WEBVTT - #13: Braith Anasta goes Off The Record 0:00:00.080 --> 0:00:02.360 Hi, everyone, Welcome to a very special edition of Off 0:00:02.440 --> 0:00:05.760 the Record, the sports podcast of breaking news, hard opinion 0:00:05.880 --> 0:00:08.160 and a little bit of gibber, although today I expect 0:00:08.160 --> 0:00:13.240 a absolute shitload of gibber. Our guest today needs no introduction, 0:00:13.320 --> 0:00:14.920 but I will because he's kind of a big deal, 0:00:14.960 --> 0:00:18.480 as he regularly tells us. Born in Sydney on January fourteen, 0:00:18.600 --> 0:00:21.560 nineteen eighty two, he was destined for rugby league greatness 0:00:21.720 --> 0:00:24.639 as the nephew of South Sydney legend George Piggins. An 0:00:24.640 --> 0:00:27.160 Australian schoolboy in nineteen ninety nine, he made his NFL 0:00:27.240 --> 0:00:30.400 debut for Canterbury the following year. He was so impressive 0:00:30.440 --> 0:00:32.920 in his second year he was eventually crowned the Daly 0:00:33.000 --> 0:00:35.559 m Rookie of the Year, and was so impressive in 0:00:35.600 --> 0:00:37.280 that year that he was picked for the two thousand 0:00:37.280 --> 0:00:39.800 and one Kangaroo Tour, on which he learned many things 0:00:39.840 --> 0:00:42.199 about the game of rugby league, none of which can 0:00:42.280 --> 0:00:44.960 be repeated on a family podcast like Off the Record. 0:00:45.760 --> 0:00:48.760 His rise was meteoric. He came out the other side 0:00:48.800 --> 0:00:51.240 of the Bulldogs salary cap scandal before leading the club 0:00:51.280 --> 0:00:54.120 to the four premiership in six He was out the 0:00:54.160 --> 0:00:57.279 door headed to the Sydney Roosters, which suited his glamorous 0:00:57.360 --> 0:01:01.720 lifestyle and daily appearances in Sydney Confidential. He paid for 0:01:01.800 --> 0:01:04.080 New South Wales, Australia, Greece, and of course the highlight 0:01:04.120 --> 0:01:06.679 of his career thirty one matches for the West Tigers, 0:01:07.240 --> 0:01:09.200 where things were so tight they used to ration how 0:01:09.280 --> 0:01:13.760 much gatorade was being drunk each day. Playing football was 0:01:13.800 --> 0:01:16.480 never going to satisfy the appetite of this very ambitious 0:01:16.520 --> 0:01:19.960 young go getter TV in sports management Beckon and he 0:01:20.040 --> 0:01:23.240 smashed that like he smashes a golf ball. He's a 0:01:23.319 --> 0:01:27.360 face of NRL three sixty, sporting all brown suits and 0:01:27.400 --> 0:01:30.800 teeth so bright you can see them from the International 0:01:30.880 --> 0:01:34.440 Space Station. He's one of the He's one of the 0:01:34.440 --> 0:01:36.960 hardest working blokes you'll ever meet, and easily one of 0:01:37.040 --> 0:01:39.480 the best blokes I've got to know doing this job. 0:01:39.680 --> 0:01:40.919 He is, of course, breath and NaSTA. 0:01:41.160 --> 0:01:45.160 That was the best I've ever had introductions. 0:01:45.319 --> 0:01:46.160 He's a genius. 0:01:46.200 --> 0:01:47.000 Thanks for joining us. 0:01:47.000 --> 0:01:50.960 The white teeth got me still my favorites. I'm looking 0:01:50.960 --> 0:01:51.400 forward to this. 0:01:51.520 --> 0:01:52.760 How how are you good? 0:01:52.800 --> 0:01:53.480 Yeah, really good. 0:01:53.800 --> 0:01:55.720 Busy is always buzzed and I would just winging out 0:01:55.760 --> 0:01:57.640 the back about what's on at the moment, But. 0:01:57.720 --> 0:01:59.720 How much how much work you've gone on? Did you've 0:01:59.720 --> 0:02:00.720 taken on yourselves? 