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I'm Mike Boris, and this is Straight Talk.
Looking for Swahili.
Joseph, Akuso, Swahili.
Welcome to Straight Talk, mate.
Obviously, they headhunted you.
You're someone who may be able to save the side.
Do you feel pressure?
The reason I wanted to go was always I wanted to play in a Lions tour.
I still remember to this day.
As a kid, I watched it on TV, and I was like, all right, this is what I want to do one day.
Do you think it'll encourage other younger blokes to continue on the rugby union path?
When we do play this spring tour and the Lions tour,
and the Home Bowl Cup,
I feel like a lot of kids are going to be inspired to play in a green and gold jersey
or a waratahs jersey.
I feel like that's probably the biggest thing for Australian rugby.
You did get selected for Origin.
You had one game of Origin.
It didn't last that long.
Can we just quickly talk about that?
What actually happened?
Joseph, Akuso, Swahili.
Get that right, mate, didn't I?
I've been practising all morning.
I want to get it right.
I want to get it right.
Otherwise, nickname.
At the Roosters, at least.
Sue, welcome to Straight Talk, mate.
No, thank you very much.
Thanks for having me.
So we got you on this show.
You're mid-training now.
You're in the Wallabies.
Not in the Wallabies.
They haven't announced anything at least.
They actually announced it an hour ago.
Are you in the side?
Yeah, in the side.
Yeah, I was actually stoked.
Yeah, family were calling.
Everyone was happy.
Yeah, everyone was over the moon.
Honestly, the season's just finished.
And yeah, just straight into – we had a camp on Monday, Tuesday last week.
And then, yeah, just straight into it.
I knew you were in the camp.
I didn't realize it was – so it's just been announced.
How are you feeling?
It's actually – yeah, crazy.
Like I was saying before, it's the whole year.
I was just looking – like this time now, I've been reflecting a lot over the last four
years and especially this year as well.
And then everything just honestly has gone so fast.
It's gone way too fast.
Kind of, you know, yeah, even now just being in the Wallabies squad, I'm just like, you
know, just stoked.
What position did they call you out?
There's no position.
I haven't had a proper position where I've been trained or anything like that.
Do it announce 20 or what do they announce?
I know there's two squads.
There's a Wallabies A – like Wallabies A and then the Wallabies that are going on a
So yeah, I'm not sure how many in the squad.
Do you have any idea where you might be playing that?
I think – yeah, I spoke – I spoke – yeah.
I'm going to coach like 13, 15.
That's where like I'll be training and then yeah, just see where I'll go from there.
For our general audience, what does 13, 15 play?
So 13 is outside center and then 15 is a fullback.
Do you have a preference?
Not really to be honest.
Like I grew up playing yeah, 13, 15 wing.
I've always played like a lot of positions growing up in union.
Yeah, a bit different than league.
I played – like growing up in league, I honestly just played fullback 5'8".
I never ever played in the center or wing.
I was always fullback 5'8", like the spine position.
So yeah, that was good.
So I'd like to go back a little bit.
So a lot of people do know you but a lot of people don't know you.
A lot of people know you – they know of you now but let's go back to young Joseph
going back years ago.
You're only 21 I think.
You're only 21, aren't you?
Let's go back to when you were at Penrith before you went off to King.
So what's the deal?
Like your dad's Samoan from Samoa or born in Samoa?
Yeah, born there, yeah.
Yeah, so your dad and he's married to your mom obviously
but your mom's background is what?
Cambodian-Australian.
Cambodian-Australian, okay.
So that's an unusual mix.
Yeah, so my old man, he come over from Samoa when he was maybe 12 or 13,
like quite young and yeah, mom was brought up in Australia.
Her grandpa come over from –
Cambodia when he was like maybe 20 or 21 and then, yeah,
I think like the Vietnam War happened over there and then he couldn't go back
so he ended up just staying here and then my parents ended up meeting
at a train station out – Kingswood.
Yeah, I think at Kingswood train station.
Kingswood, we've got a club out there actually.
Yeah, Kingswood train station I think they met.
So yeah, and then from there –
So were you at Penrith Junior?
Yeah, Penrith Junior growing up, played under fours.
I was at – started at St. Mary's and then under fours at Brothers
and then from there just played at –
Yeah, Glenmore Park.
Yeah, Glenmore Park Brumbies.
Did your dad play footy in Samoa?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, he did.
He played – well, he actually played a little bit over here too
but he had my sister quite young at maybe 17 or 18.
He had my sister and then yeah, from there he just kind of just stopped playing footy
and looked after the kids.
Yeah, yeah, he was looking after the kids.
And is your mom sporty?
Yeah, she played a bit of volleyball and that a little bit growing up
but she always says that – no, my old man always says that.
I get more athletic ability from him.
My mom is quietly in the background saying, no, it's from me.
So who do you look more like though?
I look like my mom a lot but my old man, he's like short and like stocky.
So yeah, I don't look like my dad at all.
So where do you get your height from?
Yeah, it's weird.
My uncles are all tall.
So my dad's like – he's real short and then you look at my uncles,
they're all like tall.
They're all like 6'3", 6'4".
And my old man is like way under 6'4".
Yeah, yeah, he's like short and stocky.
Yeah, he's built.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, he's built.
He's totally built.
So that's a pretty unusual combination by the way of sort of two
totally different backgrounds.
What do you think that culturally you get from that?
Let's put sport aside, footy aside.
Just put culturally.
What do you get out of mom being from Asia, Asian background,
your dad being from Pacific Islands?
I think from like Pacific Islands, I get a lot of that,
just being very proud of like family, where I'm from,
and sometimes like, what can you say, very like outgoing.
I can be outgoing, but from my mom's side, mom's very like intrinsic.
Same as my grandpa, very intrinsic, very, you know,
soft-spoken kind of thing like that.
So I feel like I've got a good balance between both.
Bit of yin and yang.
Yeah, bit of yin and yang.
But yeah, I feel like I get a bit of both from, yeah, like that outgoing.
And then, you know, when I'm at home, when I'm comfortable around people,
I feel like I'm very out there.
And, you know, say we go out, like I'm very dense around and stuff like that.
Well, you've got your own band.
You're in the band with Joey.
Yeah, that's Joey who runs that.
So we do a little bit of that, but I feel like, yeah, culturally,
I still want to learn a little bit more about my Cambodian side.
I feel like I haven't really tapped into that a lot.
My old man used to try to teach me like Samoan and stuff when I was growing up,
but I was a very, I just didn't listen.
It's interesting, Joe, because like I come from a mixed background like that too.
And one always, not dominates, but one ends up,
usually when the most people are, like my dad's side's got more family,
It just sort of dilutes my mother's side.
But as I got older, when I started getting older,
I started to become much more interested in the Irish part of it.
But do you think that, is it because your dad's side's a much bigger family?
Because, by the way, Samoans, Pacific Islanders generally,
I mean, I wasn't aware of this, and pardon me for my ignorance,
but I always knew that Pacific Islanders generally,
generally are very family-oriented.
But when we had recently, out of the roosters, out of the stadium,
we got all the guys who were leaving and their parents and their wives
or kids and brothers and sisters and stuff like that,
I got like blown away by the importance of family amongst all you guys
in our side, just in our team, particularly the ones,
and particularly the ones who are leaving,
and there's a few like you and Jared, et cetera.
And what you've sort of looked like to me, you guys, you've dragged along.
The Aussie guys as well, like to sort of participate the same way.
You know, Teddy's got his wife and family there,
and, you know, like Kaz, Kiri's got his family.
It's sort of like they've seen you guys with your family elements
and actually you brought the best out of them.
And I don't want to, and Rad's the same.
I don't want to overplay it, but do you see that like?
Yeah, a little bit.
