I was to lose,
I wanted everyone to enjoy the fight and just have fun.
So, like, that walkout and the music and the crowd was pumping
and everyone was dancing and singing.
My trainer's, like, you know, have fun with the dance and stuff.
And I'm, like, yeah, all right.
And I was, like, how do I dance in clubs and stuff?
And I'm, like, I'm just being front row.
I'm, like, awkward as.
Like, I can't dance.
Got a bit of head movement now, bro.
You're all right.
I just, like, wobble like that.
And so I remember walking out and, like, that was sick.
And all eyes are on you, which is cool.
Like, that's a cool feeling.
But, like, I still don't think anything can ever be like a packed Suncorp stadium.
You know, the fireworks are going.
They're going off and the crowd's going ballistic, you know.
And the whole team's running out together.
Like, I still think that that's my favorite, but they're very similar.
Better than running out at Seabus on a random Sunday.
When we used to get some big crowds there, bro, Seabus.
You didn't even find the Warriors, bro.
Too many Kiwis up in the goal, yeah.
Even at Redcliffe and at Bronx, bro, we were never the home team.
You know what I mean?
Like, at Suncorp.
And at Seabus, we were never the home team.
When you played the Warriors, bro, they're the home team.
It doesn't matter who it is.
And I love that because, like, the passion and the footy, like, with the Warriors and
that, when they come over, like, they're so ruthless and, like, you're not the home team
even though you are, but they're still so, like, loving and genuine and stuff like that.
You can go to Sydney to some away teams and stuff like that and they're ruthless and it's
hostile, which I love both.
Like, that's why we play footy.
We love the rivalries and stuff like that.
Yeah, people don't understand booze are just as good as cheers.
People don't boo nobodies.
But when Queensland run out of New South Wales and they're getting booze, it's just as good
as cheering to Suncorp.
Not as good, but not far off.
Yeah, and I remember when I played that second Origin, sorry, my first Origin, but we played
down there and we got booed in front of 105,000 fans.
It was just as good as, like, a scream and a cheer, bro.
But yeah, no, Suncorp, like, full crowds, man.
One thing I really like about boxing, and I know it doesn't really transfer to football
just yet, but I think over time it will.
There's the, like, theatrics around it and, like, the sort of the media and people sort
of building their own fights up.
And they have to because it sort of helps self-fights, you know what I mean?
Did you enjoy that side of it?
But I was also in the sense of, like, I didn't know what I was going to do because, like,
that's what everyone, like, I'm obviously, I'm a big fan of boxing and I watch all the
fights and, you know, and MMA and stuff and it's cutthroat and it's ruthless and people
are like, you know, what are you going to do and all that?
And I'm like, bro, that's not me.
Like, even in footy, like, I don't talk shit.
Like, I'm like...
Like, the loving, good, like, good fella like that and, yeah, like, I like throwing
a bit of banter and shade and stuff, but it's never, like, what they do.
And we got up there and, you know, Justin Hodges and Matty Cooper are there kind of
going at it and stuff like that.
And I'm like, yeah, this is sick.
And then I remember they asked me a question and we sort of spoke and they actually, like,
I think they kind of stuffed up our press conference.
They were meant to ask us a few questions.
They only asked us one.
So, like, we got asked...
How's all this sort of stuff?
And it's like, yeah, it's been really good.
And then they go, oh, sweet, straight to the next one.
And then, you know, even if they were meant to do that, they were meant to come back to
us and kind of go bounce off each other.
Yeah, normally you just go outside, don't you?
And they didn't do that.
And so we didn't have an opportunity to have the banter and stuff like that, which was
But I remember at weigh-in day, and I spoke to Nelson about this after Andy and his team
too, and we're in weigh-in day and, like, they spoke to me and I'm like, yeah, I'm going to
Like, and then he comes in and he's just like, you know, like, I've got to knock this
fucker out, you know.
And I was like, bro, I'm white, for one.
But two, like, I was like, bro, like, you can't say that.
Like, it's in my head, like, footy too.
I was like, you can't say that.
But then people are like, nah, it's just boxing.
And I spoke to him after.
I was like, did you get any backlash from stuff like that?
And he goes, nah, I didn't.
But, you know, I'll shit my pants because I thought I was going to.
Yeah, just from being from a football scenario.
Yeah, just from this football scenario.
Yeah, so I don't think, as much as we all wanted to go with each other and stuff like
that, I don't think we were prepared enough to do it as a fighting way because we're not
You know, that's not our background of it, you know, because when you want to go against
a team in footy ways, you want to talk them up and talk you down.
Do you know what I mean?
You want to talk them up.
Especially coming from Wayne Bennett too.
Even if you know you're going to smoke them.
Like, you know, if you know you're going to put 40.
There's no easy games in the NRL.
There's no easy games, but you want to talk them up and you want to talk your team down
Not the favourite, not that.
So, but in boxing, it's like, you know, you might know that you're going to lose, but
you're going to talk shit like you're going to win.
But none of us had that in it.
You know, Benny Hanna.
Like, Benny Hanna's the nicest bloody person ever.
What's he going to say?
Yeah, what am I going to say sort of thing.
And James is a nice dude as well.
Yeah, me and Junior were sitting there laughing and Benny spoke and then Junior just looks
at me and he goes, how do I back that up?
I was like, I don't know, bro.
Like, no one can back up Benny Hanna because he just throws everything at you and just,
you know, he's so like smart.
And then he knows how to talk to a camera and stuff like that.
And Junior was like, I can't repeat like anything he just said.
I was like, just say you're going to knock him out.
We just started giggling, bro.
Like, you know, because anytime we spoke about stuff like that, we just laughed.
So, yeah, it was, I thought it was going to be a lot more hectic than that.
But I think because there was a lot more football cards and stuff like that, we just, we didn't
So, like the genuine hate, I think there's a genuine hate when you box people and, you
know, you know, those, they're coming for you.
They're coming for your title and stuff like that.
But when it's two football fighters, like, and like, I had no hate for Nelson.
We never had any beef on the field.
You know, we have no beef on or off the field.
So, like, what was I going to say?
Tevita Pangwai, obviously his press conference went a little bit viral.
We shared it as well.
Did you agree with what he had to say with, don't need halfbacks telling you what to do?
A hundred percent I agree with that shit.
But in saying that, like, I'm not sure.
I don't know if you've seen me play footy.
I like to think like I'm a half.
Yeah, you've got some skill about you, bro.
So, I was like, I probably had to pipe down because he was probably talking about me.
Yeah, you were stuck between the middle.
Yeah, he was probably talking about me, you know.
But, nah, we all had it.
It was funny when he said it.
When he said it, because we were all front rowers, oh, except for the Hodgie and Coops,
we all just giggled and laughed, you know what I mean?
We were like, yeah, that's right.
Yeah, stop these halfbacks, you know what I mean?
Do you know who's going to have a tough year next year?
Because he had Reggie Andrews.
Like, give me five posts.
Yeah, that's right.
We'll get Tevita on you, bro.
But, nah, we all just laughed and had a good giggle.
Because I suppose, like, I understand where he's coming from.
Like, football, you know, you do get told a bit.
You get told where to be.
You get told what to eat.
You get told, you know, what to do and train, what to dress, the times of what you've got to do and stuff like that.
So, I get, you know, I get where he's coming from.
But that's, like, that's footy.
Like, that's what you sign and that's what you play for.
It was one of, like.
Like, because I was never going to be a superstar.
I was always sort of that, like, sort of back up half and, like, play some good games, whatever.
But, like, that was the thing for me that felt the most restricting.
That I couldn't say what I wanted.
And I'm not going to say anything outlandish.
But I felt, at the time, super trapped in that certain environment.
And that's why I wanted to leave.
And I do understand.
Like, I do understand that.
You have to be careful with what you say every minute or every day.
Like, I put up a post on my Instagram a little while ago.
You know, of me and the missus and we're mucking around.
And she actually told me.
She actually was, like.
Like, I was going to write something real cute.
And then she goes, don't do that.
Like, mucking around.
And I was, like, well, how about I write this?
She goes, yeah, that's funny.
Like, mucking around.
What was the caption again?
So, it was just, like.
It was at the charity ball.