0:02:00.880 --> 0:02:01.960 Yeah, that's true. 0:02:02.000 --> 0:02:03.480 You know, no one's on the gun to both of you. 0:02:04.240 --> 0:02:06.600 True, it's so true. I tend to say yes a lot. 0:02:06.640 --> 0:02:07.920 But that's really good. 0:02:08.520 --> 0:02:11.440 Webe I can't complain at all. Last, great good stuff. 0:02:12.160 --> 0:02:15.280 Let's get to the first question. Who sweats the most 0:02:15.280 --> 0:02:16.800 on three sixty? Me or buzz? 0:02:20.000 --> 0:02:23.760 I think I think it's you heavy naturally, But when 0:02:23.800 --> 0:02:25.520 I get buzzed with a good question, or I get 0:02:25.600 --> 0:02:28.120 him under the pump and the sweats start coming, then 0:02:28.120 --> 0:02:32.400 we go and break and he starts pacing to cool. 0:02:33.080 --> 0:02:35.200 Whenever I get worked up, I swear it and it 0:02:35.520 --> 0:02:38.240 just happens. I don't know if it's anxiety what it is, 0:02:38.639 --> 0:02:41.000 but I do want to reveal on this show. Because 0:02:41.120 --> 0:02:45.639 you cannot actually see the side of your desk. Yeah, 0:02:46.240 --> 0:02:49.320 you have a portable fan. Me, I do so you 0:02:49.320 --> 0:02:50.799 you do get edgy in that job? 0:02:50.960 --> 0:02:53.600 Or I know I have the fear there because once 0:02:53.720 --> 0:02:55.800 I got the sweats and I couldn't lose it. When 0:02:55.840 --> 0:02:59.880 you're hosting, you can't lose it. My shirt starts like 0:03:00.040 --> 0:03:02.440 getting soak and wet, and I hated the feeling. 0:03:02.720 --> 0:03:05.280 You know, you're like you boys when you start sweating. 0:03:05.200 --> 0:03:07.280 And you can't. The more you think about it, more 0:03:07.280 --> 0:03:07.760 you sweat. 0:03:07.880 --> 0:03:10.240 And I thought, you know what and Mal, because Mal 0:03:10.360 --> 0:03:13.760 has it every Saturday on Super Saturday. And I noticed that, 0:03:13.880 --> 0:03:15.639 and I'm like, can I have that fan? And I'll 0:03:15.680 --> 0:03:18.120 just I just have it there now just in case. 0:03:18.320 --> 0:03:20.119 But I don't genuinely sweat that much. 0:03:20.440 --> 0:03:22.680 You know. One of the wardrobe girls had to rush 0:03:22.720 --> 0:03:25.320 in with a blow drive for me once because it, yeah, 0:03:25.840 --> 0:03:26.840 just to drive my shirt. 0:03:27.000 --> 0:03:29.080 It's shocking for you know, you know why I sweat. 0:03:29.120 --> 0:03:30.480 I was talking to someone aout this the other week 0:03:30.919 --> 0:03:34.440 because I get so nervous about what's going to come 0:03:34.440 --> 0:03:36.920 out of my mouth, whether I'm going to fame someone 0:03:37.200 --> 0:03:39.040 or say something that I'm not supposed to say. 0:03:39.240 --> 0:03:40.960 You can get nervous about that movie. 0:03:40.920 --> 0:03:44.120 Because here I can't help must. I kind of will 0:03:44.160 --> 0:03:44.560 be honest. 0:03:44.680 --> 0:03:48.960 We're very much the same three of us, like you know, 0:03:49.160 --> 0:03:51.920 love or hate whatever. We're very strong with our opinions 0:03:52.000 --> 0:03:54.360 and we can't help ourselves sometimes I go, right tonight, 0:03:54.800 --> 0:03:56.360 I'm just going to sit back and let the other 0:03:56.360 --> 0:03:58.200 boys go. And then all of a sudden, I find 0:03:58.200 --> 0:04:02.240 myself deep into the argument saying things I would never have. 0:04:02.160 --> 0:04:02.680 Thought I would. 0:04:04.240 --> 0:04:08.600 But you know, you talk about heating up in these situations. 