Chad Townsend Joins The Podcast - League365 Ep 26

This week on the League365 Podcast, we’re joined by premiership-winning halfback Chad Townsend for a proper rugby league chat.

Chad sits down with the boys to talk through his career, life in the NRL, the mindset of a playmaker, the highs and lows of professional footy, and what it really takes to stay at the top level for so long.

We also get into his journey through the game, the lessons he’s learned along the way,  and plenty of behind-the-scenes stories from inside the sheds.

Make sure you like, comment and subscribe for more rugby league conversations every week

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Alright guys, welcome to episode 26 of the Link365 Podcast. I'm your host Fergum. I'm here every week with Jax, and today it is a special episode we have 2016 Premiership winning halfback, content creator, SNM broadcaster, co-founder of the Players Club, SG Ball coach, and most importantly, proud father of four beautiful kids. Welcome to the pod, Mr. Chad Townsend.

SPEAKER_03 0:24

Thanks for having us, boys. No worries.

SPEAKER_00 0:26

That was like bloody introducing Tiger Woods in the first two bit of the masters, that was.

SPEAKER_03 0:30

There's a few there in that uh in that intro. Yeah, I mean I've got plenty happening at the moment, but I'm loving it.

SPEAKER_00 0:37

And it seems like every time I turn the TV on or turn the radio on, I I hear your voice or see your face. So um, but what we want to do today, Chad, is start from the beginning. Yep. How it all started for you. Um it was Yarrowara. Um so yeah, take us back to the start, how you got into footy.

SPEAKER_03 0:55

Yeah, um, good question, actually. I went to I grew up in Yahwarra. I lived in Yahwarra and like Wheatley Road, the main street there, right where the oval is. And um I went to Yarwarra Primary School and one day after school I was getting picked up by my mum, and um a mate of mine, uh his mum, said to my mum, um, like out the the starting a football team and they need some numbers. Would Chad want to come and play? And my mum was like, Yeah, yeah, like we'll we'll bring him down to training. And I remember I went down to training, and then um, yeah, I still I still remember like I still have flashbacks of like my first session and still remember my first coach. And um, yeah, I basically that was like when I was five years old, and I basically fell in love with the game ever since.

SPEAKER_00 1:41

Yeah, all right, beautiful. Now all we hear about is that that side at Yarrowara, you won comp after comp after comp. How did it all transfer to your landing at Crenella as a junior?

SPEAKER_03 1:53

Uh yeah, we had a we had a great side. Um, you know, my best mates today are still my best mates that I met through Yarwara a long time ago. And um, yeah, we had a lot of success. We really enjoyed our football. We obviously became very good mates, and um, yeah, we're lucky enough to win a heap of competitions together. And then as you progress, you know, you get through a couple of you go through the grades, and then you know, it wasn't until I made uh I think it was uh New South Wales under 15s CHS team through school where uh uh and I played Matthews Cup actually year up back then, and um I was for I was 14 and I got picked to play in the under-16s Matthews Cup. Um, you know, a year young, or like I was just about to turn 15. So, you know, I obviously wanted to play NRL from a young age, but it was that time I was like, you know, I thought, hey, like this is a real like I can actually do this. And you know, as you progress, you you play Matthews Cup, you play SG Ball, and then after SG Ball, I went from SG Ball and I went straight into it was called Premier League back then, which is like now the New South Wales Cup. Yep, yep, yep. The open age competition when I was 18 and I played there. So obviously I'm at 18, I'm one step below first grade, and I'm thinking to myself, you know, I'm very close here. And then um the next season I went and I played under 20s, which back then, under 20s, at that stage, they kind of just pushed it forward a little bit as if you could play 20s, you you you did um that year after I played in the New South Wales the Premier League. So yeah, and then in 20 um I like I obviously like signed um a couple of contracts when I was a kid, you know what I mean? It was a pretty cool feeling to have a contract with the Sharks, and then yeah, 2011 made my debut, and yeah, that's how I kind of progressed with the ranks.

SPEAKER_00 3:41

Yeah, okay. What about um any of the teammates come through? Uh Stuart Mills, you would have come through as Stewie Mills. Yeah, anyone else that you come along come with?

SPEAKER_03 3:50

Um through first grade, so uh Tyrant Peachy played for Crenella Kangba. Okay, and um they were kind of like our the team we always used to play in the grand final and yeah. He ended up going on and playing NRL. I think he might have played 150 games in the in the NRL, but Stewie Mills and myself, we we both grew up on Wheelie Road, we both were always at the oval, we loved our footy, we trained full-time together and we played NRL together, and he had a couple of really bad injuries that probably hampered his progression in the game, but we're still best mates today, and you know, we're really close, and yeah, to be able to achieve that with someone who I you know played all my juniors with was a was a pretty special moment for me throughout my career. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:31

Coming through the grades, Chad, did anyone scout you or discover you, or you sort of just went from you know 15s to under 16s and then worked your way up?

SPEAKER_03 4:38

Yeah, I definitely got scouted. It was more like once I made the Sharkies like um Maddie's Cup team like a year up. I I kind of got given a contract a couple of years, and I think it was um back then, it might have been um might have been Greg Pierce, one of the Pierce guys, used to work at the club back then, and I went up into the office and they kind of gave me my first contract, which literally might have been like $2,000. It was nothing back then. Um so that was uh that was a pretty cool feeling, you know. I mean, when you get given your first contract, it was it was um yeah, it was still obviously a junior contract. I was you know, at 14 or 15, I wasn't in the NRL just yet, but it was um it was a cool feeling, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_01 5:21

Yeah. Do you remember sort of at what age your mindset shifted and you thought, you know what, this uh I can make a career out of this? And did you do anything differently in those junior ages to get you to that first grade spot?

SPEAKER_03 5:34

Yeah, I remember um I think it was more, yeah, like I said before, when I when I started to make those teams, I started to feel to myself like, you know, it's time for me, like I'm I'm getting to the point now where I feel like I can um, you know, really make a fist of this. And then, you know, over the next couple of years, like you you turn 18 or 17, 18, you know, you go through year 12, and you know your mates who are not wanting to play NRL are doing other things. Yeah, and for me it was like I didn't want to be a part of that, really. I never really um I guess that temptation is there for the things that those you know you kind of do at that age, but for me I was very much focused on what I needed to do. So, you know, I I made sacrifices, I stayed home a lot, I never really went to parties and things like that, I never drank alcohol. Um and for me I had this mindset around alcohol that it was a poison for me and it was gonna poison my career. And I kind of tricked myself into thinking that, and it probably helped me get to where I am today. Um so that was a big thing, my shift in in focus, because I I remember like I'd rock up to a party as a 17-year-old and not drinking and just be there sometimes and then leave. And like people be into me going, Why aren't you drinking? Why aren't you doing this than that? And I just didn't say anything, and I was just like, I've got a bigger purpose with what I'm I want to do. And um yeah, I look back on it, I was very I'm sitting here now, like I'm very proud of what I did then and how strong I was, you know, in the face of I guess peer pressure and things like that. But um, yeah, that without a doubt helped me, you know, through that period of my life.

SPEAKER_01 7:16

Yeah, nah, definitely. Because at those development ages, you know, late teens, a lot of people can sometimes go one way or the other. And just for you to, you know, zone in and go, nah, I'm not gonna be tempted, I'm gonna focus on my dream as as well. You see so many guys sort of go the other way.

SPEAKER_03 7:31

Well, may I tough for young kids to I've seen some of the best players who I played with, and uh at 14 to 16, even 17, 18, uh the most gifted players you see, and carved up in the juniors and made some rep teams and this and that, and then just went and fell off a cliff because they got involved in other things. Yeah. And um, you know, life hits at you high, like life outside of football has its challenges as well, right? Um, so yeah, for me it was um it was it was important that I did that because yeah, those got like the best kid, the best young kids, they don't always come through.

SPEAKER_01 8:09

Yeah, no, a hundred percent. Were your parents or like a junior coach role models at that time? Were they sort of like the someone you looked up to?