You could say, especially with my family, like every NRL,
I'll get a little bit of that.
I'll get a little bit of that.
I'll get a little bit of that.
Every single game I've played, they've been at every single game.
Like even my aunties, my uncles, my like extended family,
like they've come to every single game.
Even when we're playing Brizzy, they'll drive all the way to Brizzy
Even in Melbourne, they'll all drive down.
Yeah, and it's just like I've always, you always feel that support
kind of thing as you're playing.
Yeah, it's very, like I don't really say much to my family.
Obviously, I'll say thanks for coming and stuff like that,
but it's a big thing when you're playing, knowing that your family's
in the crowd somewhere.
Sometimes you don't see them when you're running out,
but yeah, it's very, it's weird.
It's like you can't really put words to it kind of thing,
but honestly, it's very-
Yeah, comforting.
You know, if my mum and dad are in the crowd and my cousins and all that,
you know, you know, 40,000 people are going to be in the stands,
but you know that the people that you're playing for and, you know,
why you're doing that are there.
It's very, yeah, comforting.
Because it's funny, and again, sort of mostly this year,
I've noticed it more than I ever noticed before,
and it's not just us.
It's, you know, they do it at Penrith, et cetera.
But I've noticed, I don't know, what is it, lei?
What's that, the thing they put around your necks at the end of the game?
I should know what it's called.
But do you know the thing I'm talking about?
It's sort of like a wreath, but it's not a wreath.
It's a lei or something like that, and it's got like,
it's got lollies or something.
What's it got on there?
I know what you're talking about.
Yeah, so a lot of like lollies.
It's just like a celebration.
Yeah, a lot of colours.
Sometimes they put, I don't know, like a tongue twister,
for their culture, like their symbols and stuff behind it.
Some ones might do that the same.
I feel like it's every, like someone graduates from school,
they'll do it after a big game, a milestone.
Like Satili played his 100th game, and his whole family come down
and suddenly give him, his whole neck was filled up.
Yeah, it was totally awesome.
Yeah, it was awesome.
I feel like that's, it's funny because the aunties would stay overnight
It takes a long time just to even do one.
They hand make it.
Yeah, yeah, hand make it, yeah.
And it's just, it takes a long time.
That's just, you know, getting a special from, you know,
your aunties, your uncles, and then every loved one would come
and give you one.
And then most of the boys, they don't even give one to the boys
kind of thing like that.
So it's just like sharing love around.
I've never really noticed it before.
This year seemed to be much more prevalent.
I saw Penrith doing it as well.
And I saw Spencer's family do it too.
So just maybe you just, for my sake, explain to me,
is there much difference, you mentioned Tongan,
is there much difference?
Between Samoan and Tongan cultures?
They're based around the same like family religion.
It's based around the same things, but it's weird.
It's competitive.
Yeah, it's very competitive.
It's very competitive, but at the end of the day, we love each other.
But it's very competitive at the same time,
like between Tongans and Samoans.
You grow up and you're a proud Samoan.
You know what I mean?
You're going against a Tongan.
You're like, no, no, Samoan's better.
It's always like that kind of thing.
But at the end of the day, like when we come back together,
it's like, you know, we're like brothers at the end of the day.
And because what we in Australia originally really only ever knew was Maori.
And it's probably been over the last 10 years,
we started to become, I guess also with the Pacific Islands matches
that are being played, like they're being played at the moment.
Australians have really thought about Fijians as rugby league players
or as a real big culture.
Or Samoan or Tongan or Cook Island for that matter.
We just looked at Maori.
But what's become a really important part of our culture now,
in rugby league at least, is all of them.
And there may even be more that I haven't named.
I don't know anymore, but there may be more that I haven't named.
As a kid growing up, were you aware of that when you were living
out of Penrith or was it just normal out there?
Well, there was a lot of like Islanders.
Yeah, that was just normal growing up where I grew up.
Like Western Sydney, there's a lot of everyone.
My old man, he grew up in Moundrew, that's where a lot of Pacific Islanders are.
I feel like when you play footy, you're going against Pacific Islanders.
These boys are big.
I'm saying I was big as well when I was growing up.
But yeah, I feel like it was just everywhere I went
because my aunties and uncles would live around the corner.
I was just brought up in that.
Yeah, village, kind of thing like that.
And then obviously friends.
Work friends would be Pacific Islanders.
And then it was just always around that Pacific Islander.
Even going to church growing up as well was always around Pacific Islanders.
So it was just normal kind of thing like that.
So when you're – I read somewhere that – were you a high jumper?
I can't remember, like 15 or something like that?
So it was actually – I started doing high jump maybe like year four,
year five, and then year six like in primary school.
Twelve years old.
Yeah, twelve years old.
And I honestly was just doing it just to get days of school.
Yeah, but you were good at it though.
Yeah, actually, yeah, I was all right.
I can't imagine you trying to jump over anything now.
You'd be a bit too big.
Were you a skinny kid?
I was always like maybe year four.
Going into year five, I hit like a growth spurt and I went up to –
honestly, I was like 6'3", like straight away.
Yeah, yeah, straight away, like year five and year six.
Before you – that's even before you were in high school.
Yeah, before high school.
Because I was just like a normal – honestly, I was just normal height.
And then, yeah, I think, yeah, going like year five, year six around there,
I shot up straight to 6'3".
My shoe size went straight to 14.
And I was just – my mom was like, oh, what's going on?
Like I was eating so much food.
Better get him to the doctor.
There's something wrong with him.
I was eating that much food.
I was like – I still remember at home.
I was just like eating everything.
And then, yeah, it shot up.
And then, yeah, I was 6'3".
So were you always athletic at that point or –
I was always like nippy, like nippy fast.
I was always around like 40 ball.
My old man and I used to like – I don't know, we'd kick the ball like all day.
Like honestly, we'd just – any type of ball, like basketball,
was just always like – I was always out and about.
I was always just like full of energy.
I'm not sure if I had anything wrong with me,
but I was always just like always outside just like, you know,
just trying to do something.
Yeah, so I was always like that as a kid.
Were you playing footy in the Penrith comp?
Rugby league and rugby union or just one or the other?
Rugby league and I started playing union to get days off school.
Yeah, before Kings in like year five and six.
Went to a school, primary school in Glenwood Park
called Regentville Public School.
And then, yeah, it was funny because honestly, I would just –
there's like a thing where you make like New South Wales,
PWSA teams and like – so if you make a district team,
you get one day off.
Ours was City West.
You get three days off.
And then if you made the New South Wales team, you get a week off.
And then in year five, I made like union and league.
And then in year six, I made league, union, basketball, athletics and AFL.
And then I was in contention for touch but then I couldn't
because one of them crossed over.
And then it was funny.
I'm actually – shout out to my primary school teacher
because she actually helped me big time because I wasn't even at school.
I wasn't even at school.
You always exercise training.
I was always out like – I was always playing and we always used to have to travel
and then always get back after, you know, sit down and study.
And then, yeah, it's honestly like – it was actually one of the best –
Times of my life doing that.
Just like traveling around the states and stuff like that.
It was actually, yeah, great fun.
So how did you end up at King's?
Because, you know, that's a pretty expensive joint
and a pretty sort of elite place to get educated.
It was actually funny.
We trained in year six at King's and I said to my mum walking away from the school,
I was like, mum, like I want to go here.
And my mum like knew straight away.
She was like – she kind of not laughed at me but she's always given me like belief and faith.
She's always been like, son, like, you know, it's going to cost like 60 grand a year
like to go to one of these schools.
And then me being oblivious, I'm like, no, I'm going to – like I've always had that thing.
I'm like, no, I'm going to do it.
Like this is what I want to do.
And then anyway, I applied at different schools.