0:04:08.880 --> 0:04:11.800 I want to let listeners know we said here every 0:04:12.000 --> 0:04:14.920 Tuesday for this podcast, and we have an air condition 0:04:15.280 --> 0:04:20.320 above us whereb He's got it. On sixteen, it's the 0:04:20.360 --> 0:04:28.120 middle of winter. 0:04:32.200 --> 0:04:35.039 You're from the ghetto Brace. I interviewed you the first 0:04:35.040 --> 0:04:37.919 time in two thousand and two for Inside Sports magazine. 0:04:37.960 --> 0:04:40.920 You're a kid, and I was a kid basically myself, 0:04:42.120 --> 0:04:43.520 you know, and I've got to know you a lot 0:04:43.560 --> 0:04:48.120 over over over the years. How do you reflect on 0:04:48.160 --> 0:04:51.359 your football career? Let's start there. I think I remember, 0:04:51.360 --> 0:04:52.920 I remember, I remember you went on the Kangaroo too 0:04:52.920 --> 0:04:55.040 with like I alluded to there, and I remember speaking 0:04:55.040 --> 0:04:57.360 to Andrew John's afterwards and he said he'd never seen 0:04:57.360 --> 0:04:59.120 a kid at that age with so much skill. 0:04:59.560 --> 0:04:59.760 Yeah. 0:04:59.760 --> 0:05:02.920 I think think when I reflect on it, I kind 0:05:02.920 --> 0:05:06.080 of think I could have been a lot better. I 0:05:06.080 --> 0:05:08.680 don't know if that's me sort of reading into other 0:05:08.680 --> 0:05:12.400 people's opinions more so, but that just infiltrated me over 0:05:12.440 --> 0:05:15.120 a long period of time. I know, I let other 0:05:15.160 --> 0:05:18.200 people's opinions get in my head a lot and struggle 0:05:18.240 --> 0:05:21.880 with that, especially the middle period of my career. When 0:05:21.880 --> 0:05:24.160 I first burst onto the scene, I was kind of 0:05:24.200 --> 0:05:26.560 just playing like I was playing in the backyard. It 0:05:26.640 --> 0:05:28.680 was just come so natural to me. I was very 0:05:28.720 --> 0:05:30.760 confident a little bit of arrogance there, but you kind 0:05:30.760 --> 0:05:33.960 of need that. And then I tried to pull that 0:05:34.080 --> 0:05:37.280 back because I had so many people having their opinions 0:05:37.360 --> 0:05:40.359 and talking about how because I was pretty animated on 0:05:40.360 --> 0:05:43.800 the field, I was quite an emotional player. I had 0:05:43.880 --> 0:05:47.080 natural talent, and you know, I've played for Australia and 0:05:47.600 --> 0:05:49.479 New South Wales so early on in my career and 0:05:49.520 --> 0:05:51.360 got the Rookie of the Year and all that run 0:05:51.360 --> 0:05:54.240 a comp early and I just I think I let 0:05:54.440 --> 0:05:56.960 the outside noise get the better of me, and I 0:05:57.000 --> 0:05:59.159 just think I could have been better than what I was, 0:05:59.320 --> 0:06:02.760 you know, And I still had it, like I'm proud 0:06:02.760 --> 0:06:06.719 of my career, but I do at times think, you know, 0:06:06.839 --> 0:06:08.839 look at other players and think I could have I 0:06:08.839 --> 0:06:11.320 could have achieved that, you know, if I just probably 0:06:11.520 --> 0:06:12.919 didn't get into my own head a little bit. 0:06:13.760 --> 0:06:16.000 Are you mindful of that in your job. 0:06:16.040 --> 0:06:17.880 And I was going to talk about the power and 0:06:17.960 --> 0:06:22.960 influence you have hosting the flagship show in rugby league. 0:06:23.600 --> 0:06:26.440 Are you mindful of that now when we're talking Locky 0:06:26.520 --> 0:06:29.960 Galvin and we're talking about young players, and you know 0:06:30.040 --> 0:06:33.720 that the boom on these kids and the spotlight they're under. 