And it was just, like.
Like, my beautiful wife looking, you know, gorgeous being pregnant, blah, blah, blah.
But she looks better doing the washing.
Like, mucking around.
And to us, bro, we were.
Oh, there's a girl laughing in the background too.
Yeah, she's, like.
I've come up for you.
Who's this showbiz peak?
Do you know what I mean?
Like, it was, like.
Because we always joke around.
Because we've just always got so much washing and that.
Because we've got four kids.
You know, footy gear and that all the time.
Like, we just always feel like we're always washing.
Like, there's one of us always in there, bloody.
Putting stuff in the washing machine.
Putting stuff in the dryer.
And we were just making, like, a light-hearted joke between each other.
But, like, people just took it so gnarly, bro.
Like, to the point where we had to get the cops involved.
And, you know, people got charged.
And, like, it was so gnarly, bro.
My partner was getting death threats.
I was getting, you know, death threats.
And, like, you know, all this sort of stuff.
But, like, you do.
You have to second guess everything you say.
Or watch everything you say.
Because someone might not like it.
Or someone might take offense to it.
You know, and I'm not saying that, like, people are too soft or anything like that.
But, like, people, like, they're just.
They're very happy to sit there and attack you as soon as you can.
But even if they don't understand what the post is or what the saying is or the meaning behind it.
They'll just attack you straight away.
And it's kind of like a herd mentality too, isn't it?
Like, as soon as you, like, obviously, like ATR, we've caught plenty of data over the past couple years.
And same thing happened with Simi last year where he sort of made that trans joke and it went viral on TikTok and it picked it up.
Like, our whole world getting death threats.
That's exactly right, bro.
As soon as one person does it, people just jump on board just to do it.
And that's why, like, on my social media, bro, like, I get hit up and stuff all the time.
Like, you know, and get hammered, like, oh, for doing something dumb.
Or, you know, if I do a flick pass and it comes off, I'm the best person in the world.
Everyone loves it.
If I do one and it doesn't, I've got 10 messages in my inbox calling me a bum.
You know, I'm a lemon.
All this sort of stuff.
I take it and then, like, roll it with them.
I'm like, yeah, I can't believe I threw that.
You know, like, can't wait to get sprayed by a whale.
You know, I make it a lot harder than a joke because it doesn't affect me.
Bro, I've seen guys, like, affect them so much and, like, want to retire, like, after, like, a year of footy because they can't handle that.
And they can't cop the criticism and the newspapers coming at them.
And being scrutinized by the social media and stuff all the time.
So, like, it's hard.
And I get why, like, why he said it, why he wanted to do it.
But that was a good, like, that was a good press conference.
Like, I enjoyed that because apparently Frankie, the guy that he was fighting, started, like, a Facebook or something.
Oh, he had a Facebook and he was, like, talking a bit of shit, man.
Him and Tavita were, like, going at each other.
But, like, they had a genuine kind of hate and beef for each other so they could do that.
But I remember when Tavita started going, I looked at Junior.
He goes, bro, his eyes just twitched.
And Tavita just had this, like, we were, like, this is going to happen.
And we just sat back, popcorn drinks, like, ready to watch the show.
Do you know what I mean?
And, like, Tavita was just so ready for it.
He was so emotional about it.
Like, it was always going to kick off.
Like, I've been watching him speak a little bit.
And, obviously, I don't know him personally.
But I remember, like, it reminds me back in the day.
Do you remember when Sonny Bill left the league?
Like, we would have been around the same age.
And, like, just how he sort of had that angry frustration in his voice.
And I remember he'd done that interview over in France.
And I'm like, and I didn't get it at the time because I hadn't played NRL.
And, like, to me, that was, like, one of the saddest days.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Because SB Dub just left.
But I remember him saying in that interview, like,
oh, they just treat us like cattle.
They don't care about us.
And, like, obviously, that was, like, a boxing fight.
And he's trying to sell things.
But you can still hear that sort of underlying tone of anger within football
around what we were just talking about, bro.
Like, being told what to do all the time and where to be
and how to act and how to dress.
Like, I can sort of hear that in his voice.
And I'm just speculating.
I don't fucking know.
And I think that that's what, like, that's what, yeah, I think.
And because he is a big name.
Don't get me wrong.
He went down the dogs, too, or, you know, got big money,
which, unfortunately, as soon as you get big money in football.
You can't make a mistake.
You can't make a mistake.
Like, you have to be Cam Smith to, you know, perfect every time.
Like, don't put a foot out of place.
And, unfortunately, like, you know, Tevita, he doesn't.
Like, Tevita's Tevita.
You get what you get.
He's a good fella.
He's a nice, genuine guy.
Did heaps of sparring.
I went in and played with him at the Bronx.
But, like, he doesn't.
He wants to be able to play footy or box and have none of, like, you know,
have none of the behind-the-scenes stuff,
which, unfortunately, you don't get that.
Because if we don't, the other side of it is if we don't have that,
we don't have commercial success.
We don't have the rest of it.
So, like, even though, like, he didn't like it,
he was also one of the guys, because he would kind of kick back
and fight back, that kind of made it worse for him
because of the media.
And that would, or the social media would kind of latch onto him.
Like, yeah, we're going to get a rise out of him.
We're going to, you know, get this and stuff like that.
Yeah, but he generally is, like, he's just,
I think he's also upset and sad.
Like, because I know he says that he, you know,
he didn't want to play footy and stuff.
He was a lover of the game.
And he was so good at it.
And he was a freak.
You know, when he was on, man, like, no one could stop him.
Like, you know, we seen him take on Tom Lolo that day at Sun Corp.
I mean, when he's on, he's on.
Yeah, he was coming out the line for him.
You know what I mean?
He was after him.
And that's the thing.
When he's on, you know, he's the guy that you want to play with.
You know, you want that fella next year.
The only problem, like, with him is because of his emotion
and stuff like that.
You know, you didn't know what you were going to get,
like, get with him and stuff like that.
And I get that was probably why he was, like, the frustration
and the emotion and all that in it with Tevita.
And you can't, like, say if you're a guy like me who's a half,
you can't even half pull him up, too,
because he'll probably knock you out.
Yeah, I don't know.
When I played with him, Benny Hunt and Milford were, like,
the two best at the time, and Wayne was the coach.
So they didn't even have to tell him anything
because Wayne used to hammer him.
So I don't know what he was like after that.
It's nice when the coach got your back when you're half, man.
Wayne used to have their backs fully.
Did he take a swing at Josh McGuire training one time?
That footage sort of leaked.
No, that was another guy.
I can't remember his name.
Moose was getting a bit grubby at training.
That was captain's run, too, I think, bro.
So we were, like, getting ready to play a game the next day,
and Moose, like, did something and, like, got a bit, like, you know,
Moose couldn't handle his emotion either.
As soon as, like, Moose, as soon as something kicked off,
it was just all or nothing, you know, like, taking heads off.
Like, there was nothing.
Moose couldn't handle his emotion either.
And he did something at captain's run, and this fellow just got up,
and they just started throwing hands, and Moose was just like,
what the hell, like.
Like, they were going at it.
We're all sitting there giggling and laughing because, like, you know,
it happens in footy.
Like, we're all competitors.
You all go hard at each other and stuff like that.
But, you know, there's always that one person that you know not to.
And Tevita would be definitely one that you don't want to, like,
get pushed too far past that point, for sure.
When you're in the football room, you look around,
and you can tell by their eyes if they're going to flog you or not.
If they get you now, watch out, Mad Monday.
If they get it now, you're like, you just know that there's going to be
that time at Mad Monday.
Mad Monday where someone's getting called out.
There's going to be a wrestle, and then that wrestle, you know,
is going to end up in, like, a half a punch on because the wrestle
and everybody, you know, is just as easy as it should be.
Redcliffe, obviously.
Bro, I was a doubter.
When they announced they were going to bring another team in,
I thought there was too many games.
I didn't think there was enough playing talent.
Obviously, you guys put together a team.
I was like, go for the Roosters as well.
One of those guys.
No, I just was, bro.
I was looking at your team, and I was just like, fire.
Good 17, but if two people, three people go down,
it starts to look like a little bit bleak.