SPEAKER_03 8:17

So my dad did um my dad did some coaching and um like he was a like a did like he was our trainer and and coach for a couple of years uh there at the Tigers. So um yeah, they were very my family was very much involved in the in the footy club. Um up until you know, probably when I was about 14, just before I started making like the rep teams, my parents actually split up. So they got a divorce, and my brother and I um you know we had to live separately, which was which was tough. But I think the fact that I had football as like a focus as a 14-15-year-old like gave me that outlet to kind of you know not think about the things that were happening at home. And um you know it was a it was a tough time personally, but yeah, without the focus on football, it it um yeah, I'm not sure where I would have been to be honest.

SPEAKER_01 9:04

Yeah, no, a hundred percent. Um talk us through your your debut 2011. Yeah, yeah, ex Broncos.

SPEAKER_03 9:12

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 9:12

Do you remember getting a call from the coach or anything like that? How pumped you were?

SPEAKER_03 9:17

Yeah, I remember. Um so the club had like Scott Porter on the roster, Tim Smith and Albert Kelly, and uh myself, and I was probably fourth string at that time, and they all kind of got injured. And I was there, I was playing under 20s, I'd played a really good season, I'd had a good couple of seasons coming through, and um, you know, it was my last year in the under-20s, and I Flano told me on like the Wednesday night at training that I was gonna play, and we're playing Friday night against the Broncos, Darren Lockheed was playing, and like I I couldn't bloody sleep for two days, like it was it was it was tough, and um because it was kind of a late change as well, like I couldn't actually tell everyone, and it wasn't really out there until like kickoff. So um yeah, had a had a heap of tickets and and all my close mates come to the game and it was a special man. I remember shaking Darren Lockheed's hand after the game and I was just like like just shaken. Um and back then like you didn't get photos and things like that after the game, but I would have absolutely loved to get a photo with the great Darren Lockie.

SPEAKER_01 10:21

Yeah, now that's mad. Um how old were you then? 18?

SPEAKER_03 10:24

I was 20. 20. So I had turned twenty. I was in my last year of last season of under 20, so I just turned 20 that year. Um so yeah, 2011, that was a long time ago, but a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_01 10:36

From from there you play a few years of sharks.

SPEAKER_03 10:38

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 10:38

And then 2014, you make a big switch, you go over to New Zealand, which compared to Crenala growing up in the Shire, yeah. Probably a bit of a culture shock and completely foreign for you. What was that move like and what did you learn over at the Warriors about yourself and about footy?

SPEAKER_03 10:53

Yeah, it was a big move. It was one that I needed to make actually. I um had a uh about 20 games in the first three years that I played in the NRL, and I had in that time I had a really bad sternum injury, so I cracked my sternum and I missed about 10 weeks of the 2012 season, and then 2013 I had Reese Robson, uh sorry, not Reese, Jeff Robson and um Todd Carney in front of me. And um I'd I Todd was out for Origin one week and I'd played and I got me out of the match, I played really well. And the following week I was out of the team and I was like, I'm not I don't want to play here anymore, like I need to move on. So um I said to my agent, like keep this on the down low, but I don't want to play at Krillar anymore. And I've I grew up in the area, yeah, I was a Sharks fan as a kid, all I wanted to do was play for the Sharks, but for me to actually progress in my career, I just felt like I needed to move on. So um Shane Flangen was still the was he was the coach at the time, and um anyway, my agent said to me, Alright, I'll go out to the market, we'll have a look around. And I had a a deal with um the Penriff Panthers or a deal with uh the New Zealand Warriors. So I actually went and met Phil Good for a Chinese lunch in Sylvania, and we went out there and I had the thing I had the beef and black bean, fried rice, and um delicious lunch. What did he have? Uh I can't remember what he had, and um anyway, I so I met with them, then I met with the Warriors, and anyway, I got the deals, and um I was like said to my agent that I'm gonna go to the Warriors and I wanted to pick the harder route for me. I just felt like for me to move to New Zealand, my first time moving out of home, going and being independent, living, um, you know, doing my own sort of things, and then um I felt like that was the right thing for me to do. So I walked into Flano's office, and um Flano's always loved to play his senior guys, his older guys, he's always had more trust in older guys, and I was a young guy then, so that's why I walked into his office and I said, Flano, like mate, I'm I'm moving on to the I've signed with the Warriors, and he just said, mate, oh we would have loved to keep you, and you know, I remember thinking to myself, Well, you should have played me, yeah, like you should have played me, but I didn't feel like I was getting the the love that I would have liked, um, and that was all good, like obviously they're his decisions, and then yeah, living in New Zealand was was great. Throwing the spanner, like my wife, who back then was my partner. We'd kind of been seeing each other a little bit for the previous couple of months, and I'd said to her, like, I'll potentially maybe sign another with the Warriors. Anyway, got down the road in uh three months. I said, Look, I'm moving to New Zealand, I'm signed with the Warriors, love you to come over. So um, she actually ended up coming over, and um, we obviously made it all work. She's been here pretty much the whole time, my whole career. So, yeah, what did it teach me? It taught me like everything like resilience, living away, focus, professionalism, and I absolutely dialed in the two years I was over there. I played almost every game for the Warriors, and then um yeah, it was uh it was a great experience.

SPEAKER_01 13:56

How old were you then?

SPEAKER_03 13:57

So I was 23, I think 22 or 23 uh when I went over there, so still very early in my career. Um, but yeah, just the opportunity that I got, like they said to me, like I wasn't guaranteed like a starting spot, but I went over there the following year and I played round one, and because I trained my backside off, and I had Nathan friend there who was um who was almost like a mentor to myself, and he led the way with how he trained and you know was really allowed me to follow and um and get that opportunity and take it with both hands.

SPEAKER_01 14:24

Yeah, no, nice. Was Sean Johnson your hard partner? Yeah, he was a lot of playing with uh Sean Johnson.

SPEAKER_03 14:29

It was great. Man, I wore six and he wore seven in those days. Um a lot of fun. Sean did some things on the field that and at training that I've never seen before. Like sometimes you just sit back and just go, wow. And like some of the things he could do, like I could I I put me handle, like I couldn't do that. The the feet, the movement, the swerving, the change of direction, it was remarkable. Uh the skill level that he had, and also the fact that he was probably one of my closest mates there, and he was really down to earth. He loved to have a laugh and a good time. Um, as big as he was, he was on a stack of billboards and everything over there uh in New Zealand. And and um, but when you were around him at training, it was just like he was just normal Sean Johnson, and that's what I think um made him, you know, or him and I, or our relationship, you know, really good.

SPEAKER_01 15:14

Yeah, no.

SPEAKER_00 15:15

So, Chad, let's push forward to 2016, your return to the sharks. Yeah, um, I'm guessing mid-2015 there was a deal done, I I'd imagine. How did all that come about and what was the reason to come back?

SPEAKER_03 15:29

Yeah, so my wife's who back then again was my partner, um, her mum had been diagnosed with bowel cancer. And um, you know, the Warriors at that time, they actually had an option to keep me for the following season. And I uh went to the club and I said, Look, my wife, my partner's mum has bowel cancer, we'd love to move back to Sydney. We didn't have a club at that stage, I was just sort of planting the seed early. Yep. And they were like, Look, you know, understand that, but like here's here's a new upgraded three-year contract. So I had an offer on the table for three years to stay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I was like, wow, like I really loved living in New Zealand and I enjoyed my football over there, and I felt like I was playing really well. And um, you know, I actually knocked back the three-year deal before I actually had an offer to go back to Sydney. So I knocked it back, said to my agent, we've I've got to move back to Sydney. I don't know, I don't even know where. And then um Shane Flanagan rang me and was like, mate, we want to get you back to the club. And um he's like, mate, I've watched you over the past couple years, you've developed, you've matured, you've played some great football, we'd love to get you back. So we went and had a meeting, and uh, it was actually the night before we played them. I met Flano in his office, and that was the night that Sean Johnson scored the try in like the last year to win. To beat him. Yeah, and um yeah, so I had a good conversation with Flano, and um it was weird, it was interesting because like I felt like he wasn't giving me a go when I left, but now this is the guy who wants me back, and um yeah, it was it was um it was great, it all worked out. I got a two-year deal done with the sharks. I wanted to come back and play for the sharks. I had great relationships there. Um, even though I left, I never felt like like Flano and my relationship were still totally fine. Um definitely respect what he what he did. Um, and then yeah, came back 2016, so yeah, got into the preseason, and there was a bit of change there at the sharks, like myself, James Maloney come in, new six and new seven. Um so yeah, that was kind of the start of what was a pretty fun year to be honest.