Like I applied to Scott's, Newington I think as well.
And Scott's gave me a scholarship, like maybe like not a full scholarship
but my parents, we still couldn't afford it.
Anyway, then I enrolled into my primary – like my local high school
which was like Jamieson High School.
Is it a sporting school?
Oh, I don't think it is.
I think it's just like –
Just a local state school.
Yeah, local state school.
And then in my head still, I was like still just, no, I want to go to one of these schools.
And then maybe like two weeks before orientation, the Panassini's –
Will Panassini, he's at Parramatta.
He got – he was starting year eight at King's.
And they dropped my name saying like, oh, there's a kid, you know, who wants to come here.
Like blah, blah, blah.
He plays a bit of sport.
He plays a bit of sport and stuff like that.
I feel like he can be, you know, benefit to the school.
And then I did my interview and then honestly, like, yeah, maybe then –
on the day I went for orientation at King's, like I didn't have any uniform or nothing,
rocked up, put the uniform on and I was just gone.
Like just like that.
It was just like, yeah, honestly crazy.
But yeah, the school's just – yeah, the King's school was honestly one of the best things
that's happened to my family and all.
Yeah, no, it's – and of course, you know, everyone heard about you.
So, you know, I remember stories.
I don't even know if they're true or not.
Like the kid in year nine, he's playing the first 15.
I played first basketball in year seven.
Yeah, year seven.
I played first basketball in year seven.
It was – yeah, it was cool.
It was – looking back on it now, I'm just like a lot of things I could do back when
It was just like just pure just off, you know, just having fun.
Just like obviously hard work too.
We used to always train a lot as well.
But I was just like – I feel like I was very gifted as a young kid.
But as well, I always had that, you know, that hard work as well.
And then, yeah, I played – you know, year seven, played first basketball.
And then, yeah, year nine, played first rugby.
Oh, so that's true.
Yeah, yeah, true.
I was playing, yeah, first rugby – yeah, first in year nine as well.
And how much do you think playing rugby league in your early years actually helped you at
schoolboy level to play first?
In rugby union when you – apart from the fact you're much – you're bigger than
every other boy in year nine, I guess.
But how much is – how much skill do you get to play in rugby league relative to helping
you play at the top level, at school level in rugby union?
I feel like obviously you've got the – like the skill and the toughness of, you know,
you've got to play rugby league.
But I feel like the different sports I like, basketball, AFL, growing up, even, you know,
league helped – even playing union all helped me.
And for on here, I could play different sports by, you know, just taking different parts
of different sports into different things I played.
So, you borrow from skills that you learned from different sports for the particular sport
you might be playing on the particular day.
Yeah, yeah, 100%.
I'd always – yeah, I feel like you subconsciously just pick up on different skills and see,
you know, different ways of doing things on a footy field or basketball court and just
apply it to whatever sport I was playing.
I feel like that helped me quite a bit.
And playing at a young age, playing first 15 at a young age, I feel like that helped a lot.
So, most people wouldn't realize, but I mean, what, six foot five?
What are you, 190 something?
Yeah, probably like – I reckon six foot four, six foot five.
Yeah, around there, yeah.
And what do you weigh?
So, that's like a perfect weight for an outside back in rugby union or rugby league.
Were you sort of always around those sorts of 90 – high 90s when you were at school?
Yeah, like when I was in year nine, I was around, yeah, like 90.
Like around there, like just under 90 kind of thing.
Yeah, year nine, 15.
I was very tall and like skinny kind of thing.
And I'm just like slowly just built muscle, yeah.
Because one of the things – I mean, I watch you play every week for the last couple of
years, but like one of the things I notice is that you just run at people you don't seem
to give a shit and you run flat out.
There's no in between for Joseph.
Like he's sort of – you know, some guys will change their speed at a certain point.
You just – when you get the ball, you just –
Got the ball and you're going straight for it.
And whoever on the other side has to tackle you.
Were you always like that as a player, as a young bloke?
You know, it's actually funny.
As a kid growing up, I was always playing like fullback 5'8".
So I was always used to like, you know, using my hands, especially – or when I was younger
too, like, yeah, I was always just using my hands, stepping.
More creative growing up.
I feel like, you know, coming into the Roosters system, it's all about, you know, like power
You know, power game's the first thing.
And then playoff, that kind of thing.
And then I come in as a winger.
Yeah, that's right.
I was like 17, 18.
And at the start, I was like – I remember like, you know, Jazz was like, come on, run
It's Gerard Hargraves.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
You got to get the, you know, play the ball like – and I'm like, I'll do anything for
That's my always sort of mentality.
I've always had anything for the team.
And I never used to run the ball like – like growing up, I would always be –
Yeah, fast and direct.
I'd always be like, you know, step.
Blah, blah, blah.
Like, dude, like all this fancy stuff.
And then, I don't know.
I think when I was like, yeah, my first year and second year in NRL, I was just like, I'm
just going to pin my ears back and just go.
Like, every time I get the ball, I would just get like – especially in yardage, I was
always like, I don't care who it is.
It's either I'm going to go at him or the gap or, you know, and just try to get that
quick play before the team.
And then, yeah, I feel like I just kind of, you know, built that reputation coming in
and then, yeah, kind of just stuck.
Well, everybody wanted you.
I think you were 18 or 17.
I think everybody – everyone was having a crack for you because I remember hearing
about it, you know, in various meetings in our club.
And, of course, Roosters was successful in the end.
What does that do to a kid when you're, you know, 17 years of age and, you know, people
throwing money around?
You know, you're in demand.
How do you keep yourself in check, like, you know, from an ego point of view?
And I will say straight up, you never displayed any ego.
Is that your parents or is that your upbringing?
Yeah, I think, yeah, parents.
I think parents was the big one.
Or even the school I was at.
It was actually the school played a big role.
You're still at school?
Yeah, I was still at school.
Because I was boarding at school.
I was living there.
So I was always around my good mates, my best mates.
I'd always, like, sometimes I'd go back on the weekend.
I'd always see my family.
It was a weird dynamic because I was always in the media, like media, but at school at
So I was just like –
I always knew there was a lot of talk around myself, but to be honest, when I look back
on it, I don't really know how I dealt with it.
It was just like, all right, next job, that kind of thing like that.
It was just like I knew what path I wanted to go on and I was all right with that because
I always knew, like, I was like, all right, I want to play in the NRL when I'm 17.
Like, I've always had this thing in my mind.
It's like, no, I want to do this kind of thing.
And from there, it's just always just been, all right, I'm going to do that.
Do my next thing.
Do you read the papers though?
Oh, when I was first coming in, I think it was in the papers when I was like maybe 13
I was saying I was the next filial coming through.
I remember that, yeah.
And I was like – at the start, it was exciting.
I was like, oh, cool.
This is pretty cool being in the paper and stuff like that.
Oh, especially being sort of compared to him.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Because I loved him growing up.
I was like – this is one of my idols.
I was like, oh, this is cool, like being in the paper for the first time.
And then, you know, it's like, all right, it's been a couple of times now.
It's like now the pressure is starting to come into your head kind of thing like that.
And you're like – you're thinking about it a little bit.
And then you're just like – I think at the time, I was just – how would I say I was
I was honestly just, you know, staying with family.
They were always, you know, keeping me grounded.
What would they say to you?
What would your dad say?
No, my parents don't really say a lot.
They're very comforting.
Like the way – just their presence there is very comforting.
But I've never had – my parents, they're very – they don't talk a lot.
They're very – how could you say it?
Very loving people.
I think just the love from them to myself always.
I just knew that –
That's all I needed.
That kept me comfort.
Just, you know, just keep on playing footy, just loving the game, things like that.
I think that really helped me a lot.