But in my eyes, I feel like the Redcliffe experiment has been a success.
You leaving the Titans to go there, what was that like?
Were you just looking for something a little bit more fresh,
the same way you talk about boxing, a bit of a freshener?
Is that what it was for you?
Yeah, for me to leave the Titans, it was just I needed, like, a refresh.
Like, we'd been through so much at the Titans.
We got Wooden Spoon a couple of times.
We'd gone through three coaches.
Yeah, like, it was hard.
Like, don't get me wrong.
I loved every minute of it, and I loved the players.
I loved the club, and I loved everything about it,
but I needed change because, like, I just felt myself just kind of
falling into this hole of I didn't want to go to footy anymore.
I didn't want to train.
I didn't want to play.
I was just there purely because I knew I couldn't let the boys down.
That was my mentality at one stage.
Like, I didn't want to train or anything like that,
but if I didn't, I'd let them down, and that's my one thing.
I was like, I'll never let them down.
So when Redcliffe came into the comp, I was like, oh, that's a good change.
It's only just up the road, too, so I don't have to move my family
or anything that far, and, you know, the presence of Redcliffe,
of what they'd done in the Q Cup and before that,
I was like, that would be sick to go on.
And financially, they're a...
They're a really successful club, aren't they?
Well, I think when they came in, they were the...
I wouldn't say, like, richest in money, but I think asset-rich club in the...
I think I remember reading that in the paper.
In Queensland, and they'd just come in because they are.
They're very smart, and they've done some very good things,
like with the Leagues Club.
They've got the big coals and the shopping centre there,
and they own all of that.
So they've been really good.
So to be able to go up there and be a foundation player
in a brand-new club, I was like, that's what I want.
That's what I need.
And, you know, because when you go and play at a club,
and you would have known that, and, you know, the old boys come in,
and, like, I remember the Titans, Presto, Scotty Prince, you know,
all those boys that come in, they talk about when they got to start
the foundation of the Titans.
I was like, that's what I want to be able to build at Redcliffe.
And that was the reason why I wanted to be there.
And then when Wayne saw him, I remember ringing my manager and being like,
if you don't get me to this club, like, I will sack you.
And I wrote back to him, and he's like, ha-ha.
And I'm like, no, I swear to God, you're done if you don't get me there.
He goes, I'll see what I can do.
And I remember laying in bed, and I think, I can't remember what,
we had a long weekend.
We actually had a bit of a big night, me and the missus,
and a few of the boys had got on the piss, and I was laying in bed,
and I was hungover.
And I looked next to my phone, as you're hearing, I looked over,
I wasn't even going to answer it, and I seen Wayne Bennett come off
Has he got the same number?
Same number, yeah.
He's got the same number from, like, 1940.
He's still got the Nokia and everything.
And I pulled out the satellite.
And he rings me, and he goes, what are you doing next year?
I was like, I don't know yet.
And he goes, I want you to come play for me.
I said, send me through the contract, and I'll come.
Three-minute phone call is all it was.
That was all the football chat was, and apart from that,
he asked me how I was going.
I've heard that about him.
Like, I think one of the greatest wars about him is, like,
he just talks more about what you're doing off the field
than on the field, and it makes you want to play for him.
Well, and he knew, like, because we'd played together at the Bronx,
like, and he'd coached me at the Bronx.
And he revitalised my career at the Bronx, too.
Like, because in 2012, 13, 14, under hook, I'd only played,
I think it was about 12 games or something in three years,
or eight games in three years.
That can rattle the confidence.
Oh, the confidence was shot, bro.
In 2014, I was number 14, and I was going for the most consecutive games
of being on the bench and not getting on the field.
Bro, no one wants that, really.
No one wants that record, bro.
Like, give me any record.
Like, most knockouts in one game, like, getting knocked down or something.
Did you get touched up after a game as well?
No, because then I'd have to go back and play for Norse.
So, like, I would prepare like I was playing,
and then I'd go and play for Norse.
That was all right.
But, bro, most consecutive in a row.
So my confidence was gone.
Thank God I got on, like, in the fourth game.
And Jamie Bure actually still holds that record for four in a row
or three in a row, so thank God for that.
And I don't know.
And I just remember the whole year, man, like, I was just so, like,
I'd get on for, like, three minutes, and it'd be, like, the last three minutes.
Or, you know, like, I'd get on for 15, and then that was it, you know.
And my confidence was gone as a player, like, in QC.
I mean, in first grade, and I was like, like, maybe I'm just not, like,
maybe I'm not built to play for, like, NRL and stuff like that, you know,
because I'd go back and play carp, and I'd play 70 minutes,
and I'd kill it and stuff like that, and then go and play first grade.
I was like, maybe I'm not built for this.
But anyways, got my shoulder done leading into that 15 year,
and Wayne was coming, and I remember just shitting my pants.
I was like, one, because it's Wayne, but two, it was, like, my last year,
and I remember them coming.
He's going to come do a clean out and blah, blah, blah.
And a few guys had been moved on, and I was like, fuck, this is going to be me.
And he come in and didn't speak to me, didn't do anything,
because what I did at the time, too,
Wayne doesn't come into training or football until January.
So, like, that's his thing.
He sits back and watches from a distance
and watches all the sessions from a distance but doesn't actually come in.
Yeah, and, like, that's his thing because, like,
it's not even that it's his presence,
but it's just, like, there's no football before Christmas type of thing.
So all the assistant coaches do the footy and, you know,
or you do all your fitness with your trainers and stuff.
So I was like, oh, well, like, what am I in for?
And I remember getting in after Christmas and we trained and all that,
and I'd have my shoulder done,
and then I was like, fuck, like, am I going to play?
I'm not too sure.
Anyways, round one comes around, I didn't get picked
because I'd just come back from my shoulder,
played Norse, done all right,
and I'm sitting in there, team round two,
James Gavay done his ACL.
And he's like, oh, well, like, I'm going to pick you this week,
but you've got one week to prove yourself or you're gone.
And I was like, what the hell, bro?
Exactly what you wanted.
He's exactly what I wanted.
You weren't needed.
Okay, that was my next question.
Do you reckon he said that to you because it was you
and he understood who you were?
I didn't feel like he'd say that to everyone.
No, 100%, because he did it with Cody.
Straight away after he goes to Cody Nicarima,
you've got four weeks to prove yourself or you're gone.
And I remember looking around, I was like,
how come you've got fucking four weeks and I get one?
But it was because he knew how he could talk to me
and talk to Cody and, you know, talk to other players
and stuff like that because he knows how each individual ticks
and he knows what to say.
He knows if you need to baby someone or give them a bit of a cuddle.
He knows if, you know, you need a rocket.
And that's what makes him the best coach.
Yeah, it's not because he's – like, don't get me wrong.
I remember one day he woke up and he's like,
I had this dream last night.
I woke up at 3 o'clock about this move and we did it on the field
and we did it in the game.
Like, he has that in him.
But he just gets the best out of people.
Like, he loves and respects the player so much that they want to love him
And play for him.
Like, that's how we tick.
So going to Redcliffe, that was why I wanted to go back there.
I needed change, but I needed him.
And I felt like he was the only coach that was going to get me out of the hole
So I went up there and, you know, Jesse Bromwich, Kenny,
Foose are all starting to sign.
Like, I think they'd just signed before me so I knew they were going.
But then, you know, like all these players are signing.
I'm like, oh, this is good.
Like, this is going to be sick.
Like, we're going to be all right here.
Like, this is going to be bad.
You know, we're like young Isaiah Katoa.
I didn't really know him or anything like that,
but I heard all these raps, you know, we're picking them up.
And I'm like, this is going to be sick.
We get into training, start ripping in.
All the boys are, hands down, one of the best pre-seasons I've seen
young guys train, like rip and tear, like fit, train hard.
And Wayne hadn't even come in yet.
Like, so Wayne came in the week before Chrissie, which I was shocked.
Because I was like, that doesn't happen.
But he was just bouncing to be there.
Like, you know, like even Terry Rita, our CEO, goes,
I've never seen him so excited to be back to football because he had that year off
that he was asking them if they needed any, like, mentors or go to, like, clubs
or, you know, schools and stuff where Wayne would go and do stuff like that
because he was so itching to get back to footy.