SPEAKER_00 17:34

Yeah, a couple of them teammates I just want to touch on. Um, Jimmy Maloney, are there are the rumours true what he's like at training? And he's just like, is it all true?

SPEAKER_03 17:43

It's true, he's an absolute punish. Yeah, uh he's good in small doses, Jimmy. Worst roommate I ever had. Um very unhygienic, Jimmy. You know, you need to take the toiletry bag, like he wouldn't even open his he wouldn't brush his teeth, he farted all the time. Um but on the field, like he he knew how to turn it on. Yeah, uh, but off the field he was always a bit of a pest, and that's probably why Flano actually turfed him after two years. Um but no, I do I I love Jimmy. Um yeah, had a great relationship with Jimmy and um a great playing relationship as well because I felt like we played some really good football together, and you know, I really look back at those times I play with Jimmy with um with fondness for sure.

SPEAKER_00 18:27

Yeah, well j just looking at the combination from from outside you the real game manager communicator and him the runner. It it it looked like it was gonna work from from day dot.

SPEAKER_03 18:37

Yeah, well we had uh we had really good discussions in the preseason about how we wanted to play, and we wanted to play a little bit different towards our wedges, which we did. Some of the shapes we played, we ran a certain shape to my side and a different shape to his side. And um at the end of the day, like my role within the team at that stage of my career was to um get the guys around a park, kicking game, compete, support play. Yep, and um I absolutely loved it. It was uh it was really simple for me in that year. Um and Jimmy, yeah, obviously he had a bit more experience than me and um yeah, had played state of origin and won a premiership previously. So yeah, absolutely loved my combination with Jimmy, throwing there Michael Ennis as well and Ben Barber. Like we had a we turned the narrative around from the Sharks where they got criticized for not being able to attack for so long that we actually turned into one of the best attacking teams in the competition.

SPEAKER_00 19:28

Yeah, yeah. Just talking about Mick Ennis, because he was the next one I was going to bring up. Um, I heard you on, don't know if it was your own podcast or where it was, but you said Mick Ennis when he spoke, he was the one that just captured the whole room and he was the one that you thought that he was the the main man. Like tell me about when he would lay down the law. Because I remember in that, which we'll touch on later, the semi-final, you see him in the sheds, and he's really and I think you're up by 20 or something at the point. But so what was his like when he spoke? He obviously held the room.

SPEAKER_03 19:58

Yeah, big time. His his leadership was something that I learnt a lot for the rest of my career, but his ability to like maintain eye contact with people and um just basically make you want to run through a brick wall. Like I never felt like that as a halfback, but I tell you what, the hairs on the back of your neck stand up whenever he would talk. You just wouldn't want to let him down. He really motivated the playing group. And um for me, like we I only got one season to play with him, which was uh probably the best year I've had of um my career. But yeah, I would have loved to have played a lot more with Mick just because of the type of person and player that he was. So he was absolutely one of our um one of our leaders that year, and we were blessed with a lot of leaders that year. We had a great senior playing group, and he was at the top of all of that.

SPEAKER_00 20:41

Yeah. Alright, I'm just gonna touch on a few games that season, Chad, because um being a tragic Cornella fan, I watch you closely. And when you came back, there was probably question marks from fans. I'm gonna take you to round two. Yep. Um Ben Barber scores one, I think, in about the 30th minute, and then for the next 10 minutes you just turn it on. You grub it through. Yeah. As a ricochet, you somehow pick it up one-handed, uh, put a kick in, Val scores, and then about three minutes later you kick and score for yourself. I think that's when the Sharks fans really stood up and went, okay, this is a different football that left us two years ago.

SPEAKER_03 21:16

Yeah, 30-2 against the Dragons. So my first game back at home after leaving for the previous couple of years at the Warriors. Um, I was nervous that game for sure. I was more nervous than probably I had been in any other game. I don't I didn't usually get nervous before games, but that one I was being my first game back. Um, yeah, and I was really confident with like again the preseason we'd just done, the game plan that we'd had. Yeah, um, that kick I actually did for Val Holmes is actually the intro to my podcast, actually. Is that the prodigal son one? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And um Ray Warren actually called that game, and like absolutely one of the greatest holots of my career was getting called by Ray Warren, um having him call my name. But yeah, that game it all it it it um you know, I I don't want to sound cocky or anything, but like it like it didn't surprise me that I actually played well that game because of how how serious I I took it and how ready I was for it. Yep.

SPEAKER_00 22:09

And um yeah I just believed in what I was there to do and I had a really like I said really narrow plan about my role within the team and yeah I just I was confident I just wanted to play well and um that game when we pumped the dragons yeah was probably one of the highlights even though it was early in the season in round two yeah let's move on to round four um you play Melbourne uh at home yeah um and there's a well this really surprised me this one when because you weren't with all due respect you weren't probably the quickest half out there um Val splits them up through the middle a couple of minutes after half time and he finds you in support yeah and you look like the quickest man on the planet that night I and I went wow this this was 1412 this one I think we won't yeah you won 1412 and I remember Val scooted through the middle one hander and you took off and mate you it was like wow where did that speed come from yeah no I remember this one for sure because I remember I was dabbing that year the celebration yeah that was after that one yeah and um Val and I actually still talk about this because when he made the break he stepped through Jordan McLean and Val Jordan McLean and myself we played at the Cowboys together so we used to sort of give us Jordan McLean about that.

SPEAKER_03 23:18

Val stepped him through and then I was supporting and going back on my role before like I mentioned support play it was a big part of my game that year so I knew that if anyone was going to make a break I was going to be there to support and hopefully score a try. Anyway Val obviously did what he did and I zoomed up on the right hand side and um still to this day Val's like I didn't see you I just heard you and he just passed me the ball like that's just instinct right and then I still had probably yeah 45 50 metres to go and uh yeah I had I was never known for my speed but um I wouldn't say like I was slow but like I would say I wasn't wasn't known for my speed um and Cory Beattie and Will Chambers chased me in there and I managed to get over the line so I remember the sharks I think they posted a graphic after the game of my speed or the kilometres I'd clocked and um our head of performance Andrew Gray was like that's that's your top speed you've ran.

SPEAKER_00 24:08

So yeah it was it was a cool I think Warren Smith did the he can really scoot he can really scoot that was um that was cool.

SPEAKER_03 24:18

Yeah these are just a few moments that I remember from the season so I just wanted to go through so we go to round eight you play Penrith um and they have you on the rack I think it's 1610 and probably not getting anywhere in the game and then you create a line break uh out wide and you put Jimmy away yeah um again it was a moment where I just thought this guy's a different player than than what he was when he left yeah again like just playing with confidence understanding my role this one here I remember we were it was a tight game night game at Shark Park and got to the ball out to the right hand side of the field and Peachy was out there Jamie Sowell was out there Jamie Sowell got a bit in front of the line gave him kind of a bit a bit of a bit of a hole bit of a gap and I remember just taking it on I put I palmed um Peachy in the chest got through the line Luke Lewis was there as well and then Jimmy was there and I remember thinking to myself geez I don't know if Louis's got the legs I'll just go across his face to Jimmy and then pass it in yeah again like it was um it was just like not thinking just playing what's in front playing with confidence and yeah that was um that was a really good that was probably one of our best wins throughout that year with the streak you know what I mean we we won some tight ones but that one was absolutely one of the hardest we we made for ourselves and great to get that tight win.

SPEAKER_00 25:30

Yeah talking about the streak we moved to round 18 and this is when everyone thought you would the streak would be broken you went to Penrith with no origin players. I think Mitch Brown wanted missed his brother's wedding I think to play which showed obviously where the group was at and you give it to them out there.