0:06:33.720 --> 0:06:37.520 It's a tricky I know, because people want you to 0:06:37.600 --> 0:06:40.360 talk your honest opinions. 0:06:40.440 --> 0:06:41.000 It is hard. 0:06:41.040 --> 0:06:43.279 Because I do, I can put myself in their positioning. 0:06:43.360 --> 0:06:45.520 I get it, I understand it, I lived it. I 0:06:45.520 --> 0:06:47.240 think it also gives me the right to comment on 0:06:47.279 --> 0:06:48.960 it and have an opinion on it because I have 0:06:49.520 --> 0:06:51.080 been through it firsthand. 0:06:52.440 --> 0:06:55.080 And when I give an opinion, I do like most 0:06:55.080 --> 0:06:56.240 of the time to give. 0:06:57.560 --> 0:07:00.600 Sort of It's not just an opinion, it's probably feedback 0:07:00.600 --> 0:07:05.039 and advance insight, you know. Like I still still doesn't 0:07:05.040 --> 0:07:06.360 mean I won't have a crack if I think they're 0:07:06.360 --> 0:07:07.960 doing the wrong thing or if they handle it the 0:07:07.960 --> 0:07:10.800 wrong way. I try and make it constructive, you know, 0:07:10.920 --> 0:07:13.320 more so than just talking down to someone. I think, 0:07:13.720 --> 0:07:17.160 you know, it's it's important that my job is opinion. 0:07:17.320 --> 0:07:18.800 I have to have my opinion. If I can't sit 0:07:18.880 --> 0:07:21.280 on the fence like that just get another host. 0:07:21.040 --> 0:07:23.040 Like jump in the car driving home. 0:07:23.080 --> 0:07:31.560 I think I shouldn't have said a lot, yeah. 0:07:27.520 --> 0:07:32.680 I say when I read the column, Yeah you know, 0:07:33.800 --> 0:07:34.960 or you. 0:07:34.920 --> 0:07:36.560 Often would ring me and do you think I went 0:07:36.600 --> 0:07:37.960 too hard to think? I said this? 0:07:38.240 --> 0:07:40.760 And I think now, to be honest, now I don't 0:07:41.280 --> 0:07:44.559 over because it impacted throughout my career. I just spoke 0:07:44.600 --> 0:07:48.000 about it like overthinking, over analyzed, the worrying about everyone else. 0:07:48.400 --> 0:07:50.240 I don't care. I don't care as much anymore. 0:07:51.840 --> 0:07:55.360 Braith actually helped me recently. Wear I was bagged over 0:07:55.520 --> 0:08:00.560 something quite heavy that surprised Well, it was just the same. Yeah, 0:08:00.600 --> 0:08:03.120 it was a social media polum, but I was really 0:08:03.240 --> 0:08:04.240 stud about it. 0:08:05.800 --> 0:08:10.040 Why why are you so worked up? You know? 0:08:10.920 --> 0:08:15.520 It's people, you know, And it just helped And I 0:08:15.840 --> 0:08:19.120 no longer you know, it was only recently, but I 0:08:19.240 --> 0:08:22.400 no longer care as much about other people and what 0:08:22.480 --> 0:08:25.280 they think of what I spit out in that show 0:08:25.480 --> 0:08:29.400 or write or just doing my job. 0:08:30.160 --> 0:08:30.920 Call it as it is. 0:08:32.240 --> 0:08:34.200 We're always going to be judged and people are always 0:08:34.240 --> 0:08:36.360 going to have their opinion of us and our opinions, 0:08:36.360 --> 0:08:39.240 and that's that's a position we're in. But the quicker 0:08:39.240 --> 0:08:41.560 and this is any advice or anyone the quicker. The 0:08:41.600 --> 0:08:45.080 only people I really give a fuck about my mum, 0:08:45.480 --> 0:08:48.760 my family and friends and my boss and the rest. 0:08:48.920 --> 0:08:51.480 Really it's irrelevant, and so what. The noise will always 0:08:51.520 --> 0:08:55.359 be there. People always have negative opinion of you, regardless 0:08:55.360 --> 0:08:58.400 of whether it's it is or it isn't. You know, 0:08:58.640 --> 0:09:01.080 it comes with the territory. And I've learned that from 0:09:01.840 --> 0:09:04.040 seventeen eighteen, you know, I've lived there forever. 