So he gets back into training and he's doing, you know, he starts talking
and guys are just like, you know, like in awe.
And stuff like that.
And then, like, I'd start taking the piss out of him.
You know, stuff like that.
And I was like, it's good to be back.
It's good to be back.
Because I was like, I know what you're doing.
Like, this sort of stuff.
And he goes, I've got, like, I've got three rules, you know.
Because if you don't be late, you're showing, you know, your teammates
and your coach and stuff that you don't respect and you don't care.
So if you're going to be late and you don't have a genuine reason,
Is there a consequence for not coming?
Oh, yeah, there would be, like, 100%.
There would be, like, you know, you might get fined or –
actually, no, that's not with Wayne.
Wayne doesn't believe in fines because, like, you know,
money and stuff like that, it's different.
But you'll probably get teared up on, like, an extra session or –
It's just embarrassing, isn't it?
It is embarrassing.
He makes you feel this little.
You know what I mean?
He makes you feel this little.
What was the second one?
The second one was, oh, you know, no matter how tired you are,
you always come to training because, you know, you're not going to die.
You know what I mean?
But no matter what, you always turn up.
You give it your everything and you just show that you want to be here
and you just turn up.
And three, don't ever high-five me, don't cuddle me,
and don't kiss me or anything like that.
What's the thing with that?
He's just old school.
I remember after that I walked up to him and I said,
if you fucking think I'm not going to cuddle you every day,
you've got another thing coming.
You know what I mean?
Just taking the piss out of you.
And that was my thing with Wayne.
We just – we bounce off each other.
We banter and stuff like that.
Even in video sessions and stuff, like, he'll say shit to me
and tear me to shreds, bro.
I remember the first probably six, seven games,
I thought I was actually going half all right,
but he was crucifying me, like, crucifying me.
And to the point I remember the very last one,
I remember I rang my missus and I was like, maybe I'm done.
Like, maybe I'm just done and, like, I need to retire.
If he's doing that, it's because he sees something
and you need to pull yourself together.
You need to figure out, you know, and you need to have a crack
and you need to do what he says.
And I remember it was just like this switch from being a poor me attitude,
like I'm just getting picked on to, you know, this is what I need to do.
And I remember after that I come back and I think I may have got –
I got manned the match the next week.
Actually, I think it was against the Titans.
I come back against the Titans and I had a mad game.
And Wayne coming out in the press room goes, yeah, yeah.
He said that, you know, it's just a shame that Walcott,
you know, that we can't play Titans every week.
And I text him and I was like, you can't give me anything, can you?
And he just laughed.
He goes, well, you can't.
He goes, you've been shit for six or seven weeks.
He goes, it's good to have you back, but now let's see it.
And that was where the whole rest of the year started for me.
It was like I needed a kick in the ass, but he knew that he could do that to me.
Because guys would come up to me and be like, far out, bro.
Like, he's hammering you.
And I think that was where the poor me attitude come in was because like all the –
You listen to the boys, yeah.
Yeah, listen to the boys.
It was like, oh, you know, like –
Like, sorry, like they're saying that.
I was like, well, you know, don't be sorry.
Because if he didn't genuinely care, he wouldn't be kicking me in the ass.
I listened to this thing about –
I saw Alex Ferguson a couple weeks ago.
Same thing where one of his best players, they had a pretty good game at halftime.
And everyone else was playing shit.
He was the best guy on the field.
But so Alex Ferguson comes in and just absolutely sprays him.
He was like, who the fuck do you think you are if you pass back, bub?
I don't know the soccer terminology.
And then after they went into the –
He goes, but good game, good game.
He goes, only reason he doesn't –
Because he knew he could handle it.
But by spraying you, who's a senior guy, who's probably playing all right,
just rising tide raises all ships, you know what I mean?
So if you go harder and he's getting sprayed for playing well,
everyone starts looking around like, fuck, am I doing enough here?
I remember we played St. George at KO, actually.
And I come on like 15 or 20 minutes into the first half.
And, like, I'd played all right, but I'd done a couple of dumb things.
Like I'd thrown an offload, it hit the ground,
and then one of the boys dropped it.
Yeah, which I shouldn't have thrown it.
And I'd made it –
Oh, I'd went to hit the half or something.
That probably got him a little bit late.
Yeah, it wasn't hard or anything.
It was just a bit late, got a penalty.
And, you know, just kind of a couple of dumb things,
which I shouldn't have done.
And I went in there at halftime, and I was already feeling a bit shit
because I felt like I'd, you know, stuffed up.
And Wayne walks in and, like, settles everyone down,
and he just starts going like this, just, like, pointing at me.
And I'd never seen him get angry.
And he's like, you know, if you want to play on my team, blah, blah, blah.
And then he goes –
And you're back to the bench.
Like, he dropped me back to the bench.
Oh, yeah, that's –
And, bro, that was – like, it broke me, eh?
I was like, fuck, like, was I that bad?
Or, you know, like, I just had everything running through my head.
Anyway, so I'm thinking, I'm not getting back on.
And then 10 minutes into the second half, I get back on,
and he's like, oh, what, like, you can hear – yeah, get well on.
And Crusher – like, Grant –
Cleo, our manager, Crusher, he's like, just get on and do –
like, do the little things right and don't worry about anything else.
Well, so someone who doesn't understand a lot of things for someone in your position,
Well, you know, it's just –
make all your tackles, you know, turn up on the inside, you know,
when – you know, I think for me, like, especially because I am an offloader
and I like to play footy and stuff like that,
when we're in game situations where we might be on the back foot, you know,
and there's a time of just knuckle down and tuck the ball under the wing and run hard,
you know, do that sort of stuff rather than looking for an offload
that might put us on the back foot again.
And, you know, kick pressure is like – you know, kick pressure these days
is such a big thing because, like, you know, Cleary's and –
Reynolds and all that, they're putting them on a dime.
So if you've got – not putting pressure on them, you know,
and they're doing that, you're kind of on the back foot straight away.
And they're not even, like, end-over-end dimes anymore?
Offloader room, torpium.
So they're just like, get on, do the little things right.
And I remember I got on.
I just did everything right, did everything I had to do.
Didn't think I'd done that well, but Wayne come up to me and goes,
like, that's what I needed you to do.
And I was just like, oh.
And he goes, yeah, look, I probably – the boys needed a rocket at the same time
and I did use you as a bit of a, you know, a scapegoat
because I knew you could handle it.
But he goes, but that's what I need you to do.
And I was like, at the time, I was like,
I didn't need that at the time.
I was already, like – I was already bloody – my ass was already hanging out
because I thought I was, like, getting in trouble.
But, like, that was the game when I'd done the shit,
then he sprayed me the next week.
And then I rang my missus for sympathy and she sprayed me.
And I'm like, what am I doing?
Someone give me some love, man.
Like, just give me a cuddle or something, you know.
But it was, like, it was the turning point.
You know, I think that was, like, round seven or something.
It was the turning point of me that I was like, well, if this is –
maybe I am just, you know, falling into some complacent, sloppy ways of footy, you know.
Because we were kind of struggling at the Titans, you know,
you could get away with, you know, things like that, I suppose.
Like, in the sense of, like, because we were not winning all the time,
like, if you did it, you didn't really get worried.
And because we didn't have the troops because we had so many injuries,
you could stuff up, I suppose, and not get dropped.
Like, I've always wondered this, bro, because, like, I come up here now
and, bro, it's so laid back.
I'm like, I'm Sydney, I live in Bondi, I move quick, I go to work,
everything moves really, really quick.
And I get up here and after about a day and a half, man, I'm just, like, flat.
It's just so cruisy, bro.
It's the best, but is it bad for football?
I think it can be.
Like, you need to, like, you need to have a good head to come up here
and, like, be switched on and stuff.
Because if you actually get the balance right, the Gold Coast is –
Like, if you can get that balance right, so if you can train hard
and fully focus on footy but then still enjoy that cruisy lifestyle,
coastal life, it's the best.
And the Titans fans, man, they are so passionate and so supportive
and they're diehard because no matter what we went through,
wooden spoons, you know, copping it, all that sort of stuff,
they are diehard and I loved them.