SPEAKER_03 25:49

Yeah that was that was massive Kirk Cape Well made his NRL debut that night uh far Manu Brown came into the side in the halves um I think Benny Barber scored a double that game he was great yep and I remember we um we just had a real simple game plan that night to just complete our sets kick long and chase and just you know give ourselves a chance and then we did that and the Panthers kind of they kind of crumbled a little bit made some errors towards the back end of the game and we managed to just make them pay Louis I think he might have scored at one or two I remember hitting him with a couple of nice short passes but that night there like we had no Gal, no Wade no Andrew no Jimmy no um no worries to be honest it was probably one of the best wins we had because of the guys in the squad who come in and Flano had the the pleasure of like putting the same team sheet in every every week so up until that game which you mentioned was I think it was round 18 yeah we might have used like 18 players and then from that we went to like um I think it was 23 or whatever it was so yeah um that was definitely one of the highlights.

SPEAKER_00 26:53

Yeah alright um so later in the season you lose three or four together and we get to the final series um it came down to the last round I think Canberra beat West Tigers which put you have to go down to Canberra to play.

SPEAKER_02 27:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:06

And um without knowing this I'm guessing this was one of your your tough nights at the office you get the win you lose Gale during the week on how early did you know that you'd lost Gao do you remember? Yeah we knew he'd had some troubles with the back like early in the week but we're like give him yourself give him a chance to play and um so they gave him right up until game day but he was just no good yeah yeah so you go down 12-nil early um even though I think you scored a try you scored a try actually early in the game and I still to this day think it's a try. Yeah when I watch it um I think Bakuya it comes out of Bakuya's hands.

SPEAKER_03 27:40

It was Matt Pryor I don't know if it's Matt Pryor was it a knock on and passed out to me and yeah that would have been nice if that one would have so late in that game Chad you get taken off yeah um things probably weren't going the side's way I'll say um how did that moment make you feel because you looked crushed on the side I was pissed off yeah yeah for sure yeah and I didn't feel like I didn't feel like I was playing bad or anything um at that stage of the game but um I remember I've seen photos still of me on the sideline me on the bench and like I've got no emotion on my face like I'm pissed off um because I'd played every minute of every game so far that year um and then when you step sort of step back and take a look at the bigger picture like we always carried a an outside back on the bench because Mick would play 80 minutes and you know Jared Beal did a lot of his work off the bench that year and and give us some cover but yeah I was I was pretty pissed off but after the game obviously we won and um it was important for me to celebrate with my teammate we just won we've got a week off we're in a reprelim like it's a pretty um exciting thing for us and I still look back at like my stats from that game and I'm like geez my stats aren't even that bad like I didn't make an error or things like that like um and anyway so I remember um after the game um I didn't go back on the bus with the team my while my partner was down there so I went back in the car which was common I didn't just yeah I didn't just do that because I got taken off yeah um and I'm in the car and my partner was driving and my agent rang me at the time he's like mate what's going on how are you and I'm like yeah like I'm I'm alright like he's like why did he take you off and I'm like he just said he needed something at the back end of the game so I was like yeah and then he actually gave me probably some of the best advice I ever got that night he said to me mate alright this is this is how we're gonna move forward with this yeah you um tomorrow morning you go into um into Flano's office and you look him dead in the eye and you tell him that like that'll never happen again and you ask him like the direct questions about what's the go moving forward and Flano actually went out in the press conference that night after the game and put it all to bed and said like I am the halfback like I'll be the halfback moving forward. So it was great to hear him mention that to me um and then anyway the next day went into recovery uh went into Flano's office looked him dead in the eye and said mate that's like you know I tell you what like that's never gonna happen again and um he said to me you're our guy you're our halfback you've done it all year I just needed to make a call on the night that we just needed to find some spark um and yeah it ultimately put a big I guess flashlight on me and put a lot of pressure on me for the next two weeks because when that happens the next thing you want to do is like you want to come out and play a game straight away. Yeah we had the week off so those two weeks I kind of turned the phone off didn't watch the TV I very much took a backwards step and just focused on my game my preparation and what I needed to do to get the best out of myself for the Cowboys and I remember in the lead up to the Cowboys game somehow I it's this a couple of quotes coming out of Cowboys camp was like trying to put pressure onto me and how I played and I was like like I'll show I'll show you like I was very much fired up ready to go and then that Cowboys game like I probably had I probably had one of the best games of my career to be honest and if I hadn't have been taken off against Canberra I don't know if I would have had that mindset. So you know I can sit here and say I wish I didn't get taken off but in hindsight I'm like I'm actually happy I got taken off because it made me it gave me an opportunity for growth to show resilience and I felt like I made the most of it. Yeah I think uh Lockie Coot had a bit of a rough week too leading into that game and early in the game you put a bomb up and he drops and it's just like oh no I put one right on the like a meter off the try line and Louis he caught it and Louis just folded him into the end goal so that was a highlight and then we wanted to challenge the inside shoulder of Jonathan Thurston I had a nice try assist on Louis with with Louis he ran over JT. Then I scored a try next to the post when Jimmy went through again my support play yeah um so yeah and I remember um one of the big moments for me after that game like Peter Sterling came down and um you know he gave me a big cuddle and um I haven't actually spoken about what he actually said. I've always I have kept it private but his message what he said to me that night um was something that really still sits with me today and he didn't he didn't need to come down from the Channel 9 box to the ground yep but he did. Yeah and um yeah I I really really appreciate what Stella did because he was you know one of my favourite guys on the footy show when I was a kid.

SPEAKER_00 32:13

Yeah yeah okay so we go to grand final week um couple of things I want to ask you um being an NRL player and us just being fans um the morning of a GF how do you wake up what are your feeling what are your emotions and all that kind of thing you did you get up and go fuck I'm playing in a GF today.

SPEAKER_03 32:32

Yeah like I was excited I didn't want to go down the thing I wanted to stay away from was like Cornella more like I was like I don't want to go into Cornella like and Wade said to me Wade actually went into the mall and he's like the whole cafe was like cheering him and clapping his hands but you know you don't want to play the game too well I remember like I was never someone who like I napped every now and then because on a if it's an eight o'clock game but it was more like just to try and get the day by like you wake up at say you wake up at seven like you've literally got 13 hours until the game. Yep. So it's a long day just to stay at home. Yep but I didn't want to I went down for a swim at the beach went home watched a movie I think I had a nap and um I was excited I was trying not to think of the game but I knew like it wasn't just any other game and you needed to treat it like that. It was like potentially the opportunity to be the first Cranala Sharks team to ever win the premiership and for me it was like I was the only Sharks local junior in the side so this is an occasion I just cannot cannot let slip. So I was very much focused on going out and doing my job and what I had done for the whole season.

SPEAKER_00 33:39

Yeah so going into the game you cop a high shot early on Marika yeah on the button you take the two you control the first half but only lead eight nil I think at half time yeah um they come out and score a couple of quick ones and Jimmy Maloney by all reports says something in the in goal while you're while you're behind with I think 15 to play or something like that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 34:02

Can you take us into that conversation what Jimmy had to say it's a great question because this is something this is why Jimmy was brought to the club for this this moment and um it was like throughout the week like we'd spoken about um like the game and the possibilities of what was going to happen in the game and one of the big things that Jimmy spoke about was that it's not always it's not all going to go our way we will face some adversity. We will have to show resilience we will be behind on the scoreboard and when it does this is what we need to do we need to stay calm we need to stick to the plan stick together and then earn momentum back. Yeah and then it was almost like because we'd spoken about it during the week we got to that moment where the storm scored and they got in front but Jimmy was like this is it boys this is the moment we spoke about we've prepared for this yeah we just need to go out and now we need to do what we've spoken about. So that I feel like the playing group was almost like yeah you know I mean we're actually sweet.

SPEAKER_00 35:02

And that's when um after that moment basically Andrew scored that incredible try of that really nice short pass from from Michael and then um we basically had to defend for our lives for like the last nine minutes of the game which um yeah was uh I'd hate to I mean I'd hate to probably be you watching that last nine minutes that last play as well especially that last play well well the try that Andrew scored I I do this day say there's no one else that would have scored even not just carrying the five blokes over not dropping the like he had it out once he had to pull it back in puts it back out um and then yeah the last play um I had another look at it last night I was still nervous watching it but you're one of the blokes that's going you're probably running as far as you did when you scored against Melbourne during the year across the field and a back and back and back and Ricky Latelli makes the tackle what are the emotions yeah absolutely crazy emotions to be honest um yeah we used to do this drill that it was like the defence was always down two people against the attack and we had to like cover the field and basically scramble for our lives we did that so often and um that was that drill at that stage of the game yeah and that's that's a credit to our coaching staff for you know instilling that in our game.