0:09:04.280 --> 0:09:06.960 Yeah, look, I don't want it because a lot of 0:09:07.000 --> 0:09:11.200 people spoke about you know, you was a young fella. 0:09:12.679 --> 0:09:17.480 Make that Rugby League week player pole was very very heavy, 0:09:17.600 --> 0:09:19.719 you know you were, and they ended up banning the 0:09:19.840 --> 0:09:23.600 question was taken out because players stopped answering it where 0:09:23.600 --> 0:09:27.720 you just didn't want it. Your name most overrated player 0:09:29.679 --> 0:09:30.679 did that? 0:09:30.679 --> 0:09:31.920 That must have hurt. 0:09:31.840 --> 0:09:32.520 Yeah, big time. 0:09:32.880 --> 0:09:36.520 That was That was a because again I'd never experienced 0:09:37.800 --> 0:09:40.520 I was only a kid. I never experienced anything negative 0:09:40.559 --> 0:09:43.520 really in my life. I had with my dad and 0:09:43.559 --> 0:09:46.800 stuff like that, but not professionally or as with any 0:09:46.840 --> 0:09:49.200 of the sports i'd played. You know, I kind of 0:09:49.200 --> 0:09:52.840 reached the top, you know, quite easily, I thought at 0:09:52.840 --> 0:09:54.640 the time. But and I thought I was doing a 0:09:54.640 --> 0:09:57.640 great job and so to get that from your peers, 0:09:57.760 --> 0:09:58.960 was that's stung? 0:09:59.080 --> 0:10:00.600 Like it really impact to me, it did. 0:10:00.720 --> 0:10:03.720 I remember copping it for a few years there and like, 0:10:03.960 --> 0:10:05.280 you know, it sounds dramatic, but. 0:10:05.280 --> 0:10:07.880 I remember just saying to mom, like, I've had enough. 0:10:08.720 --> 0:10:10.200 I don't want to do this and it's not worth 0:10:10.280 --> 0:10:13.200 the feeling and the embarrassment and the and the ridicule 0:10:13.240 --> 0:10:14.840 that comes with it. You know, you're kicking a goal 0:10:15.240 --> 0:10:18.280 run out of the field because fans just listen. Yeah, 0:10:18.320 --> 0:10:21.199 they do listen to the media. And it just stuck 0:10:21.240 --> 0:10:22.880 with me for a long time, and it was it 0:10:22.920 --> 0:10:23.400 was awful. 0:10:23.440 --> 0:10:24.360 I hated it, but I. 0:10:24.320 --> 0:10:28.439 Couldn't help the Freddie got it as well. When did 0:10:28.480 --> 0:10:30.160 you when you voted. 0:10:30.880 --> 0:10:33.720 Wearing your career similar times? If I was early, like 0:10:33.960 --> 0:10:35.320 I was getting Rookie of the Year. 0:10:35.200 --> 0:10:38.720 And Rookie in Australia. 0:10:38.840 --> 0:10:41.040 Yeah, I'm talking about your dad a bit, like but 0:10:41.120 --> 0:10:45.280 who did you turn to and Mum was obviously, Was 0:10:45.320 --> 0:10:47.439 there anyone else who you know? 0:10:47.679 --> 0:10:48.560 Was there a coach? 0:10:48.880 --> 0:10:49.240 Was there? 0:10:50.840 --> 0:10:54.719 You got out? What members were great? I had? 0:10:54.760 --> 0:10:57.280 I had my mates always, they've been there. I've always 0:10:57.280 --> 0:10:59.800 founded myself with my mates. And they're still my best 0:10:59.800 --> 0:11:01.760 mate now. And I kind of wasn't that footy player 0:11:01.800 --> 0:11:03.600 that a lot of do that just kind of when 0:11:03.600 --> 0:11:06.560 they played footy. They stick around those guys and I 0:11:06.600 --> 0:11:08.760 feel like for life after foot it helps if you 0:11:08.760 --> 0:11:11.520 you've got your your matship and your friends, that your 0:11:12.120 --> 0:11:13.040 og is kind of thing. 