Like, the fans, one of the things I miss of the club,
it was, like, how diehard they are.
And even still to the day, like, I get fans from Titans messaging me,
you know, about, you know, how well I'm doing with the Dolphins
and stuff like they do.
And they're awesome, man.
But you have to have the balance right because you can come up here
and you can get lost in it.
Because some of the boys are, like, nice rolling into round one, nice tans.
What have these boys been up to?
At the Burley Pals.
Of course, bro, it is.
It's hot here, bro.
And, like, you know, literally it's so easy to train,
quickly duck the other beach, go for a swim.
And the hard part is, bro, like, you've got to get down the Gold Coast Highway.
The beach is there the whole time, man.
You can just turn off.
Bro, you can just turn off, like, every street has a pub and have a skewer.
Or, you know, Burley Pals, 15 minutes away.
You know what I mean?
The Surf Club is right there.
Oh, two for one night.
Yeah, let's have a palmy.
You know what I mean?
It's so, like, it's hard.
But, like, if you get it right, man, like, it's the best.
Like, Tino and that, like, man, he's got it right.
I think he's the right guy for this club, eh, to change it?
He's the perfect guy.
I think they made the jump on him a bit early for captain.
I think they made it a bit early.
I think they needed to let him settle in a little bit more and do it.
Let him just enjoy footy for a minute and get settled.
Because, like, he's such a guy that, like, he takes everything personally
and he wants to carry the whole thing.
He wants to carry the whole team on his shoulders and stuff like that, you know.
And there was times there where I'm, like, I literally had to, like, talk to him.
Like, brother, like, you don't need to take two carries in a set.
Like, we're here to do that, you know.
Like, we're all here to work together.
But that was his thing.
And I fucking love him for it.
Like, and that's why he's going to be the best captain for that club.
And especially if he takes that fourth carry head up.
You're in the kick chase, aren't you?
A hundred percent.
But that's the thing.
Because then he'd be so cool from taking two kick, sorry, two head ups.
Then he'd have to kick chase.
Then he'd have to kick pressure.
Then he'd have to do everything.
30 minutes in, the man's, like, out on his feet, corked,
because he can't do everything.
Plus, he's making 50 tackles.
Yeah, and, like, the thing with, like, even, like, the haircut.
Like, say, Sammy Thigh Day when, I remember when Benny Marolino used to always shot him.
It'd always look worse because the hair would flick.
But then when Tino gets going and the mullet's raging,
you can tell when he's tired.
It's like having colored boots on, bro.
A hundred percent.
And, like, because any, bro, like, he's still only, like, just, like,
what is he, 22, 23 now?
Yeah, that's disgusting, man.
Bro, his body still hasn't even, like, thickened out yet as a front rower.
So he's running around at 6'4", or whatever he is.
You know, 110, 108 kilos.
Like, he's not that big.
Oh, I think he's put on a bit more now.
But doing what he does, bro, like, week in, week out,
and then going and playing origin, coming back and playing, like, 80 minutes as well.
Like, he's a phenomenal athlete.
You've been around for a long time and seen football and seen middle guys.
And I'll give you an example for this.
Like, I watch Ezra Mann play.
Yeah, bro, he's so exciting.
But in my opinion, he plays the game probably, like, a little bit too tough.
Especially in defense.
And he's a solid cunt.
Don't get me wrong.
But, like, over time, when you get big back rollers coming on
and you keep trying to shot him, he's putting shots on Murata.
Then Nelson comes around the next week.
Then Viliami comes around the next week.
I was just wondering, like, does he need to, like, sort of taper off?
You're looking at someone like Tino who's doing almost too much work.
Now, the longevity of that over a long period of time.
You look at someone like Tomololo.
Who doesn't have – still a great player, don't get me wrong.
But doesn't have that same effect, bro.
Yeah, I get what you mean.
His body's cooking him, bro.
And that's the thing.
I think he just needs to find the balance of – yeah.
But, like, that's not even him, though, because he won't stop.
It's the coaching staff and the way the coach plays him and stuff like that.
Like, that's what – because, like, you put him out there for 80 minutes
and he'll sit out there for 80 minutes.
But, you see, the thing with, like – this is the thing with Wayne.
So, Wayne – like, I can play.
I can play big minutes.
And Jesse can play big minutes and stuff like that.
But he's like, why would I do that?
Because I'm not going to get the best out of you.
I'd rather you play 40 and get the best 40 that I can get
and do everything right and make every tackle
than go and play 80 minutes and, you know, two or three things
that, you know, you should have – you probably could have got
if you weren't as tired and you were a bit more fresh.
That actually costs the team or costs the thing, you know,
like the game or something like that because you were too tired.
But he would rather do that than play for longer minutes
and stuff like that and actually use the bench.
Like, I think our bench last year was hands down
probably one of the best benches in the comp.
You know, and that, like, Herman Essie, Essie.
Who else have we had on there?
I'm trying to think.
Milf, when he – when Milf came back and he was fitting that,
he was, like, killing it.
The thing is, like, we just – and then myself.
There's one more.
Oh, that big Joshie Kerr.
When Joshie Kerr was there.
Like, man, we just were big.
We were, like, we were fit.
We knew that our balance was perfect.
So our starters just had to get a good start
and then we could come on and, you know, keep it either going
or if we had to bring it back, we could do whatever we needed to do.
And that's what you need to find with guys like Tino.
So, like, if you've got Tino, you know, doing his thing every week,
like, find someone that can then complement him
to be able to bring him off at that 20, 30-minute mark,
give him that break that's not going to, you know, undo what he's done
and then bring him back on.
I love variations in four-packs.
I think a lot of times when four-packs are too similar,
you can get into, like, a tackling rhythm.
Like, because they're all the same size.
They all sort of run the same cookie-cutter shape.
If someone – if you were to complement Tino, would you want someone –
and it's hard to replicate genetics, but would you want someone similar to him
or someone completely different?
I think someone similar but then different at the same time.
Like, you know, like if you –
because Tino is a – you know, he's got an offload, you know,
but he's not a – like, he's not a genuine, like, kind of ball player
or something like that.
So I think if – maybe if you kind of had someone that came on that was –
did the hard yards like him, you know, defended like him
that maybe had a bit more ball play in him.
Like, I think Aaron Clark did fantastic when he came on.
Like, he's not that big, but, man, Clarkie's tough, bro.
And like you said –
That point of difference, you guys, someone tackling 6'4 to 5'8, 9' max,
like cheese kind of build with leg speed.
Yeah, and just aggressive in that too.
Like, I reckon you need to complement him, bro.
Like, and that was – but, like, going back to that,
Tino has found the balance now already.
Like, he works hard, he trains hard, he finds his family,
lives on the coast, does what he needs to do.
He lives – he doesn't live on the coast.
He doesn't live by the beach, though, eh?
No, no, he lives near me at Arundel.
We're like suburbs, bro.
That's the problem.
I think when you live here on the coast for so long,
you're more genuinely, like, likely to not go to the beach
than you are, like, when you just come here for holidays.
Like, I can probably put, you know, count on my hands
the amount of times I went to the beach this year,
like, five or six times, and I live 15 minutes away from it.
You know what I mean?
Like, and that obviously because I travel to Brazil all the time
to go to Reddy, but you just need to find the balance
if you're going to live on the coast
because it can chew you up and spit you out, that's for sure.
And Cam will come in on after you.
I've interviewed Brimo.
If you're playing for the Titans, who would you want in the one?
I think you need to find somewhere where they both can fit on.
You've got to find, let's see, I don't know.
I look at it now that JC is more experienced.
I used to always think Brimo won, JC six.
That was my thing.
Like, that was what they needed to try.
But, like, we didn't.
Look, we're just fine.
I'm not paid to do that.
But now I reckon JC at one and Brimo at 14, bro,
and just could play anywhere and just let him do his thing.
Do you know what I mean?
Like, come on, bro, because he's like, they're two so different players.
But, like, the way JC gets around the park, he just glides
and he's just there and, like, he can throw an eight-meter tunnel ball
and it'll not be a thing.
Where Brimo's passing game, it's more a short game than it is.
It's a long game.
Love's on the toes.