SPEAKER_03 36:16

When Ricky made that tackle like it was almost like I just remember thinking to myself everything I'd done in my life all the sacrifices I'd ever made was worth it at that moment in time it was like it was a bit of a surreal feeling to be honest like it was it was just it was crazy. I mean you look across you look out into the stadium there's black white and blue everywhere there's people who are in tears um highly emotional and it was just it was just like probably the greatest time of my life to be honest the greatest time of my career the greatest achievement the greatest team I've been a part of you know it was it was so so special.

SPEAKER_00 36:53

Yeah yeah Bar marrying my wife it was the best night of my life she's it she's watching that's all that's uh anyway quickly we'll fast forward to 2018 I just want to touch on one game in that year it was elimination final against Penrith you have a blinder yeah um early try assist um I think you put Andrew over I think you slide through and one arm at oh not Andrew Luke you scored the first try in that uh I did I passed you did Andrew put you through passed and then he passed back to me then I scored that's right and then uh that was a setup actually yeah that was a setup because Jimmy was playing for Penrith.

SPEAKER_03 37:29

Jimmy jammed out the back a lot on the shape so we were like we set up Andrew to run instead of he would usually run the inside shoulder we got him to run the outside shoulder which he did and then Jimmy went up past the ball which created that space and then Andrew as he does gets through the line the postline offload and so that was very much a set played to I mean we just played two years against uh with James Maloney so we very much knew what he was about with his defence.

SPEAKER_00 37:53

Yeah we used that against him and we pulled him apart in the probably one of the you can say it was one of the worst defensive efforts for a while yeah it was I remember I think Joey Johns was getting into him on the call um but yeah that was a good night to be honest that night yeah now I remember um you you kick might be one of the worst field goals I've I've seen um to win the game and everyone thought it missed at the at the point but there was a play leading up to you kicking that field goal.

SPEAKER_03 38:20

Yeah well I said to Andrew get me to the left post and Andrew does what he does gets over to the right scrum line the complete opposite side of the field bad side of the field for a right foot goal kicker and I'm in and I'm sitting behind the ruck thinking to myself geez like this is not the ideal spot for me to hit a field goal and I'm Val's it done me half and I'm like Val Val just like hit me hit me hit me so I stood back a little bit about 15 metres Val actually threw a really nice pass I got got the time and I was like I've got time here I'm just gonna hit it. Yeah so I just hit it I knew that it was going to move right to left so I um I dropped it nice and straight it moved right to left I kind of used the angle with me to sort of bring it in and then we got up yeah and then we again we had to kind of defend because they came back at us that game yeah um but yeah I remember that they I remember they thought Fatty was on the call that night he thought I missed it but I was like fat come on I think everyone thought you missed it yeah but um there was a play before that do you remember it Val off the kickoff?

SPEAKER_00 39:20

Yeah the short trick the short kickoff I think it was 18 all or 20 all at that point. And Val comes up with a play that only Val probably would. So this is Val to a T.

SPEAKER_03 39:30

He didn't tell anyone he saw the opportunity and just backed himself and that's what I love about players and I love that about Val if um if he sees something he just backs himself and he didn't tell anyone because he didn't want to give off to Penrith that that's what he was going to do. Yeah. But saw it and changed the momentum of the game like that. We were on the back foot a lot. Yeah and then that really gave us a chance to really just control the ball and get some fatigue back into the the Penrith defensive line. Yeah yeah good times let's go to 2020 now chat I'm gonna ask you two things one's a uh a highlight and one's maybe a low light the low light first the Calen Ponga send off is that a low light isn't it that's a low light I liked I thought it was a highlight but anyway he wanted it as a low light alright um that's your first and only send off isn't it yes yeah yeah yes um ever to be honest yeah I um so that night I was like very much I was frustrated that night we were losing and I was like we shouldn't be losing to the knights yeah like we should be winning um so I was I was seeing a bit of red and I kicked the ball went up in the air and then came back down and KP put his foot in the in goal caught it and then um I was back on the line got myself back and then KP actually goes to touch to tap it and put it on his foot and he moves off the line and I'm like I've seen him look to tap the ball I move off the line as well and I never intended to shoulder charge him but obviously I braced myself for contact and then yeah hit him hard and then um he had like a piece of uh tissue in his nose that kind of popped out and blockers on the call going is that a tooth and um yeah and uh then obviously I got sent off and I remember after the game all my teammates coming in like dapping me up and going that was a sick hit that was mad and um I think we lost the game I was like fire out like we've lost I've been sent off like I'm probably gonna get suspended I got suspended for three weeks and yeah then um yeah I remember opening my phone and like I had a about it was almost like 5050 I had like 50% of like genuine hate from Newcastle fans like you're a dog this and that which you know it was all a bit of fun but then the other 50 were like man what a hit that was so sick that was so good. So yeah it was um it was interesting I mean I never um like because they were all like say sorry say sorry to to KP and I was like I'm not I'm not saying sorry like I didn't hit him high you know I mean I'd what what am I saying sorry this is rugby league yeah yeah like I'm not sorry for it yeah yeah yeah so um yeah but it was um yeah people still bring it up today which is um yeah I'll still see it every now and then I mean they would have used it on the highlights for the game right I mean I guess they spend it for three weeks but then they put it on the ad yeah yeah yeah yeah you know yeah yeah so all right um highlight you win Sharks player of the year yeah what was that what was that um how what did that mean to you winning that for the club that you supported growing up won a premiership at and had so much history with yeah no it was it was really really a huge honour to be honest um it was probably an award I wanted to win well while I was there at the Sharks player of the year it's it's a big award some really big names on that award as well um so there's no doubt uh I felt like I was in control of my game at that stage of my career and yeah really had the consistency like over that course that period there between 2016 and um 2021 like I'd actually played 108 games straight so my durability was like I was like there was always available I was always like there I was always in the game so it gave me an opportunity to play some really good consistent football and yeah it was uh it was a really cool moment I still got the trophies at home in in my little man cave and um yeah it's it's um it means a lot to have my name on that trophy.

SPEAKER_01 43:15

Yeah that's pretty good how good the following year you make a s Miggy switch back to the Warriors.

SPEAKER_03 43:21

Yeah how'd that come about and what was that sort of time for you like yeah so a bit of an interesting sort of year um for me or stage of my career because 2021 I had an option in my favour for 2022 to stay at the Sharks and um you know I'm living in the Shire I I've just had my first baby um or my second actually I've just had two two young kids my wife's family's there as well and um I had no intentions of leaving the Shire at that stage of my career but my agent rang me and he's like mate there's talk around the Cowboys that Michael Morgan is gonna medically retire. And Um, they're gonna need some experience in the halves. What do you think? And I was like, Yeah, like I'm I'm interested in having the conversation. Like I've got an option in my favour to stay the next year. So um effectively I'm off contract. So they were like, Do you want to go and take the meeting? I was like, Yep, organise it. Organise the meeting. So we actually we actually played the Cowboys that week at Tograha, and I had a really good game, played really well, set up a couple of tries, we won. I was cheering. They stayed down, Todd Payton, Michael Lark, and Dane Campbell, and I went and met them for coffee on Monday. And um they were like, look, this is where we're at. We um Michael's retiring, we need someone to come in, like yourself, who's uh who's a veteran, who can get our team around the park, who can help our young guys with professionalism.