0:11:13.040 --> 0:11:14.320 And I've still got them now. They were great. 0:11:14.400 --> 0:11:17.480 My mum's been a rock, even though she was finding 0:11:17.480 --> 0:11:18.800 it hard herself to be fair. 0:11:19.280 --> 0:11:20.600 Weld call journals. 0:11:20.760 --> 0:11:23.640 Yeah, she was pretty called out journals. She was you know, 0:11:23.760 --> 0:11:24.880 I love that loyalty, you know. 0:11:25.040 --> 0:11:25.800 Yeah. 0:11:26.000 --> 0:11:27.319 Did I need professional help? 0:11:27.679 --> 0:11:29.760 Yeah? I ended up getting help. 0:11:30.040 --> 0:11:33.319 I saw a counselor because when my dad had passed, 0:11:33.920 --> 0:11:36.439 I had a counselor I saw at that time to 0:11:36.480 --> 0:11:39.040 get through that. And then I went back to her 0:11:39.160 --> 0:11:41.000 because I was struggling a bit and I didn't really 0:11:41.000 --> 0:11:42.960 know what to do. And then I saw a spots 0:11:43.040 --> 0:11:44.320 sports like at some point too. 0:11:44.600 --> 0:11:46.840 I encourage it. It really helped me get through. 0:11:46.880 --> 0:11:48.600 It's really good because a lot of. 0:11:50.240 --> 0:11:53.000 Yeah, you know, I think you should like it's it's 0:11:53.040 --> 0:11:55.680 a good way to get because he's not He's not 0:11:55.720 --> 0:11:58.720 always someone you can talk to, you know, there isn't 0:11:59.720 --> 0:12:01.720 if you not your parents, and even your parents sometimes 0:12:01.720 --> 0:12:04.079 you can't, but you know, and then you've got your mentors. 0:12:04.080 --> 0:12:05.920 Not everyone's got them. I've got them as I've got older, 0:12:05.960 --> 0:12:07.199 but not at that age. 0:12:07.240 --> 0:12:10.920 It's something that's always amazed me about rugby league players. 0:12:11.080 --> 0:12:14.439 They are so tough, they're so strong, they're so powerful, 0:12:15.280 --> 0:12:21.840 this extraordinary body contact. But they're actually like everyone they 0:12:21.920 --> 0:12:24.079 are that there's they have. 0:12:24.080 --> 0:12:27.120 Weakness income that like the rugby league media is pretty 0:12:27.160 --> 0:12:29.520 pretty rough. Like you and I were very close during 0:12:29.520 --> 0:12:33.200 a lot of your career, all your career, and I 0:12:33.360 --> 0:12:36.920 was always, you know, was pretty I was pretty cool, 0:12:37.679 --> 0:12:39.680 was a drink of the bubble Chloe all the time. 0:12:39.720 --> 0:12:44.439 But there was like some journalis went hard actuzz you 0:12:44.480 --> 0:12:44.959 were one of. 0:12:44.920 --> 0:12:48.520 Them, you know, as you know, I've always called this, 0:12:48.640 --> 0:12:53.560 I see, but it was never ever when I start 0:12:53.640 --> 0:12:56.240 out in journalism, and I don't want to stand. There 0:12:56.240 --> 0:13:01.040 were more gentlemen sort of covering the game more, you know, 0:13:01.080 --> 0:13:04.240 a bit more statesman like you know the Alan Clarkson's, 0:13:04.280 --> 0:13:07.560 the and heads is that, you know, all those the 0:13:08.080 --> 0:13:12.439 Christiansens and no one. It was more just a commentary 0:13:12.480 --> 0:13:15.720 of the game each week without you know as heavy 0:13:15.720 --> 0:13:18.360 as it is today, and that's social media. 0:13:18.440 --> 0:13:19.560 Social media a lot, but a. 0:13:19.520 --> 0:13:21.240 Lot of it. You were also when you went to 0:13:21.320 --> 0:13:23.520 the Roosters. I found it. It really went through the 0:13:23.559 --> 0:13:25.520 room is big glamor club and you were the big 0:13:25.559 --> 0:13:26.079 signing there. 