We're happy to get you exempted to play underage – well, that's called underage,
but earlier than most.
When your first game – did anyone – who was your first game against?
Did anyone from the Broncos say, welcome to first grade, kid, and give you a good clip?
It wasn't – not really.
Honestly, it happened like a blur, like my first NRL game.
Because I was still at school.
Yeah, I remember.
I was still at school, like – it was funny because I was like – any day that we're
training, like boys get the off day, but I was like sitting in class at school.
It was actually funny.
I used to go into class and everyone used to clap me in because I was like – I was
Like I was never at school.
So especially my best mates, I would be the one who were raring like, oh, this guy's
back at school, going on a thing like that.
But I was never there.
But yeah, going back to the game, yeah, honestly, it just happened like a blur.
I played five games that season.
And then I had my foot injury, so.
Because we were worried you were going to get hurt.
Because I remember Sonny Bill, when he first started playing, I mean, he used to do a lot
of shoulder charges on blokes.
And I think you might have even done a couple of shoulder charges over the years.
But I remember he got injured a lot because he wasn't a man at that stage.
He didn't have man body.
You're still developing.
And you've got a boy's body, a teenager's body, I guess, because you were still a teenager.
And we were concerned, or I was always thinking to myself, I hope this kid doesn't get injured,
You did your foot.
Yeah, my left foot.
There's some weird thing.
What is that called?
Oh, it's something from a horse.
Something like that.
Someone tried to explain it to me.
It's some small thing, though.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's like a separation in your foot.
So you've got fire.
You've got bones in your foot.
And a little bit of separation can like...
Do your mischief kind of thing like that.
And I was out, yeah, for like five or six months.
Because I thought to myself, oh, God, you know, I hope he hasn't sort of done like a
permanent injury that's going to keep repeating itself.
But when you played, first played in those first five games, did anybody give you a tickle
up like our blokes?
No, it was like...
I remember one guy I went against, it was against Penrith.
I think it was my third or second or third game.
I think it was Fisher.
Because I was playing center at the time.
And I'm like, you know, kickoff carries and, you know, they run.
And I'm like, oh, here we go.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And I was like, oh, here we go.
And he's like looking at me and I'm like, oh, God, here we go.
And like, you know, just trying to tackle him.
And I'm like, you know, I've got here.
And he's coming over the top, said something.
He's probably just in the game, like, you know, saying something.
But I was just like, that was the first time I was like, oh, okay, I'm here.
Like, you know what I mean?
Like NRL standard kind of thing like that.
But that was good.
Yeah, it was a good thing.
Like I needed it, like kind of thing, so.
Because I remember you nailed a few blokes.
I can't remember who specifically nailed, but you did nail a few blokes,
particularly when you're playing out.
It might have been out on the wing.
You came in and you did hit a few blokes pretty hard in your early stages,
in your early stages, like full front, like just full speed, totally fearless.
It was definitely a teenager, like inexperienced rugby league player,
NRL player, but definitely a teenager, fearless.
Blokes, do you remember doing that?
Like did you pick out blokes?
Here's someone I just want to really put him down.
Like now, because I know like this like system and stuff like that,
I know when to like pick my times of coming out, like when not to
You know, like when you first come in, it was just like, all right,
like who can I smash?
It was just like.
Yeah, and line them up.
Yeah, like who can I run at and kill and who can I, you know,
like smash kind of thing.
It was just like, it was like that my first couple, you know,
the first couple of games in NRL.
Did somebody grab hold of you in the club, in the team,
I should say, in your team and sort of not become your mentor,
but like, I don't know, sort of your guide?
Is there any one particular person?
I'll always say there's always four people I've looked up to in the club
and it's always been Jared, Ria Hargraves, Luke Keery,
Daniel Tupou and Joey Manu.
And I feel like I've always gravitated towards them four.
I've always, I don't know, I'm real good mates with Daniel.
Good mates with all of them.
But yeah, I feel like I've always just taken,
Joey and Daniel helped me like big time coming in when I was first like
during school, you know, taking me under their wing
and just showing me the ropes and how to like,
I knew I could always train and stuff like that,
but just the little things you've got to know to play in NRL
and I was always just asking them questions
and they were always, you know, good back to me as well,
just, you know, just showing me different things and different.
So you've got two bit of talk.
You've got two bit of talk.
Yeah, two bits of talk.
Two bits of talk.
Two bits of talk.
He was my roommate this year.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'm always that young kid, always just annoying him.
So he's one of the best people you'll meet in your life.
He's a great man.
I can't believe that the ones you just named other than Toops
have just been resigned, but the others are going.
Like and yourself.
I mean, and then obviously Satili as well,
although he's going to Canterbury,
but the others are sort of going out of the game.
Well, two of them are going to England.
I mean, I know Jarrod's going to go.
Someone said to me in England,
in the Super League competition,
you can't hit above this part of the chest, like Rugby Union,
and we'll talk about that for you in a moment.
But I don't know how Jarrod's going to do it.
I said to Jarrod, man, how are you going to go tackling below that?
I said, you'll probably play three games for a year.
How do you reckon he's going to go?
I reckon he'll have a lot of holidays there, I can tell you that.
Yeah, I don't think he's ever tackled below the chest.
I don't know, ever in his whole career.
So you've had a great career at the Roosters,
and you've met some great people.
You're an extraordinarily important part of,
you know, how Robbo built the team and, you know, the way we play.
You played, you did get selected for Origin,
you had one game of Origin, which didn't last that long.
Can we just quickly talk about that?
Was that, I know you, you don't have any malice in you.
I know you don't play with malice.
I mean, not everyone's like that,
but you're one of those people who doesn't have any malice.
So I can't imagine when it happened,
I can't imagine that you went out there to take his head off.
What actually happened?
Did he slip under you?
Was you just too high?
Error of judgment?
Yeah, like, I look back on it now,
and even just the whole lead up towards the game,
I was very excited.
I feel like I learned a lot just about playing in them big games,
about, okay, what's my process going into the game kind of thing.
I felt like I was very excited, you know.
I wanted to go in straight away, get a carry,
which, like, I always want to start the game fast.
Is that because that makes you settle down a little bit
because you've had a carry or you've done a tackle?
Every time I go in the game, I'm always trying to find a carry
just to get into the game.
Does that settle your nerves down or something?
Yeah, a little bit.
I feel like you can go missing in games as well.
Like, if you're not going to get in, like,
I remember my first NRL, Cowboy NRL games,
I was like, you know, I'm watching the game.
I'm like, I'm not even playing the game because I'm watching it.
Whereas now, I feel like, all right, give me a carry,
give me a tackle, get myself involved in the game,
and then I'm in the game, kind of thing like that.
And that was always a thing I wanted to do in the first game.
Does Madge, did he say that type of thing?
Does he tell you, Joseph, you've got to get in early, get started?
I feel like it was just-
I've been working a lot with a sports psych.
I feel like, you know, we always, each week,
we'd go into a game and be like, all right,
how are we going to, you know, target this game
or how are we going to, like, what's the plan going into it?
And it's always been very simple for myself
just to get a carry early and get into the game kind of thing.
And then with the Origin game, I felt like I did that,
got a quick carry, and then my next thing was, all right,
let's get involved by, you know, making a decision or a tackle.
And then I saw Walsh come down the short side
and I had Gussie on my three man.
And then I'm like, all right.
You know, looking back on it, I shouldn't have went.
It was, Gussie was on my inside, like, as in yardage too.
So, like, I didn't really need to go.
It should have been his tackle.
Yeah, like, well, he was-
He would have, like, did and would have went out at the back.
And then Gussie, obviously, Walsh got speed,
but I trust Gussie to get there.
Like, looking at it now, like, I shouldn't have went.
But I'm always on the back more, you know, instinct and more.