SPEAKER_02 44:44

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 44:44

What do you think? And I was like, Yeah, like I'm I'm definitely open to it. Um they show me all the the renders of all the new stadium and all the new sheds and everything, which was just about to open, the new facility, sorry, and then um within another three days, I had a three-year offer on the table, and then within that seven days of that meeting, I told the sharks I'm I'm out. Yeah, I went to the sharks and said, you know, can you like offer what can you do for me? Can you give me an offer? And they were like, We're not in a position now to give you anything. And I was like, Well, I'm gonna have to knock down, I'm turning back my option, and I'm I'm signed with the cowboys. So signed with the Cowboys for three years, and then um about two weeks later I kicked a field goal to in Golden Point to beat the Dragons, and then the following week I was taken out of the team. So kind of similar, you think about what happened to Dylan Brown last year at the Parramatta. Yeah, that kind of that's the same thing that happened to me with the business of the game. Yeah, um it's it was disappointing for me. I had I was salty, yeah, for sure. Um and then I'd I'd hung around for the next about four to six weeks, and obviously I wasn't getting picked. And I was like, look, if like you guys are gonna pick me, like I'm just I'm gonna go ask the Warriors, mate, we'll take you, we'll we'll fix it, we'll pick up your contracts. I went to the Warriors and um obviously I'd played there previously, so I had great relationships with the club. At that stage, we were living up on the Goldie and um had to move up to the Goldie in the COVID bubble era. Yep, yep. Played my first game, and then um Tarek Sims actually hit me late after kicking the ball, and I fell down and I absolutely crushed my AC my right shoulder, which was my first touch in my first game for the Warriors. And that I I try to push through the back end of the year, but I was just like I was trying to play and not land a Dinner suit, like I wasn't playing to my potential. And then um it got like I was in and out and my shoulder was just buggered. So the final two weeks I said to Nathan Brown, the coach, I said, mate, like I'm so sorry, like I've just offered nothing the past ten weeks, but mate, my shoulders buggered. I need to I need to shut myself down because I've got three years to go at the cows. Yeah, yeah. And he was very much, mate, don't even worry, like go and look after yourself and get your shoulder right. So um, yeah, it was a disappointing exit the way I exited the Sharkies, but um that's the that's the business of the game. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 47:03

It's funny how the first time you you leave Cranoli go Warriors, second time around. It's funny how things work, isn't it?

SPEAKER_03 47:08

Yeah, big time. Like I've you know, people say you played um, you know, uh for two different clubs on two different times, and I'm like, yeah, well, like I absolutely loved it. Like I had great relationships at the at the clubs, and I and I felt like even when I left the sharks the second time when I felt like I was a bit salty, like I never went out publicly and actually like you know shit bagged them and talked down on them because that's not what who I wanted to be. I was yeah, I was disappointed. Um, but ultimately as you get older you understand that that's a part of the game, yeah, the business of the game, and it happens to you. Yeah when you're young, you don't it it's like it's you're oblivious to it all. But then as you get older, you know they use age against you and uh the young kids coming up, so um you've got to show a little bit of I guess um you sometimes you've got to bite your tongue and just sort of be the bigger person at stages. Yep, yep.

SPEAKER_01 47:58

2022, um up in Townsville, different club, different part of Australia again. Um, what was that like? The move living somewhere different again, again again, different to Sydney, I guess. What did you learn about yourself this time around?

SPEAKER_03 48:12

Yeah, I absolutely loved my time in North Queensland that year 2022. Everyone was tipping us to come last. And um, I remember getting up there quite early because we left the Gold Coast and went straight up to Townsville. We didn't come back down because the borders were still shut. So my house um excuse me, was still in the Shire, um, like full of our stuff, so we had to get um removalists to pack our whole house up and take it up, um, which has ended up probably being a good thing because we didn't have to pack it all up. But uh anyway, yeah. It was um I remember like doing some training before preseason with Scott Drinkwater and Val Holmes, and um I remember talking to Drinky, and I was like, look, drink, like if we like we can have the best attack in the competition, we can have the best kicking game if we do this, this is what we need to do. And I was talking like we can be the best at this and that. And Drinky's like looking back at me like I don't know if he actually believed what I was saying because they'd had a couple of years of failure and really poor seasons. And um, I knew the potential that the group had, and it was like my job to get um the best out of those guys and to get them around the park. And we did that, right? We did that, we had a great season living in Townsville. Um, I couldn't live there full time, but the three years it served as purpose there because it's a great little community, they absolutely love the cowboys. Um, couple of really fun golf courses as well, yeah. Which we really bonded over the game of golf because there's not much else to do up there, right? It's hot as you're indoors over summer, your aircon's gone for four months of the year, winter's absolutely amazing, you don't wear a jumper at all, which is fantastic, but um, yeah, very different to the Shire, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_01 49:53

Yeah, you had a good year, top four finish, week one of the finals. You come back to Shark Park, you play the Sharks, and you get the win. Yeah. What was the emotions like coming back to a club that had so much history for you personally and uh getting the win against them?

SPEAKER_03 50:07

Yeah, that was um that was a big night for me. Um, you know, talking about my exit before, it was almost like I got redemption that night. Um, you know, when we won that that game, we uh vowed that field goal was like, you know, that's how I felt after the game. I was like, yeah, I was very much fired up, even though uh you know I had a lot of fan family and friends in the in the crowd as well. Um and there was a lot riding on the game, actually. My wife was heavily pregnant, and she was actually down in Sydney at the time, and um we were kind of we were due to have the baby after that game, and the fact that we won uh gave us the week off, and I actually stayed back in Sydney. Todd gave me the week off, so I actually stayed back in Sydney. We actually had the baby, and then we had the baby in Sydney, and then I flew back up to Townsville after we had the baby. So if we didn't win, I don't know what would have happened because I probably would have had to go up to Townsville, then I would have had to come back down to have the baby and this and that. So there was more riding on that um than many people may have thought, but yeah, it was an amazing game. Um, and I remember at the back end, Jason scored a try. We had that set play that we probably had in our back pockets for the previous six weeks, but we just hadn't called it because we didn't need it. Yep. And then it was like we need to score a try in the last two minutes. Let's get this play on. Yeah. Executed it, Jace scores, get him one-on-one, and then um yeah, we go to golden point. But it was a it was a big game for us for sure. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 51:28

You got the week off, and then the week later you play power at home. And you're probably 40 minutes away from another grand final, but they come over the top of your late and they get the win. What was what were your emotions after that game being so close to another grand final, but you had not getting the result?

SPEAKER_03 51:44

Yeah, like I was firstly, I was extremely proud of our boys and what we did that year. Like I said, many people thought we'd come last that season, but we ultimately proved a lot of people wrong. I look back on that game and I'm like, I'm I'm still like I'm yeah, devastated to be honest, because I felt like some of the calls that were that game, like the forward pass, which was disappointing. Um we should have won that game. We were the better team, and you know, we probably wouldn't have beat Penrith in the grand final, but I felt like we would have given him a better showing than what Parramatta did the following week. Um, you know, it was it was yeah, I still think to myself, you know, that group that we had there, we we we should have been playing in the grand final with the football that we played that year and the form that the guys were in. It was um it was almost like that was one of the funnest years I've had in my career in 2022, and um yeah, but ultimately just fell a little bit short.

SPEAKER_01 52:34

Yeah, it's just how it goes sometimes, isn't it?

SPEAKER_03 52:36

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 52:36

Now from there you finish up at North Queensland, you signed with the Roosters. Did you sign before Walker did his ACL or after he did his ACL from memory? Before, yeah, yeah. So the new club again, big expectations at the Roosters, and Walker, who was probably their their main man, their half back, goes down with ACL. Did you feel much pressure going into that pre-season? And what was it like at the Roosters for the the the one year you were there?