0:13:26.120 --> 0:13:26.280 You know. 0:13:26.360 --> 0:13:28.160 That's just a touch on that, and I'll come back 0:13:28.160 --> 0:13:28.400 to this. 0:13:28.559 --> 0:13:31.400 I think what ruby Ley players need to learn these 0:13:31.480 --> 0:13:33.880 days that is actually getting to talk about being constructive 0:13:33.880 --> 0:13:37.520 and living it myself. The sooner you understand the media, 0:13:37.640 --> 0:13:39.800 get to know the media, but also know why the 0:13:39.840 --> 0:13:43.240 media are there and what they're doing, and you work 0:13:43.280 --> 0:13:45.480 you can even work with them. It's to your favor. 0:13:45.720 --> 0:13:48.400 The better you're going to be if you if you know, 0:13:48.520 --> 0:13:51.240 if you're abusive to them, to the media, or you 0:13:51.360 --> 0:13:53.319 turn your back on the media, or you don't give 0:13:53.360 --> 0:13:55.360 them anything, it's not going to help your cause and 0:13:55.800 --> 0:13:58.440 even the players look after now. If you actually get 0:13:58.440 --> 0:14:01.280 to work it out and realize what we are doing 0:14:01.320 --> 0:14:03.600 in the media while we're doing it, know what to watch, 0:14:03.600 --> 0:14:05.440 what not to watch, what to listen to, what not 0:14:05.480 --> 0:14:07.920 to listen to, You get to know it better. It's 0:14:07.920 --> 0:14:10.000 going to benefit you as a player, and it's going 0:14:10.080 --> 0:14:12.560 to benefit you throughout your career in post football, a 0:14:12.559 --> 0:14:14.079 lot of guys just and I did it. 0:14:14.240 --> 0:14:17.000 He just bar you know, journos you get the ship. 0:14:17.080 --> 0:14:19.400 You hate them all and it's not the best attitude 0:14:19.400 --> 0:14:22.760 to have actually impact you know yourself. But you can 0:14:22.800 --> 0:14:24.760 benefit from the media too if you leverage them and 0:14:24.800 --> 0:14:25.560 use them the right way. 0:14:25.600 --> 0:14:27.200 But here the Roosters. 0:14:27.280 --> 0:14:31.240 That that was a big one because see how obviously 0:14:31.240 --> 0:14:31.840 I left them. 0:14:32.200 --> 0:14:32.920 I didn't leave them. 0:14:33.400 --> 0:14:35.120 I went in the comp when you were in the 0:14:35.160 --> 0:14:35.720 first you know. 0:14:35.760 --> 0:14:38.680 And George he mentioned at the top there he came 0:14:38.720 --> 0:14:41.240 to me before they'd been told they were going to 0:14:41.240 --> 0:14:41.920 get kicked out. 0:14:42.240 --> 0:14:43.840 Well officially he knew. 0:14:44.320 --> 0:14:45.840 And he said, Mane, you got to go, and I 0:14:45.960 --> 0:14:47.600 want to go, and he goes, you have to you're 0:14:47.600 --> 0:14:49.120 not going to play first grade. You're only a year 0:14:49.160 --> 0:14:50.720 or two ways and is I think I was sixteen 0:14:50.800 --> 0:14:54.200 or something like that, and he said, you know, and 0:14:54.240 --> 0:14:55.440 he pretty much picked the club. 0:14:55.440 --> 0:14:56.600 I talked to both to the Roosters. 0:14:56.680 --> 0:15:01.320 I met with Beto Beats and and Freddie and then 0:15:01.320 --> 0:15:04.200 I met with the with the Dogs. But he was like, 0:15:04.200 --> 0:15:06.160 may you're going to the Bulldogs And I was like, okay. 0:15:06.400 --> 0:15:08.040 He didn't want to didn't want me to gather the roosters. 