And then I think JC's got a, he's more kicking than Brimo.
So if you brought, like, Brimo on as, like, 14, where he could go to hooker,
he could go to fullback, he could go, you know,
anywhere in the outside backs if you needed him,
like, that would be more position for Brimo, I reckon.
I remember there used to be a saying that people are a victim
of their own versatility.
I think that's almost the best thing you can be right now, isn't it?
I think at 14, they're worth half a million at the moment.
Because someone like Dylan Walker.
Like, they can play halfback, they can run, they can, you know,
well, not halfback, but they can ball play, they can, like, run, you know,
fast, they can get around the park and direct, you know,
they can do whatever.
Kind of like myself, you know.
If you're saying half a million, I'm probably worth half a million.
You played nine at the Wilds game?
I started at nine, yeah.
I did it, I actually did it against the Wilds the last round
against the Titans because we were that struggling for nine.
And I started there.
And I remember I was mucking around with Wayne when Jazzy got injured.
I was like, that's all right.
Like, I'm 2-0 at nine, bro.
Like, just put me there, mucking around.
And then we lost all our hookers.
And I was like, that's all good.
Like, I'll come play.
I'm mucking around with Wayne.
And Wayne goes, yeah, I'm going to start you there.
And I just laughed.
I was like, he goes, no, seriously, I'm going to start you there.
I was like, wait, what?
I was just like, shitting my pants.
I was like, oh, yeah, that's sweet.
I was like, you know all I've got in me, though.
I've got a good pass, but, like, there's no scooting or running
because I'm slow-ass.
I can't run or anything.
Like, I'm not creating nothing.
Like, just get off me.
I'm throwing a good flat ball.
Bro, I was talking to him.
I interviewed up here a couple weeks ago at Curaçao.
And it was interesting hearing him break down the art of playing hooker.
And, like, say they go, like, from, like, left post to far post.
Like, he starts his deception on his way there.
So, like, he'll get the call early.
And then he just starts looking at other directions.
And it was like, do you ever break it down?
And that's so much detail.
Fuck, it was interesting.
In my opinion, nine is almost, if not more important than, like,
your seven and six these days.
Like, you look at the difference.
Like, you know, young Harrison Grant did great for us in the other nines
But you look at the difference our team was with JMK than we were without him.
It's a huge, like, huge difference.
So, if you have a good nine that can set everything up before he's even there,
like, bro, like, your team is flying.
And, like, that's why Uppy's so good because he's doing that before he gets there.
So, like, nine is a crucial part to a football team these days.
Oh, it's crazy how important they are, right?
Bro, you've got some pretty cool guys coming.
I reckon Redcliffe was, like, the one where it's, like,
you jump off the cliff first, see what the water's like.
You guys had early success.
Now you've got some guys coming over, bro,
that are, one, going to give you some attacking flare out wide,
You love the pack as well?
Flegler's going to be fantastic.
Honestly, I think he was probably, if not the best forward in the grand final.
Like, Flegler, I thought he was fantastic.
Payne's Payne, yeah.
But, like, you've got to know what you're going to get from Payne.
Do you know what I mean?
Like, he's going to do the yards.
But, like, Fleg brings that.
He brought those offloads, bro.
And, like, the aggression.
And I'm not even, because he's coming to Redcliffe,
not favouring him either.
Like, I'm truly genuine.
In the Bronx pack.
I'll give maybe Payne and then Flegs and then, you know, Paddy
and that were, yeah, they were just fantastic.
But, so, Flegs is going to be awesome for us.
I think he's going to bring, you know, that extra aggression,
that youth in our forward pack because.
I think the big word there, the youth part, isn't it?
Like, obviously, you've got some guys there, Jess, yourself.
But just that little bit of point of difference as well.
I think, for sure, the youth in that, he'll bring in that.
I think, like, one of the best signings we have is Farnworth.
Mate, I'm excited, like, to see what he can do and bring him into the club.
Like, because we've got some great outside backs and stuff like that.
But I think having him come into our centres, because we were, like,
we've got, we had great, like, starting centres.
But as soon as, like, the boys got injured, like, we would kind of try,
you know, we had Cody play there and then we had Hammer play there.
And we were kind of trying to miss a match.
Like, guys that weren't genuine centres, well, he's just a genuine centre.
And then you've got Avrilo.
He's kind of got, like, I like when centres,
like, he could play a wing.
Like, at a click.
Like, he's got, like, that's his position.
Yeah, that's his position, exactly.
And I think he's going to bring some, like, real attack and speed out wide.
And then you add Avrilo, too, for the dogs with that speed and that, too, man.
He's a good, have you met him?
Oh, I've got him in, I haven't met him generally apart from he's in,
we do that NFL fantasy.
And he's in that with us.
Yeah, so a lot of the boys added him in there.
Oh, I interviewed him earlier this year, bro.
Good kid, really down-to-earth, obviously can ball.
Does he plug in the other centre and hammer go back?
Like, what Wayne will do there?
Because he kind of plays full-back centre wing at dogs.
He said he loves playing full-back.
But I think when he was saying that, when Wayne said that he's going to be centre,
but he couldn't do it and stuff as well.
Yeah, no, I don't know what he'll do there.
But, like, just to be able to add to the depth of what we've already got
with that speed and stuff like that.
Because there was times there where I think, like,
once we kind of lost it, you know,
we didn't have that extra speed and stuff where we needed it at times.
Now we've got some speed, bro.
Yeah, you've got some new speed.
Yeah, and then you get hammered back at, you know,
one in his genuine spot.
It's going to be exciting.
I'm really looking forward to it.
That round one game, I worked a bit of chunk of cash on that one.
Bondi, fuck, I looked at our team.
Cheese just walks up.
Like, fuck, we're on here.
What was that game like, bro?
Bro, it was unreal, eh?
Like, it was, like, the expectation was blown out of the water, I reckon.
Like, you know, Sunday afternoon, we're playing for the Arty Beats in metal.
Like, they had done well from, like, doing what they'd done promoting.
Having, you know, 52,000 fans there, like, it was mad.
It was 3 o'clock in the Arvo.
Couldn't have had a better day for Rugby League.
Like, dry, fast track.
And, like, we run out.
And it was exactly what we thought.
It was just, like, a back and forward grind for 20 minutes.
I remember looking at Jesse.
And Jesse looked at me, bro.
And we just had glass eyes.
And we just looked through each other, eh?
We were so corked, bro.
And I just looked at him.
I was like, far out, man.
And then when JMK went straight through, set that try up, I remember we looked at each other.
We were like, thank God.
Like, it just had that.
Like, the problem was, it happened all year.
Every game that we played was a semi-final.
Because everyone wanted to play us.
Especially when you hadn't played us for the first time.
It was a big game for everyone.
And I remember Jesse said to me, like, you know, I've played, like, 15 years.
But, like, every week he was, like, tired in the first 20 minutes.
Because every game was so big and, like, had so much emotion.
And you didn't run early, too, bro.
So there was a lot of excitement around you.
Yeah, it did, bro.
So, yeah, just that first game was unreal, man.
And to get the win at Suncorp, too.
I remember seeing, like, Bob Jones and Murphy and all that.
Like, what it meant to the guys that started the club back in the day.
Like, they had tears in their eyes.
And I'm talking not, like, last year.
Like, I'm talking, I think it was starting in 70.
Like, it meant the absolute world to them.
And that was who we were doing it for.
There was, like, three guys that actually played in the first ever Redcliffe side.
And they come in and what it meant to them and, like, they spoke and just how much, like,
they wanted that to happen and they never thought that they would get to, like, their
Redcliffe Dolphins being in the NRL.