SPEAKER_03 53:04

Yeah, so it was um well, I guess my last season at the Cowboys, I was um just assessing my options. I was like, I'm gonna retire because I've you know I'm getting to that age where I was like I've I've had enough. Um I'll retire, I'd I'd entertained the thought of going to England, so I'd I'd met online with um with Steve McNameyer from Catalan and um Willie Peters from Hulk R and um the conversations were progressing really nicely and then I had a brief conversation with um with the dogs, which never really eventuated, and then um the roosters came and had a conversation as well. So I had had a couple of options. There were the cows were like we're we're not in a position to keep you, and I was like, Yeah, that's fine. Um, and I just wasn't sure what I wanted to do with. I didn't really want to go to England because I was like, I've got four kids, they're very young, I don't want to take them over there, and I don't want to do that right now. Um you know, I would have loved a chance of playing Super League. I'm a big I am a super league fan. I I love you know what they do over there, but it just wasn't the right thing for me. So um yeah, when the Roosters offer came in, it was one year, and it was like, you know, I've I wouldn't be like I knew I wasn't gonna start. I knew I was just a backup, and for me, it was like I get back to Sydney, I can move back home, my kids can go back to the school that they're gonna get into, and then I can look around and do some more stuff in the media, which is what I want to do post-football. So it kind of ticked all the boxes, and then um I got back to the roosters, and then I remember starting pre-season thinking to myself, what have I done? Like, you know, this is like it's so hard. Yeah, like I remember thinking to myself, like, maybe I should have just retired, but um it was uh it was it was tough, and obviously Sam had done his ACL, so that kind of pushed me up the pecking order a little bit, which was a good opportunity for me. Like I was excited for it, but I was like, yeah, I was kind of like getting to that age where I was like, you know, it's a bit harder for me to do this and a bit harder for me to do that, and you know, I uh I didn't really have the motivation as I had when I was a bit younger. So um I you know still gave it everything I had, that's for sure. I'd I you know when I when I made the decision to be in, I was I was in, I was 100% in. Um yeah, started the season, and we that was probably the worst four weeks we had as a team all year at the Roosters, and I was obviously in the team. I didn't play well. Uh, then I obviously got turfed out um and then Hugo Savala, who absolutely earned his spot. He had a fantastic preseason, came in and played really well, and the boys kind of kicked on from there. So for me, it would kind of turn my attention to things outside of football and how can I do other things in the media and with my radio and with my podcast, and really set myself up for uh for post-footy. But look, I enjoyed being at the Roosters. Being inside the four walls was great to hear about how they go about their business, the history, the culture, um, Trent Robinson, how he operates as well. Um it was a really cool experience, but um, yeah, it probably didn't work out on field as much as you know I would have liked, but you know, I wouldn't I wouldn't change it.

SPEAKER_01 55:59

Yeah, it what's one thing you learnt about Roosters?

SPEAKER_03 56:02

Um I think there's the just the history of the club. Like you all the plays are like it's like a it's like a a book of history, like all the play calls are all the great players of the roosters. Like you've got you've got like Coot, Coots are play, um, you've got like um heaps of all the all the best names in the club are all plays. So I think you learn a lot about um the team and even the the eras, like we did a big history night one night where like you actually learn about the past teams and all the the families of you know the players and uh that was really cool. I've never been a part of a club who emphasizes so much on the history of their club and how important it is to them and how they play. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 56:44

Mid I think it was map maybe mid-year that year, you announced your retirement.

SPEAKER_03 56:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 56:47

Was there a moment where you thought, uh, this is me done, or were already you had thoughts that this would be my last year?

SPEAKER_03 56:54

Yeah, I mean I I had thoughts the previous year at the end of the Cowboys, but it was like you never want to say until it's actually time, like, because the last couple of years you think these when you you know you you kind of get to mid-thirties and you're thinking, you know, geez, like it's it's it's getting close to the end. And um it was one day, because I used to drive from the Shire over to Moor Park and back all the time, but I I'd I'd never live that far away from training. I'd always live like 10 minutes wherever I'd played, five, ten minutes. So I had that time to think in the car, and um I got home one night and I walked in and I just dropped my bag and I just burst into tears to my wife, and I said, like, I don't want to play anymore. I've had enough, we're done. And um she just burst into tears as well, and it was uh it was a tough moment to be honest. It was like it was like the reality hits because it's like your mindset changes from doing absolutely everything as a player, yeah, where it's like everything I eat, everything I time I go to bed, yeah, you know, if and when I drink alcohol, um, you know, that is all all those decisions are based on the back of getting the best out of me as an athlete. Yeah, and there was times where I was just like, I I'm like I'm not interested in doing that anymore. And my mindset is slowly changing, and that person is leaving me. So um, yeah, it's it's a tough, it's it's it's definitely tough, but I felt like I was very prepared for it, to be honest. Um, I was I was highly emotional when when I put that video out with my kids, you know, because um it was just raw. It was very much I wanted to be raw and open and honest with how I felt and um yeah, it was it was a tough time, but I felt like I was I was prepared for it. Yeah, yeah. It was definitely better than Heinie's one.

SPEAKER_00 58:39

What happened with Heinie's one? I can't remember. You got one Powerball, so I'm not turning up the memo and it was on it was on NRL.com or something. It was a horrendous it was. Um well that's a good uh lead into post footage, Ed. Um you're doing a hell of a lot um from the outside in looking in. Um not just saying this because I've got to know you over the last few months, you do an outstanding job, your articulate your knowledge is through the roof. Um but you've got SEN, um, you're doing a little bit of uh commentary on the New South Wales Cup. Yep. Um you've obviously got your podcast, Chad Townsend Show. Make sure you like and subscribe. Estry ball coaching, yeah. Um and you obviously you've still got you're the co-founder of Players Club with with Drinky and um Val. Um where's this all leading to, Chad? Where do you think Chad Townsend will be in five years' time?

SPEAKER_03 59:30

Yeah, it's a great question. And um for me, look, I'm very much motivated now. Like I don't want to like I played in the NRL for 15 seasons, and like now it's like I'm not that person anymore. Like I'm I'm very much focused on what I'm gonna do for the next 20 years and who who will I be in the next 20 years. So, you know, I understand that what I've done in the last few 15 seasons, it allows me to do in some respect what I'm doing now, um, and the platform that I get to have, but for me it's like I get to start again in a new career and I've got to work my way up. So I've got to I've got to keep that same mentality, that same professionalism, that same work ethic that got me 15 years in the NRL, and now utilise that into the next phase of my life. So I think the number one thing that I've resonated towards so far has definitely been my radio, my TV and radio, um, and my podcast. I've always loved content, I've always loved videos on YouTube, and um the freedom that that allows me to sort of be who I am is uh something that I really enjoy. So the next five years, I think for me is um yeah, just continuing to build work, um, enjoy the game. I get to watch every single game, and you know, I get paid to watch the game where I'd be just watching it at home on the couch, you know what I mean, doing the same thing. But the fact that I actually get to be paid for it is is an absolute bonus. It doesn't feel like a job. So for me, just about being consistent, continuing to show up, um, be a good role model for my kids, about working hard and then you know, um yeah, I think that it can be it can show them that if you want something that you can you can definitely get it.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:07

Yeah, okay. Just before we close, Chad, we've got a couple of your questions that have come in. All right, let's go. Let's do it. Um okay, from Mitch from Miranda. So just around the corner here, who was the most influential teammate that you played with?

SPEAKER_03 1:01:21

Jeez, that's a very good question. There was because there's a few. I mean, I spoke about Michael Ennis before. He was absolutely probably the most influential with the way that he spoke his speeches. Um I know I spoke a lot about him before, so I'll I'll someone else who I think was influential as well. Um, I mean, Simon Mannering, actually, at the Warriors, very, very influential. Didn't say uh didn't say a lot, yeah, but um when he did, he was someone that you you absolutely listened to everything he had to say, and led by his actions, he was one of the toughest buggers I ever played with and and um and a really good guy.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:57

Yeah, alright. Okay, and this one is from Brenda, she's alright also from the Shire. It's actually my mum's uh hey mum. Um and uh she was always a massive fan of yours, Chad, and she wants to know where your heart lays. Is it the Sharks? Is it the Cowboys? Is it the Wars?

SPEAKER_03 1:02:13

Yeah, no, uh my number one team is the Sharks for sure, definitely. Um yeah, I'm I'm a Sharks fan. I I go back to myself when I was a kid and where I grew up, and you know, I was a sharks fan. I used to go on the family hill and wave my flag. Um I know I've played I end up finishing with four clubs, um, and I do have a soft spot for all of those clubs, especially the Warriors and the Cowboys. Obviously, I only had that one year with the Roosters, only played six games, but um I've got a lot of love for the Cowboys, I've got great relationships there, same at the Warriors, um, and I do wish them well. But yeah, I think for me, I mean I played nine seasons at Crenella, part of that, obviously that premiership winning team um grew up in the era in the Shire, Shire's home for me, so I'm very much um yeah, black, white, and blue. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:58

Sweet. Now just to finish chat, I've got some quick fire questions for you.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:01

All right.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:02

Half footy related, half life related.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:04

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:04

Uh the first one is what's your thoughts on the game right now?