So, is that an example of you using your instinct over your judgment?
And how often do you have to do that in rugby league?
Oh, you've got to do it a lot, I feel like.
I feel like you need to have that, you know, your logical
and then you've got, like, your instinct kind of thing.
And I feel like the more games you play in the NRL,
the logical starts to come up a lot.
I feel like when you first come in, it's a lot of, like, instinct.
But you've still got to keep that instinct.
I feel like that's where you get some of the best players in the game.
But I feel like if you have a balance between both,
that's where you get the best.
So, you're trying to work out where your optimum is.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
You've got to find out, like, what works for you,
kind of thing like that.
So, yeah, like, going back to the tackle,
I should have not gone, but I did go.
I backed my instinct.
And you can't pull out.
I can't pull out.
Like, I'm not going to pull out.
But I should have maybe had, like, smaller feet going into contact
if I look back on it.
How do you mean small feet?
So, when you tackle, you tackle with your feet.
And the best tacklers always have, like, short feet going into contact.
Short steps, you mean?
Yeah, short steps, I meant.
But, you know, I was covering a big distance,
so I should have had shorter feet.
Can I just add something?
Does that mean if you're running towards Walsh,
you can take your big steps?
To get there in time?
But then as you get there, you should shorten your steps down?
Shorten your steps up to, like, you know.
What, does that allow you to go laterally?
Yeah, like, if you see Stephen Croydon or Joey Manu,
they're very good at, you know, getting to the space
and then short feet.
And then your last foot should be, you know,
if you're going to tackle with your right shoulder,
then your right foot should be right where they are,
Whereas if you go big steps, you're going to.
So, is that technical?
Yeah, it's technical too.
And then, yeah, back to the tackle.
I was sure he did slip.
He did a bit, yeah.
And then my height, I could have been lower.
Like, honestly, I didn't mean to hit him in the head at all.
I didn't mean to hit him in the head at all.
But you would have liked to hit him in the chest.
Yeah, I would have loved to have got the chest.
Like, if I had the chest.
Are you thinking that?
I want to get him in the chest?
No, honestly, I don't really think that, like,
like I said about that logical instinct.
I feel like I've been a lot, you know,
on that instinct side when I play.
And I feel like it was just,
honestly, it was just an accident.
Like, I didn't really.
Obviously, I go into a game saying I want to play
with an intensity and blah, blah, blah.
But, yeah, when I hit him in the head,
it was just like, I didn't know if I was going to get,
I didn't, because I didn't know I got him flush
on the head until I got back and I saw it on the replay
and I was like, I didn't know I was going to get sent off.
He made the right call, like, at the end of the day.
He made the right call of sending me off.
How did you feel?
Like, what's the feeling that goes through you
when he goes, Joseph, come over here?
I thought, like, I don't know, a slight chance
if I was going to get, like, 10 minutes or something like that.
But I knew, like, you know, you know once you, you know,
you've done something, you're just like, yeah,
you get sent off and you kind of walk into change rooms
and then you just, the first thing you think about
Because, you know, you train that whole 10-day camp
just to get to this game and, you know, you want to win.
That's how I feel.
And then, yeah, you just felt like you let a lot of people down.
I felt like I let the team down and then that was the main thing.
I felt like I let the team down.
What did they say to you when they came down?
No, it was very comforting.
Like, everyone was very, they knew, like, I was, like,
very, like, disappointed kind of thing like that.
So they knew, like, all right, get around him.
There's still two more games.
There's still two more games.
So everyone was very.
What did Madge say?
Madge said the same thing.
Like, he didn't mean to, you know, like, go for his head.
So, like, it wasn't a thing of anyone getting angry or.
It was actually very.
You know, Madge brought me into, like, the camp for game two
and then put me on the extended bench for Origin 3 as well.
Yeah, which was very good just to be still part of the, you know,
the New South Wales, yeah, even though I'd only played a couple minutes.
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By the way, before and prior to that, actually, you went to Vegas.
Can we talk about Vegas?
How good was that?
It was unreal for me.
I was expecting it.
But like, how good was it for you as a player?
Oh, like, even just the whole lead up because we went to LA.
We're training there.
I feel like it was one of the best experiences I've had in my life.
Just like, I've always loved traveling.
That was always a, you know, a thing of myself.
I've always loved traveling and just trying, like, you know,
I know the world's big.
So I've always, you know, I've always wanted to experience different things
and, you know, being able to go to UCLA,
What else did we do?
We went, I think, to the Raiders facility.
We trained there.
Went to an NBA basketball game, watched LeBron play.
I'm one of my favorite players.
Yeah, watched LeBron play, like, live.
That was cool too.
But I just experienced it with, like, you know, your best mates as well.
I feel like that's just, even, like, going to dinners and stuff like that,
it's just like, yeah, you look back at it now and you're just like,
man, that was pretty good.
And I guess I really can't go past,
and I have to raise it before I get onto the rugby union,
but Nick, what do you, what would you say about Nick?
I mean, everyone, you know, he often referred to Uncle Nick
and all that sort of stuff, the godfather of rugby league, blah, blah.
But what was your experience with Nick Pilatus, our chairman?
I first met Nick when I was, you know, 17.
I was deciding to come, like, where I wanted to go.
I was wanting to go to the union or stay at Rabideau's
or come to the Roosters.
And then I remember I was sitting there and I went to his house,
went to Nick's house near the opera house.
You know, went up.
I was like, oh, this is nice.
Like, you know, this is nice.
I've never been to one of these fancy houses before.
But I think straight away, like, Nick doesn't say, like,
he doesn't say too much, but he's very, same thing as my parents.
He's very, like, confident in the way he, you know, approaches you,
It's all about family, like, for him.
And he's always included myself, but it's always been my family too.
And I feel like that's always hit home for myself.
And I think, yeah, Nick's always just, if you need a hand with anything,
you always know Nick.
It's always there for, not just for yourself, but your family,
which is the biggest part of why I gravitated towards coming towards
Because I just knew straight away within, you know,
meeting Nick and Robbo, it was just, yeah,
that was the first two things.
But, yeah, Nick, honestly, he's a great man.
He doesn't say too much, but he's very, back to the word, comforting.
But he treats the club like a family.
Like the whole club.
Not just to myself, just like every player and their family.
He's the whole squad.
And I feel like the best thing, we talk about it as a crew, the Roosters,
even just like, we'll go for midweek lunches or midweek dinners, you know,
and he would take us out for dinner and we're talking to the board.
Like, you know, like boys would say other clubs.
They wouldn't even meet their board, kind of thing like that.
And then we always say like, man, like we get to go, you know,
dinners like, you know, Tuesday week.
Just go to dinner and meet the whole board.
And, you know, Nick's like, you know,
he's always looking after it, kind of thing like that.
And it's just like, yeah, you don't,
I don't feel like many organizations have that.
I'm not sure I haven't been to any other different, or won't be able to,
but I feel like, you know, everyone having that relationship with Nick,
obviously everyone knows him, but like,
I feel like us boys get to know him on a-
I think that's right.
Because most people don't really know him.
I don't know what they read about him.
We get a great, because we always, we see him each week.
Like every couple of weeks we go for dinner, we always see him there.
And he doesn't miss a game.
And then there's the dinners he holds down the road from our studio down the
And he knows what everyone's family's doing too.
And he's interested.
Yeah, he's always, he's always asking how the families are.
He's always, he's a genuine man.
I think with Nick, even though he had like,
you've read the things about, you know, what Nick has and blah, blah, blah.
He's a good human, first of all.
And what about Robbo?
He's a good man, Robbo, yeah.
Yeah, you can't, I mean, what has he done for you?
He, yeah, he brought me in when I was young.