So to see them after the game with, like, tears in their eyes and how much it meant
to them and to get the win it just meant everything to the players piss me off
because we had a mad little run too like we win five in a row
because you guys you kind of like ended up being like the start of the year you kind of was like
everyone's second team yeah and after a couple wins oh fuck these cunts man yeah yeah like
everyone else now even now that i still talk to so like obviously not we're not going to be
everyone's first team because like you know like everyone has their team that we've been in for but
because we were that new team everyone we were their second yeah it didn't matter like who you
were who you supported we were always your second team and we like and we love that bro um i just
want to get your perspective on rugby league and probably from a broader general how exciting is
is like rugby league now in terms of like obviously there's commercial success of all our crowds are
starting to go up can you feel that within the like the playing group oh absolutely like growing
out to games now um and i think that was yeah there would be like you know some games would be
like oh you know it's going to be hard because i could be like a sunday afternoon and people
wouldn't be really that interested or no it's not that they're that interested they've got stuff on
you know or saturday early saturday or sunday night there was all stuff on but bro this year
every game every day like every um like no matter what the time was there was just big crowds
and there was just so much love from the fans and the attention and
it felt bigger this year yeah 100 and i actually i think we like the crowd attendances to the
average games were bigger so i don't know if like the game is getting a lot faster and a lot more
exciting and like the young talent coming through how fast and like the tries and stuff like some of
the tries these days are freaky bro yeah like and i think people are loving that they're excited
and they're just enjoying it and you as a player when you're there the crowds are huge
like you feel that on the field 100 because i remember especially in covert when we were
playing in the stadiums with not anyone the glorified opposition oh right it was
it was something else i could tell you but like we it was still cool that we got to do it because
then people had something to watch on tv and things like that like so we still got to do
what we loved but there's nothing better than having you know 40 50 000 people there screaming
screaming down your neck um would you have a shorter season would i have a shorter
season yeah if it doesn't impact commercial success contracts do you think like a 20 round
season would be something that works a lot better i'm not sure i've never actually thought about it
i don't know maybe even if like you kept it the same and you just kind of spread it out
a little bit more where there was a bit more like rest in between
because bro by the time you get to the back end of the like the seasons
your body's so cooked you know you're playing with all the injuries like whether you um yeah you have
the interchange again to where like you can have more unit changes or something i don't know but
i don't think short in the season but did you hear did you hear benny teo's take on on interchanges
one of the grades benny
um he reckons he reckons extend the bench out to say like six but you get one interchange
so once you're off you're off oh okay oh yeah all right and my and the way he explained it was so
eight interchanges say maybe seven eight's a lot maybe six because we only have six now
no you're four for an interchange bench oh sorry i thought you meant actual cards oh sorry yeah okay
so i have eight people on the interchange no i have six people but once you're off you're off
oh okay that's it is that is that what rugby union that's what rugby union does but his
theory was so he goes say you're nathan clary and you're going up against a back row he's ripping
your shoulder off for 20 25 or like a ford and then he goes off off for 40 minutes and it's a
break on the bench yeah and then comes back on and someone else for it spring salini comes on and
yeah he's running over the top here and nathan cleary's making it because that's what union
does that once you go off you don't come back on yeah yeah i don't know like it would suck because
the games already weaned out the big boy the other man like if you can't play big minutes
and you can't get around the field like you you're done you know the days of you know the
big shannon boyd's and um do you know who i saw down here at the miami last week tommy leary
lars and yeah yeah yeah those big boys like the game is unfortunately it's it's winning it's
winning you out like like even myself and like yeah big nelson like big nelson bro like the way
that he can get around the field and still play big minutes and things like that is why it makes
him so valuable to a team because if you can't do that like you you can't play footy anymore because
the game's too fast guys are too little too zippy even the forwards now like i've got footwork like
you know that like they're stepping around like they're outside backs that that prototype of a
prop and you look at some of the best ones now besides pain he's a freak it's everyone's getting
a little bit shorter yeah and like sort of stronger through the base like your add-ins
your fisher harris's yeah but when you turn them side on they're like that yeah they're thick yeah
do you know what i mean so if you can't do that like the game's weaning you out so like i think
if you were to go to something like that like you would end up finding that the the game would
probably like it'd get a whole lot like faster than that but it'd probably slow it down in a sense
too because once you're on you know like you you you're probably going to try and drag it out so
you can stay on do you know what i mean that's what i mean so your starting prop is going to
have to knock up 50 55 straight you know what i mean someone comes on i just thought it was
an interesting that is an interesting take actually that's a that's a cool way i suppose
benny like benny's got that cool inside because he's played both yeah like union and he's played
league and stuff like that um but yeah to be honest i don't want him to change the game anymore
like from what i remember our game was like to what it is now like it's not the game that we all
started and loved and like it's it's like it's a mix between touch and i reckon it's better i
reckon it's better because like say let's say jc's coming in for example maybe like six seven years
ago that style of fullback who's a little bit smaller when his defense orientated everything's
around kick chase and you're getting your head wrestle it off yeah yeah it's a lot harder
for someone to to be that type of build yeah if you if you if you can adapt to the game as
like it's good like i i like i do i like it and stuff that's i just don't want it to change
anymore yeah you don't remember what it is like the six again rule and that 2040 yeah yeah yeah
the 24 like 20 40s and stuff like you know i just don't want it to change any more than what it is
because like our games already changed so much and our game is is it's the best in the world
doing what we do you know like not many people can do it and do it week in week out you know
and and still be as high level and high quality as we use so like
just don't change it please um obviously all those rpo scenarios are going on were you
involved in that or were you just kind of like sort of a soundboard for the younger boys and
relaying information um and there's always that sort of power struggle at the top and
there's always going to be when money starts to come involved how was all that sort of scenario
yeah i think um i think like the rpo handled it really well with the actual players itself like
they they kept them very involved and let them know and all our players like they had such a say
and because our delegates were like kafusi and ewan aiken um i think there's there's one more
there and they every time something had come in we'd have the conversation and we'd talk and stuff
and we'd advise the young boys of what we're doing and we did you know um tommy simons and
that would come in and clint newton would come in and we'd have a vote because everything that
they did and they went up again and stood for was because of that's what we want
it yeah they come in and said this is what we want to do like this is what you know like we
want to do for you guys do you like it like let's vote and it had to be an anonymous vote from every
player oh it had to be unanimous everyone oh like you know if someone said oh majority i don't want
to do it you know they'd have their like you know their opinion of it like and and say what they
they thought then you know clinton the the team with the rpa be like well you know it's because
of this this and this and then it's more just the the young guys didn't understand what we're
fighting for yeah and the rights of what we deserve and things like that because it's never
the money because like that that was done ages ago yeah but like our women's games come so far
yeah when the like when the insurances are trying to be taken off the table
we have played the toughest game in the world yeah and they're trying to you know
do that sort of thing like it's like players just aren't going to stand for that i think
nita was the right guy to be there i played with nita at pender if any he's good friend
person to get in the argument 100 yeah 100 right now i hated the way the like the newspapers
like wrote him off like you know like he's doing it all for like him and like that like
he was one of us and he still is one of us he played and he and he put his body through the
ringer for the game that we he's fighting for us and and he loves and supports the player so much
and i hated the way he you know he got crucified for so much but the man stood there and copped it
and knew that he was fighting for us and for he was fighting for the right thing did you see him
put gordy on the ground yeah i've seen the uh whatever bro i actually watched that uh on
instagram they played that back and he's when he was like gordy do you remember what you were
fighting for and he's like no he goes the same thing yeah like right that was actually like that
was funny well people don't actually realize his nito he's a very clever and smart man
he's also a footy like that footy player and he's quick-witted and he yeah and he's got that banter
but and he's like you know you don't remember what you're fighting for he's like yeah he goes
what is it he goes i don't remember yeah i mean like it couldn't have worked any better for him
but he was the perfect person i think the whole rpa crew that we have there at the moment are
the perfect people with nudo um like leading it um to support us and and get to where we
want to as a playing group um when i was playing with nudo like he's here's my bad
grower i had sikas and um sikamani but then nudo would jump on off the bench
and we used to run like block shape we had maddie morland at the back but he always wanted to run
that like spike line yeah yeah you know the center jam and he bounces out but he's just too slow to do
it bro so he kept calling it you're like spike spike and i'm like and i was trying to sing it