SPEAKER_03 1:03:06

Yeah, it's a good question. I I think um the speed of the game has increased dramatically. Defence is kind of the defensive area is kind of dead now. Um, you know, there's so many more points in games now, the most points I think through the first ten rounds ever in the history of the game. Um I wouldn't say I'm a massive fan of it. I've always been a bit of a traditionalist. I've I was never really a fan of the six again. I I loved slowing the game down, kicking for touch, getting on a set piece, something we've worked on at training and that we've identified within the defense. Now it's like teams don't really practice penalties and um set pieces anymore because there's no set pieces. It's like it's all how can you um how can you defend 12 plus tackles or how can you attack for 12 tackles? So it's a bit of a different game to the one I have played major the majority of my career, but um I think we can find a balance still. I think last year, you know, was probably better than this year. Obviously, they made that rule adding in that extra 20 metres this season. I think they may look you know potentially towards going that. Um but yeah, I mean it's hard because on the other hand, you know, ratings and crowds and everything are higher than they've ever been. So um, yeah, it's an interesting one.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:21

I think we need to find a balance.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:22

Um who plays in the grand final this year? I know we're early in the season, but predictions.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:27

I think my prediction at the start of the year may have been Roosters and Panthers. Um, but look, I I I mean I I honestly think um like I think the Warriors can play the grand final so far this year. I think you know if I'm looking at the teams right now, I'd probably say the Warriors and the Panthers. Yeah. Um and I'd be on the WAS. I mean, I love the way the Warriors are playing, they're playing with so much control this year. Um I do think it's uh I do think Penrith are on top at the moment, and obviously they are leading the comp, but uh the Warriors have shown that yeah, they'll um they'll be a force to to to muck around with at the back end of the year.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:03

That Ford pack is scary. Yeah, um Didden's replacement for Origin.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:07

Good question. Uh this is an interesting one because I know DCE's name's been floated. Sam Walker, Tanner Boyd, Jamal Fogerty, Clifford, Clifford as well. Another one Clifford's in great form. Um look for me, I actually said it the other day. I'm gonna go with um a little bit of a little bit of an outlier. I'm gonna go with Jamal Fogarty actually. Um I just think that I know he hasn't played the last two weeks, and I know he'll have to play this week for me to actually pick him. Um but I really like what he's done for Manley and his body of work, his his defence, he's got a really strong kicking game, he's a big body as well, which I think you need in origin. Um I don't think DCE's worth bringing back in, although he's had a fantastic career. I really like what Tanner Boyd's done, albeit it's been the 10 rounds of this year. I think Jamal Fogarty's body of work is just a bit longer than that. That's why it probably leads to. Towards um Jamal Fogedy and uh and uh for Sam Walker, like he's Sammy's um had a slow start to the year, he's found some form in the past month. Um but I think Fogerty's probably the one who's been the cons most consistent um out of those ones. Yeah, who do you like, Jake? Just out of curiosity.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:17

It's uh I it's a tough one. Uh well I said to you, I I like Jaden Campbell, but no one's tossed him up. I think he's he's played good footy the last few years. I think because he's at the Titans and they're struggling, no one's tossed him up. Um but DC's been there, done that as well. It just depends what Slater's gone for, who he thinks pairs Munster the best. Yeah. Um I like Chad's uh view on Foggity butt as well.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:39

I I uh I I'm a bit outside the box. I I'd go Kalen. I'd move Munster, I'd move Munster to seven, move Kalen to six.

SPEAKER_03 1:06:46

Only reason why I don't like that is because they're both left footers. Left foot kickers. Although I like, I mean, if you see Kalen point a lineup in number seven, like wouldn't that be a sight?

SPEAKER_00 1:06:57

Well if you look at the team sheet and you see that you're thinking scary. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, but I'm with you. I I thought that was the the the issue, but uh I like it though.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:04

I mean I like it. If they did, if they w if they go that way, I'm like, yeah, like that's I can't wait to watch it. Which way do you reckon he will go? Just out of curiosity. I reckon he'll go that way. That's just my not saying that. Um I don't know, I mean, because I I'm a big fan of like finding a place for your best players on the field. And the same thing with like I I mean, in the Niss of Wildstam, I'm putting Crichton to the wing and putting stags in the centers. Like you've got to find a play a place for your best players. Yeah, yeah. And Calen Ponger is absolutely one of their best players. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:32

Yeah, yeah. Um talking about great players, best player you ever played with. That's a tough one. That's a tough one.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:39

Best player I ever played with. That's a tough one. Um, because I mean, can I do best forward and best back? Yeah, do that. Okay, best forward is Paul Gallon for sure. Just his tough carries, um, his leadership, he's he never took a step back. Gail. Um he's ultra consistent, wore a lot of the shots for us at the Sharkies for a long time. And then best back, I mean I'd have to say, we spoke about him earlier, Sean Johnson. Some of the stuff he did on the field was was remarkable. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:08

Uh one thing each coach taught you, your first great coach.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:12

Um, geez, that's a good one. I think Flano probably Flano probably gave me um well Flano taught me probably the support stuff early in my career was the important. Being up and around the ball, I think that was a big one. Um move over to the Warriors, and I had Matt Elliott and Andrew McFadden there. Andrew McFadden was also, he was very much into me about getting the ball in the hands over like the advantage line and being nice and square and straight as a ball player. Um Todd Payton, I think for me, like our relationship was more like he was very much open to a lot of my ideas and the playing group's ideas, which I absolutely loved. I thought the fact that he was obviously he made the final decisions, yeah, but he was very much open to what how we wanted to play, which I think created buy-in within the playing group. And then Robo, I think the biggest one for him was um just the um the violence of the game. He was very much into play about being violent and physical, and that's how that's how the Roosters play, right? They play a physical brand of football, and that was his number one thing with whether you're running hard, you're running hard to break tackles, or with your defense, your line speed, and you're belting them. That's his that's was his mindset and mentality.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:30

Yeah, that's pretty cool to hear that one. Um best advice you ever received?

SPEAKER_03 1:09:35

Um, geez, out of anything, um best advice I ever received um probably was like when when I was younger, like it was when I was back to that period where I was like you know 16, 17, 18, I was like why I why I made the NRL I think because I was obsessed with uh the game. Like I was obsessed, and I remember hearing something like if you it was like if you want something to happen, like you need to be obsessed with it. You need to constantly refine why you're doing it, um you know, training for it, working hard. So I think that was the you need to be if you want something like you need to be obsessed with it. Yeah, that was a really good piece of advice.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:19

Worst advice you ever received.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:21

Um worst advice. Um geez, that's a tough one because I mean I got some bad advice, but I can't really think about what um the ones that sort of come to mind to be honest. Um yeah, tough.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:39

Last last one, one thing you'd you'd tell a young halfback or player coming through now to focus on the most if they want to play first grade.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:47

Yeah, that's a that's a great question. I think as a halfback now, like you very much um you need to obviously work hard on your core skill, catch, pass, kick. So for me, throughout my whole career and my time as a kid, like I've actually got a lump on the sweet spot of my right foot from the amount of times my I've put boot to ball. Um and I used to just drop the ball and just kick the ball back up to myself constantly, all the time. For 15 years I played when I was a kid, and it was like the amount of times I had that ball drop and then contact on the foot, it was like repetition, and I know it was just kicking it back up to myself, but like that allowed me to just have the confidence of every time I kicked, I knew that what I needed to do. So I think it's like repetition on your core skill, and then I mean, as a young half, you're always gonna get challenged on your defence. You need to make sure you get in front and get and have a go. If you get bumped off, that's fine, get back up and go again. Yeah, um, and then the last one is like your confidence, like you there's gonna be stages throughout your career where you'll be up and down with confidence, um, but always stick true to who you are and why you play the game, and um, yeah, they're probably the three things that come to mind.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:59

Yeah, nice.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:00

Beautiful. All right, Chad, listen, we're gonna wrap it up. Um, I really want to thank you for coming on, mate. Um, it was short notice you came on. We've I've got to know you over the last couple of months, mate, and you're a champion bloke. Your career was outstanding. Your post footy stuff is enormous, guys. Make sure you get on. Uh, look at all Chad's stuff, follow him. Uh we'll see you at Magic Ram. Yes, we'll see you that then. Alright, guys, thanks for watching, um, and we'll see you next week. See you guys.