Like, yeah, like 17.
And he's always, you know, he's taught me the tough way of footy first.
What does that mean?
The, you know, the hard carries, the, you know, the yardage carries.
Just learning like the off, like off ball kind of things.
I feel like when you're young, you don't really think about that stuff.
The effort areas, all that.
I feel like that's the biggest thing that, you know, Robbo's taught myself
But even just off the field, he's taught me a lot about, in a spiritual sense,
about how to play football.
Not many people know that about him, but he's very spiritual.
Yeah, very spiritual.
And I feel like I've learnt a lot.
I've always loved that spiritual stuff.
I love learning as much as I can and just like, just seeing what works for me.
And I feel like he's, you know, brought a lot of that into my life,
which I'm grateful for.
Because, I mean, are you religious in your family?
Yeah, parents, yeah, Christian, yeah.
Yeah, a lot of, because a lot of the Pacific Islanders are very religious.
I mean, some of the clubs, you see them even praying before they go on to the game.
Is your family, like, very religious?
Yeah, like a little.
Is that an important part of your life?
So my dad's an old man.
So my grandpa in Samoa, he's a pastor over there.
So he's always, you know, praying for us and all that.
Yeah, like I grew up going to church a lot.
But, yeah, like I haven't really been, like, lately, I would say, for me personally.
Your dad's listening to this.
He's going to go.
Yeah, I'll be there.
He's going to go.
He's not going to trash anything.
He's going to go.
He's going to go.
Let's talk about rugby union.
So obviously they headhunted you or hunted you to get to go to rugby union.
And there's no secret.
You're getting paid a lot of money, particularly compared to what you get paid in rugby league.
And they've recruited you as a, to some extent, what it looks like,
as someone who may be able to save the side.
Because, you know, Australia's not doing well in rugby.
We haven't been doing well.
First it was Waratahs and now it's, you know, well done.
You're in the Australian side.
Do you feel pressure?
Because, you know, there'll be other players who won't be getting this amount of money.
Your new kid on the block, come from rugby league.
Admittedly, you played rugby union.
You played it at school.
And probably no one doubts your ability, but your credentials aren't there yet
as a rugby union player.
Your ability's there.
Your credentials are there as a rugby league player.
Does that add pressure to you?
I think first thing, the money.
I feel like I don't play the game because of money.
I've always, the reason I wanted to go was always I wanted to play in a Lions tour.
You want to play against the Poms?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
When I was, because every 12 years it happens, the Lions tour.
And I remember sitting there as a kid and I was like,
all right, this is what I want to do one day is play in a Lions tour.
Yeah, I watched it on TV.
I watched when Phileo made his debut.
I watched it when Curly Bill had to kick the winner and he slipped.
And I remember sitting there and I was like burning.
I was like, I still remember to this day.
And I was like, oh, no, like one day, like I will play in a Lions tour.
So there's a Lions tour coming up?
Next year, right?
And then the other thing was the Home World Cup in 2027.
And even that, like just a Home World Cup.
The last time I was here was 2003.
And that's when I was born.
And then, yeah, even just that for itself.
And I was just like, the experience you're going to have, you know, playing-
I was like, this is like once in a lifetime kind of thing.
And I'm like, especially while playing, I was like,
this is what I'm going to do one day.
Is it just like a Sonny Bill Williams moment, like to like,
I mean, obviously you went and played with the All Blacks,
but is that similar?
Do you think it's a similar sort of feeling?
And do people like him reach out to you?
Say, hey, mate, this is the sort of stuff you should look out for?
Oh, what, to go to Union kind of thing?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
No, obviously I've got like a lot of support.
Like, you know, Izzy, Sonny Bill.
I've always known I'll have him in my corner to go for advice and stuff like that.
But I've always, it was funny, even before I started playing rugby league,
when I came into Roosters, I've always had like a vision plan
of what I wanted to do for the next eight.
Like, you know, I've always known what I wanted to do.
Yeah, like I'd sit, like I sat down and I was like,
I sat down and I was like, this is what I want to do.
This is what I want to do, like each year.
Like as an achievement.
Yeah, like kind of like goal setting.
Or experience, goal setting, experience.
Yeah, it was like goal setting, but also like a vision plan of like,
I would sit down and be like, this is what I want to do in my life kind of thing.
And I always knew that I was always,
I wanted to play in the Lions to win a World Cup.
Is there a grand final at rugby league?
Yeah, that was my,
that was like, that was my thing.
I had Union come ask me if I wanted to come there last year.
Because I had an option in my deal.
But I was always-
And you exercised your option in favour of the Roosters.
Yeah, in favour of the Roosters.
Because in my head, I was like, nah.
This is the year.
This is like, this is the year.
Like, burns me that we didn't, you know, didn't get there.
But yeah, in my head, like, obviously I want to, you know,
win a premiership.
That's always been a, honestly burns me.
It still burns me that, you know, we got to the like,
Because you're only 21.
But like, it's just like, yeah, it's, anyway.
Actually, like, yeah, it's just like, it's just the thing of, you know,
winning a premiership.
I've always, you know, that was always a thing I've really wanted to,
you know, do, honestly.
So like, do you, are you someone then who has your goals
and you like to go through and methodically tick them off
and sort of say, oh, I'm playing NRL.
I mean, you sort of got selected for Origin,
but you never had, you haven't had a full game.
So that's probably something still up there.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's always, yeah.
I've always been,
you know, dream big guy.
I've always, you know, written down things of like,
this is what I'm going to do.
And this is, I don't, I'd write them down.
And then that's why I've been working a lot with my sports life
because I've always been, you know,
just dreaming about different things.
But I need to work on the process of getting there kind of thing.
As opposed to being a dreamer.
I've always been like a dreamer, but.
You've got to have the dream.
That's important.
But you've got to achieve it too.
Yeah, yeah, you've got to achieve it too.
And I've always, I feel like now,
I feel like I've changed my mentality of being like goal driven.
To, all right, I want to be more process driven kind of thing.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Because the goal we can dream up in a day,
but the process can take years.
Yeah, I feel like I love now,
or I'm like taking it day by day.
Instead of being like, oh, I'm going to win.
We're going to win a premiership.
It's like, oh, how can I get better each day kind of thing.
And would you think rugby union can help you become better,
say at rugby league even?
I feel like more.
Well, you're only young.
I feel like more kicking game will get better.
I mean, kicking game is pretty good already.
Your goal kicking game especially.
Yeah, it's actually, yeah, it's gotten better.
You did pretty good this year.
Yeah, it's been good.
Yeah, it's been good.
I used to honestly stay a whole day apart.
Like at Glenmore Park, we have a field called Chadstown Reserve.
I used to go there the whole day.
I wouldn't even eat.
I'd go there the whole day because my parents always drive
to get like groceries or something.
They would know where I was because I was just always practicing.
And then when the opportunity would come, the goal kicker,
I was like, oh, sweet.
I've been doing this, you know.
I had a couple of shockers at the start, like getting used to, you know,
crowd and getting into the process of kicking it.
But now I feel like I'm very confident, you know, going to union too.
I feel like I want to kick, like a goal kick as well.
And yeah, I feel like that, the skill of, you know,
learning how to kick left foot, right foot, spiral pass,
your skill's going to be great to play in rugby union.
I feel like that's one of my strengths,
being able to, my skill, I've always loved working on my skill.
But I feel like that's what I can bring, you know,
say if I play rugby league one day again,
I feel like that's what I can bring as well.
Well, we're expecting you to play rugby league one day again, as you know.
You know, union can have you for a little while.
We're expecting you to come back.
We want you back anyway.
The Roosters, that is, I'm talking about.
And I think the game of rugby league wants you back too.
And I think Origin would like you back.