to him he's like i'll put it put a bit more heat on the pass and would like wouldn't work never
work because it's your fault you're faster fast enough and then he goes i'll do it all the time
yeah he goes i'm sorry mate you surrounded with joey and cooper and that yeah
oh just like that right he he was he was a tough he was a tough lad like he's tough and his nails
and stuff and i i'm glad that he fell into like the like the position that he did and stuff like
that yeah but yeah he uh i'm i'm pretty sure i played a few games against did i ever play against
you i'm not too sure what year did you retire uh 16. oh no i would have had to have yeah i started
in 2012. i would have had to have played against you yeah i'm sure you remember me
bro what do you like obviously you were sitting there on the podcast now like media has changed
a lot like say back in the day i would have had to gone through your media manager hey can we get
and i think guys are a lot more open and free and you see i talk to a lot of guys in rugby union and
i'm friends with all blacks and they look at rugby league and go you guys are so lucky because you
guys get to be yourselves you can't go too far and talk about washing baskets and yeah but like um
how much does the game change because you come from the bronx and bronx are like we're in-house
old school we do it this way
what's it like seeing this change over time no i like i love the way everything's adapted
and stuff like don't get me wrong there's still things like in you know what happens in house
stays in house um you know but like go and have fun with it too like i think that's why like
i like doing the media stuff and i'll enjoy you know having fun with it and things like that
and i think that's what younger players have got to get like because
the media are going to write an article or write something about you no matter what so if you speak
to them and give them your opinion and kind of have a say in the article that they're going to
write it's like you can almost half like manipulate the story as well do you know what i mean like
because like if you don't do it they're just going to write something that could be not true or
yeah it could be partial truth or whatever so if you actually speak to them and give them what you
want then they'll write it about you know what you want to put out there so that's always been
my take on and that's what i learned at the bronx back in the day was you know like talk to them
become friends with them you know have that kind of stuff and you know and like podcasts and
and stuff like that like you still got to be smart with what you say because like i've seen what
happened but last time you spoke with cheese i remember i was driving in it was like don't be
like that yeah you know like you got to be so careful of what you're saying and what you do
but you gotta like you gotta have fun with it and stuff and you know like everyone like has this
like wayne you know the protective species you don't say anything like i take
the piss out of wayne all the time like one thing but like smart about it but i also said the exact
same thing to his face like mucking around yeah nothing you wouldn't say to his face like you
don't say to his face and and things like that and you you just you just give little insights
because like the fans want to hear the the insights of our day-to-day life or you know
what we do at training and stuff like that and they want to hear about that sort of stuff so
i have fun with it and i love how much the um you know the the social media is
you know like especially dolphins like instagram like share that to molly bro she's she's a weapon
uh but just how much like the social media makes it like it's such a it makes it fun bro it makes
it fun and like that's a big part where like we look at crowd attendants because like a lot of
the fans actually know who the players are now it's like you want to go watch those sort of games
you know what i mean and go see it live in person i think that's important yeah and i think we do
best bro and everyone's seeing like the the
ashes that we're going up again or you know the the the meaning behind and stuff you know like
was when we didn't really have it like if you didn't watch the news or read the newspaper
people didn't know yeah so like it i think the social media and the media stuff now
is so important for our game to grow that you just be smart with it and and it's it's going to make
our game bigger and better the more we go on can we bring another team in obviously you've
been a part of a team that's just come in can another one come in and if so where from yeah
100 i definitely think we can bring another one in i i i reckon you probably i reckon we could go one
more in queensland i reckon one like brizzy or yeah i i don't think brizzy like switch yeah i
don't like even that i think it's very like close that means like i know like sydney where there's
so many like you know teams that are real close but yeah yeah yeah you kick a footy from the
rabbit's park yeah you just put it in power you know what i mean like one seven tackles
another club yeah exactly you know like i don't know if you could put it like that close together
because at the end of the day we are still yeah we're still very kind of close and boxing and
stuff but what about like afl like you know melbourne it's it's like richmond collingwood
like this oh close brother yeah we've we've got the talent like we've got the the people and the
to be able to do it um i don't think like you know there's all the talk about
you know maybe perth i think perth would be hard when we went there this year we've played
the game right the attendance and the crowd was unreal and it was it was actually like a sequel
like a couple of days that we did and they they did so well with that and i think like um like
i think perth would enjoy it like a team and that there but i think that would be a harder like
kind of bond like the way like how easy our transition was at dolphins because it was so
close to brising in that yeah it would be a hard transition but i think if it was done right you
could um where else have they spoken about adelaide
i think they've spoken about i'm not sure but yeah i definitely another melbourne team
yeah yeah melbourne i reckon maybe melbourne's good luck and they the only thing is it's hard
because afl is so like afl it's just it's so good it's just it's a love like down there like
either no like you either love afl down there or you you know of melbourne storm like you know or
you follow melbourne storm that'd be the only hard thing with being like melbourne oh um i went to um
with me and simone down there we went to like a collingwood game yeah it was 90 000 it was like
around 20. and that's like a minimum kind of their crowd attendance their average crowd attendance for
the year is like 72 000 and the and around the whole world the only second to british
adornment and soccer and football that's that's crazy bro and i i've heard that uh because i've
never watched an afl game like a full full game get around the suns no are they still around
i've never been around i've never watched a full uh afl game like i've watched bits and pieces and
stuff like that and i've gotten a bit more into it probably yeah the last like year like i've
actually enjoyed it they reckon live live is the one is the way to go like nrl you can watch it on
tv and because our game is like right there you can watch it afl off the ball they reckon is gun
i love that because you step up high and you sort of see everyone sort of move around which is like
really really cool but like that's a big reason why we transfer to social media really well because
it's vertical and so we we start 10 meters back we meet there that's where the screen is you know
what i mean there's a lot more highlights exactly where union scrum line out all the vibey players
out on the wing somewhere it gets like just a little bit harder to transfer over yeah no i think
um i wanted to go to a um a lions game this year i just never got to go there they had a run this
year but i backed them too oh yeah i backed them i thought they were going to win yeah i jumped on
the collingwood bandwagon after being at that one oh yeah because the guy who interviewed us he was
best mate um to goey he's basically like the cam monster of like collingwood oh yeah like gets in a
little bit of trouble back in a day but like when big moments come he seems to be there that's how
he explained it to me i was like that's my guy i guess dusty martin yeah yeah i was like yeah
that's my guy yeah exactly he's a leaky yeah oh yeah yeah i wanted to get around it because like
dan rich uh from brazil he was like come and did like a lot of the kick and stuff of
shawnee o'sullivan and the boys too and like i've met him a few times and that like when i was at
tonight he's like a wicked fella and yeah you see bloody uh bruma and all that we're getting around
doing the job like the charlie cameron and stuff like that you know i don't want to get around it
i'll just i just didn't i just don't understand it at all i'm getting like i'm getting better like
i'm enjoying it so all right bro you're 32 33 now coming in um coming towards the end what do you
want to be known for and what do you want to do after football yeah well so i still got next year
and i reckon i want to go two more after two more after two more after that and i reckon i'll be
i'll be 35 and i'll be uh no one plays better than the guy coming off contract
first that preseason oh let's just come doing on the rollers you're watching this way i'm just
coming i'm coming off bro yeah um but now i i i'm still not really sure what i want to do like
i love doing the media i love you know talking to radio and all that sort of stuff and i you know i
enjoyed that um but i'm still not sure and i think like i think when it starts to come to the time of
finishing like i'll probably know what i want to do uh because like i have so many opportunities
and um you know that like i know i could go down but it's hard to be like that's exactly what i do
when i'm like but i'm about to try and resign yeah like it's one of those things and i'm just
not sure yet like i also to be honest like and i've sat down with my my missus and said like
you know what am i going to do like if i was to ride and she's like because she owns her
own company and she could support us and stuff like that which is sweet so i actually wanted
to be able to kick back and for my you know six months 12 months and spend time with my family
man and and be able to take my kids to school every day and pick them up every day and and
yeah do all the things that like for the last 15 years like i've missed out on you know and
birthdays and father's days and all that sort of stuff be able to actually be there
yeah and and not kind of rushing in and out because i've got to go to training or
miss it because i'm in sydney playing footy you know and stuff like that so
hoping that i i get myself to a position where i can kick back for like 12 months and just
just be completely engulfed in family and have time with them love that yeah that'll be the best
i reckon all right my friend thanks for jumping on i appreciate your time i appreciate you brother go
the dolphins hey i'll do a show about the peppers you probably don't know where it is
all right thank you