And I'm no doubt the Australian side would like to have you back too, you know.
But like, let's just talk about your rugby union,
what to expect in terms of rugby union.
like Gus, Phil Gould, not Angus, but Phil Gould,
they all had a pretty big crack at you.
It was pretty controversial.
You were only 20, I think, at the time when you signed it.
What did, how did you sort of process that shit?
Like, especially when someone like Phil Gould says something.
Here's the door, show him the door, let him go.
Like what he's, you know, done for rugby league.
He's done a lot, like for the game.
He's built, you know, even now, like with the dogs.
Like, yeah, but I've always seen it.
I was like, I don't take it personally kind of thing like that.
Cause it's just, it's just, he's heard the question.
He's just, he's going to make it about, he's not having an attack at me.
He's having an attack at.
You know what I mean?
So I've always seen it in the fact of like,
oh, I'm not going to, I'm not going to take it personally.
I'm just going to take it as, you know,
Phil was just having a reaction towards something.
That's not doing towards me.
And I've always, I felt like I've always been good at dealing with things like that.
And then if I see him on the street today,
I'll still go shake his hand and go talk to him and stuff like that.
Cause I'll have no hard feelings of what.
I don't feel like he said anything bad anyway.
Well, Peter Volandis sort of said,
you're going to get bored and you'll come back to rugby league anyway.
And of course that didn't go down very well in the rugby union world.
But I look, you know, I've had people sitting in that chair,
ex rugby union players, the current coach of Ramwick, Stevie Wells,
who basically said rugby union's got a problem.
And Australian rugby union.
I'm talking about at the, well, probably at every level,
but at the Australian, at the, at the, not so much at the club level,
cause he said the club level is pretty good.
It's alive and it's, it's booming.
But at the elite level, we're not doing that well.
And to some extent, it nearly looks like by signing you up,
it looked like a poach.
They poached you out.
One of the, you know, the up and coming rugby league players,
a young guy who has had rugby union experience,
like a bit of a superstar.
They've plucked you out, poached you out of,
out of the rugby league system to make,
to try and improve the rugby union system.
And that therefore is nearly an admission that there's a problem
by the, by the top administration at the time, by the way.
It's not now, it's a different administration now.
Not, not the same administration.
Nearly like an admission.
You watch rugby union, obviously.
Do you feel as though that they need to, I mean,
we need to change the results, that's for sure.
The shitty results, like, and they're not results Australians are proud of.
You've got the new coach.
Do you feel as though rugby union needs to improve?
And if so, what have they got to do?
Like, what do you think the issue is?
Is it recruitment?
When I look, like, we all play like GPS rugby.
A lot of league boys do.
And then, you know, when you're 16, 17,
like boys are trying to say like,
oh, where am I going to get, you know, signed to?
And the league clubs always come.
Obviously, I think it's,
it's starting to change now too.
I think Gussie was the first,
Angus Crichton was the first,
one of the first players to be like,
oh, I'm not going to play.
I'm not going to wait till I'm 21 to play.
I want to play when I'm 18.
I feel like that was the case back then.
I feel like it's changed a lot now.
I feel like, I think this year,
they signed a lot of the under 18s boys that played.
Yeah, Freddie's boy.
You know, they've signed a lot of players in the,
you know, the Wallabies under 18s.
I feel like they've signed most of them,
except one or two.
I feel like it's not for me to be like,
how the organisation's going to change.
I feel like I'm going to leave that to them.
I feel like what I can bring,
the Waratahs first,
and then the Wallabies.
I feel like that,
I'm not going to say it,
but I want to change everything.
I feel like just,
Do you think it'll encourage other younger blokes?
I'm not going to go to rugby league,
or I'm not going to go to AFL,
or whatever the case may be.
I'm going to continue on the rugby union path,
because I feel like,
when we do play this spring tour,
and the Lions tour,
and a home ball cup,
I feel like a lot of kids are going to be,
inspired to like,
one day I want to play in a,
green and gold jersey,
or Waratahs jersey.
I feel like that's the biggest grab,
this next three or four years.
I feel like that's probably the,
biggest thing for,
Australian rugby.
and we see the young kids in the crowd,
16 year olds being like,
this is what I want to do,
I feel like that's the biggest.
And do you feel like,
you have an obligation to,
draw these younger kids along?
because you know,
you already become a sort of a senior,
not a senior rugby union player,
but you're certainly getting into that sort of,
league senior area,
in terms of years.
someone who might inspire younger blokes,
to follow through in the rugby union.
I feel like I love that,
I feel like I'm a good guy off the field.
once I'm on the field,
I'm trying to win.
I feel like that's,
anything not winning,
I'm not going to walk,
I'll do everything in my,
everything's towards,
how can we win this training session,
leading up to the game.
win a training session.
How do you win a training session?
for me personally,
how am I going to prepare for the day?
I'd wake up the right way.
I'd get my good hour of sleep,
be in my routine,
for that training session.
I feel like setting the standard for,
not setting the standard.
I know everyone has their own processes,
But if I'm best at my training session,
that's just going to help towards,
kind of thing like that.
it's funny you should say that,
because I remember years ago,
when Sonny Bill came back to the Roosters,
I can't remember who it was,
it might have been the coach,
Sonny came in before,
got in before everybody else.
And I remember hearing stories about you,
getting in before everybody else too,
and coming in by train,
from your family's home,
when you're at school.
But Sonny came in before everybody else,
he had a clipboard,
and he was there doing video sessions,
before everyone else got in.
And he was there taking notes,
the whole training,
the whole training session.
And what I was told,
is that everyone else is watching him,
and the whole standard lifted,
And no one asked him to do that,
that's just his natural,
sort of perfectionist,
sort of personality.
Are you that type of person?
I'm not a person to go tell,
you should do this,
I've always just been,
focused on what I do.
I feel like I get in early,
I feel like my preparation's always been,
I've always seen that as a big thing,
prepare for the game,
I've always found like,
whole thing that goes around footy,
passing the ball,
there's a lot of things that you need to,
put towards the game.
Do you have like a process?
let's pick any one day,
you've got to go to training,
and let's say there's a game,
big game coming up,
coming up on Friday night or Saturday,
what would you be a routine on like,
on a training day?
would you get up at five o'clock,
or what do you do?
You go for a extra run?
I'd get up early,
try to get everything,
your mental state right,
what do you do for that?
have a cold shower,
then I'll go for a walk,
That makes sense.
and just sit there for,
15 to 20 minutes,
everyone has a different way of meditating,
I feel like I just sit there,
and just visualize the day,
like how can I best,
Is that before you eat,
and have a coffee?
and then I'll get my journal,
I've journaled every day,
actually write stuff out?
I wouldn't say like,
how things I want to,
what I want to do today,
and then set my energy towards different things,
what else would I do?
I'd manifest different things as well,
about just the day,
because I've always been that,
I've always like,
how I'm going to attack today,
Did you get help,
to learn how to do this?
you had a sports psychologist help you out?
just the journey,
just the beginning of just,
reading different things,
listening to different podcasts,
I've tried a lot of things,
and it just hasn't worked out.
I feel like it chops and changes all the time too,
don't get me wrong.
one set routine is going to be,
for the rest of my career.
But this works for you at the moment?
this is what works for me right now,
just doing my process each day,
this is how I want to take the day,
get the training,
I feel like I get there early,
it just depends what we have,
kind of thing like that,
and then start like stretching,
and then I feel like,
different things I've learned from my trainer,
and different people,
combine that all,
once I know I step on the field,
Are you strict on diet,
the mini style diets?
Some of the boys are like,
They're really strict.
when I first come in,
I don't really know about,
and when you go up,
you just eat what's on the table,
that kind of thing like that,
you don't really.
Especially being a boarder.
and when you're a boarder too,
I feel like you just eat,
the more you learn about like,
but at the same time,
there's a balance between,
what you need to do,
you can't be just straight,
You've got to mix it up sometimes.
have a cheat day.
I feel like that's the best thing.
I've had some times where I've been,
this is what I want to do,
I'm not going to touch anything else,
you've got to have freedom,
somewhere in your life as well,
that's the best way of,
doing it for myself.
that's a different,
some people could be different,
That works for you.
but have you ever,
you probably haven't played in enough years,
but have you ever,
off the pre-season,
gone to the fat squad?
I feel like I've always,
So you're a drinker?
I've actually never had a sip of alcohol.
You're not interested,
My parents never,
and I've never seen them drink growing up,
I've always had fun without it,
I'll go out still,
I feel like another person that helped me a lot was Joey Manu,
he doesn't drink,
he's very comfortable in his own skin,
and then once I first come in the NRL,
and I saw him doing that too,
I'm going to do it.
I'm going to do what he's going to do,
That's amazing though,
that's interesting,
because the amount of influence someone like Joey Manu has had on you,
and then you will have on others.
Joey doesn't say too much,
I feel like a lot of,
I feel like myself,
I don't say a lot too,
we kind of just pick up on,
I feel like myself,
I feel like I observe a lot,
seeing what other boys do,
say Daniel Tupac,
he stretches a lot,
and I'll see like what he's doing,
and he would do a lot of ice baths in recovery,
I know that's why he's been playing for so long,
obviously other things as well,
this is what I'm going to pick up on,
see different people doing different things,
and then you just like,
I feel like that's one of my strengths as well,
and seeing how I can add it to myself.
That's interesting,
you're sort of like,
taking out of the system,
instead of if it works,
if it doesn't work,
and get on to something else.
even like Lindsay,
Lindsay's very strict with his diet,
sometimes I would ask him,
or I would ask people around him,
you know what I mean,
and just quickly,
just like observe,
I feel like that's just life.
I asked Lindsay about that,
and he said to me,
and he said to me,
I'm playing up front row,
I've got to give myself my best possible chance.
one thing I can control is my diet.
sort of laid him out last week,
or last Friday night,
that was the best thing of all time.
He's gotten three times,
he's got Lindsay three times,
he got us in the,
In the semi-final,
he got him twice in that game,
and then got him in the,
he's always getting up,
and then keep on going.
He is a bit of a beast.
even in origin chem,
His timing's good too,
for such a big man.
he's got good timing,
good feet going into contact as well,
and just his height,
and then he's just,
we're at the end now,
you've done a great job too,
so you didn't need to be nervous in the beginning,
because you're a natural at this,
and you're a good,
you're a good speaker,
you're a good talker,
you know your stuff.
What is the most exciting thing now,
that's ahead of you?
what are you thinking about right,
but not this minute,
right now in your life,
what's the most exciting thing that's ahead of you?
What are you really excited about?
What am I excited about?
I feel like I'm very confident in my,
I'm loved for my family,
I feel like I'm very excited for,
rugby wise as well,
I'm very excited to get to travel the world,
I feel like I'm just going to grow a lot,
I feel like I'm going to grow into,
I feel like I'm a man now,
I feel like I went from a kid to a man,
and I feel like I've learned a lot,
I feel like I've learned so much from them,
and I'm grateful for all the friendships I've made there,
but I feel like I'm going to my next path,
and I feel like I'm a,
I feel like I'm a man,
in a sense of like,
attack every moment that I'm going to get,
like playing rugby wise,
I feel like the skills I've learned,
help me on the footy field,
and off the field,
I feel like I've got a,
I'm very excited,
I feel like even just off the field,
in my next three,
four years of my life,
and on the field as well.
And you've been pretty lucky,
I think you've only had one major injury.
I've had one major injury.
So you've been pretty lucky,
you obviously got the physicality,
not to get injured,
you're probably also doing all the right things,
and probably not drinking,
play either reunion,
or come back to league.
There's no reason why not.
you won't get knocked about as much.
you're sort of playing out,
you're not doing hit ups.
No yardage carries.
you might be doing a yardage carry.
that'll preserve you.
that seems to me like quite a clever,
strategically quite smart,
if you want to build a long career.
when you stop playing footy,
whichever code you're playing,
you gotta do something after that.
Have you thought about,
what do I do after all that?
I know it's a big call,
you're only just in the middle of it all,
have you thought about that?
I was actually thinking about,
that I feel like I haven't,
I tried uni for like a week,
I was like a Zoom class,
I sat in and I was like,
this is not for me.
don't get me wrong,
my mum's always saying to me like,
you gotta think about things,
I feel like footy takes a lot,
do you know what I mean?
if you're off days,
how can I recover?
How can I do this?
How can I do that?
How can I do that?
also I feel like,
having someone else can,
having that slow part of,
being away from footy.
I haven't had anything that's really,
Nothing really excited you yet?
nothing's really,
I don't mind learning about like property,
and stuff like that.
I feel like I've learnt,
a little bit like,
a little bit of that.
Because Lindsay's just done his mortgage course.
Luke Keery's done a,
a couple of university degrees.
they're much older than you,
they've thought about what they're going to do post footy.
They've obviously got families and stuff too.
They've got kids,
both of them got kids.
They're thinking about those processes,
we need that at this stage.
I guess it's important,
that you do think about these sort of things,
it's good that you sort of just start to mull it over.
what happens if you get injured?
cruisy in a sense.
because they know I've always been,
I live on myself,
sometimes I sit and I'm like,
what am I going to do?
you know what I mean?
besides footy kind of thing,
I feel like I love,
try the industry,
just try different things.
being experienced,
I feel like the paper and pen
It's not your territory.
Not my territory,
you never went to school,
because you always played footy.
I was always playing footy.
I was never at school.
Even in primary school.
that's what I'm saying.
you were playing in four different sites.
I feel like that's where my journey's going to go,
if I wasn't playing footy,
I feel like I'd be traveling,
staying in hostels,
meeting different people,
and stuff like that,
I feel like something with travel,
you really love that idea of travel.
I've always loved,
I'll do things by myself,
and I love my family,
but I've always had that thing of,
nothing's holding me back from,
say something once,
people don't want to go to movies,
because I want to go with friends,
I'll go to movies by myself,
I'm very comfortable with my own skin,
and I'm just like,
if I want to do something in my life,
I'm going to do it,
I'm not going to let nothing hold me back from doing it.
so you must feel quite free.
I'll go sit down,
I'll always eat breakfast by myself,
I'll always eat lunch,
I love being around my mates,
but I'm just like,
very open to anyone who wants to chat,
if someone wants to chat to me,
I'll chat to them,
You're not a narc.
But at the same time,
you're quite happy to be on your own.
I'm happy to be on my own,
that's a massive freedom though,
to be able to be that person.
Some people feel like they have to be attached to people all the time.
I've traveled to,
for two weeks by myself.
I just went to Hamilton Island by myself for,
five or six days.
but I'm not saying I love hanging around my mates and my family,
but I do love having my own time.
That's what I would,
that's what I would be doing if I wasn't playing footy.
I'd be traveling the world.
staying at different hostels,
meeting different people,
trying to learn different languages.
That's what I want to do,
learn different languages.
that sounds like a really free-spirited person.
You're really free-spirited.
I feel like I am.
As an individual.
I feel like I am,
you've done us all proud.
Your mum and dad and your family are really proud.
Everyone at the Roosters is really excited for you,
looking forward to your new career.
We're also looking forward to you coming back,
and it's been a delight for us to have you around in our environment,
and Joseph Akuso Suali.
Thanks very much for coming on,
Thanks for coming on the straight talk.
It's been an awesome talk.
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