0:15:08.240 --> 0:15:10.280 So that's how I landed at Canterbury. And then when 0:15:10.280 --> 0:15:12.720 I was off, well I wasn't. I had to go 0:15:12.760 --> 0:15:15.840 because we won the camp and the cap was Malcolm 0:15:15.840 --> 0:15:17.760 knows that there's no money here. I was sh had 0:15:17.760 --> 0:15:19.480 a lot of bulldogs fans don't know that, and I 0:15:19.520 --> 0:15:22.280 get that often even in Uber Uber Drivers and you 0:15:22.320 --> 0:15:25.440 know whatever it is bulldogs fans they they they kind 0:15:25.440 --> 0:15:28.040 of disliked me, some of them because they think I 0:15:28.080 --> 0:15:30.840 walked out on the club. I didn't have a contract there, 0:15:30.960 --> 0:15:32.920 you know, I didn't have a contract and Malcolm No 0:15:33.040 --> 0:15:35.280 just said, maybe we don't have anything for you. I 0:15:35.320 --> 0:15:37.120 had to leave. I didn't want to leave at that time. 0:15:37.160 --> 0:15:39.240 A lot of people don't know that that. That was 0:15:39.240 --> 0:15:41.440 disappointing because the club really pushed that so it made 0:15:41.440 --> 0:15:44.160 them look better at the time. You know, again, this 0:15:44.240 --> 0:15:46.920 is the rugby league, right, you know. And and the 0:15:46.960 --> 0:15:48.840 fans thought I walked out in the club, but I didn't. 0:15:48.840 --> 0:15:52.760 So that was that was that situation. I had the bunnies. 0:15:54.040 --> 0:15:56.520 I'm shocked at a powerbreaker at Canby wouldn't tell the truth. 0:15:58.600 --> 0:16:01.040 Let's yeah, he buzz that s. 0:16:04.320 --> 0:16:09.480 Redemption, just chipping away, and I repeated, I I've been 0:16:09.560 --> 0:16:14.640 chipping away a long time exposing Look, Gus's a legend, 0:16:14.760 --> 0:16:18.359 right and what he's done at Cannabis off the charts outstanding. 0:16:19.440 --> 0:16:22.680 But he's made a number of blunders over the long 0:16:22.720 --> 0:16:24.280 period of time and I've called him out. 0:16:24.240 --> 0:16:26.640 On Yeah this is a this is a Breath of 0:16:26.720 --> 0:16:27.440 NaSTA podcast. 0:16:27.480 --> 0:16:30.520 Yeah, well, I brought it up. 0:16:32.000 --> 0:16:32.400 His opinion. 0:16:32.680 --> 0:16:35.720 Good, I'm more than aware you've turned their Thank god, 0:16:37.080 --> 0:16:37.440 thank you. 0:16:37.960 --> 0:16:41.520 We're twenty minutes and you're annoying me already, breath Which coach? 0:16:41.600 --> 0:16:44.840 Which coach did you learn the most from? Uh? 0:16:45.640 --> 0:16:49.200 The smartest coach I've ever had Brian Smith? 0:16:50.400 --> 0:16:50.680 That me. 0:16:51.480 --> 0:16:54.760 That's did He used to take you all the time? 0:16:55.880 --> 0:16:59.160 That I mean, yeah, so you asked me. The smartest 0:16:59.200 --> 0:17:04.879 coach was Brian Smith. But he was also the most 0:17:05.080 --> 0:17:11.960 how would I say it? He waskiest, kirkiest, a little 0:17:11.960 --> 0:17:14.560 bit strange at times, and he would message the players. 0:17:14.560 --> 0:17:17.080 I was the captain at the time for years and 0:17:17.200 --> 0:17:19.240 I was like doctor Phil. I had all the players 0:17:19.280 --> 0:17:21.760 coming to me because they'd been told they playing that week. 0:17:21.800 --> 0:17:24.040 Their families had flying down from Queensland, and then he 0:17:24.080 --> 0:17:26.520 wouldn't play them. And then you know, he had certain 0:17:26.560 --> 0:17:28.680 ways in which he handled things that I think held 0:17:28.760 --> 0:17:29.520 him back as a coach. 0:17:29.560 --> 0:17:31.960 I think that's what hurt him because he was so smart. 0:17:31.960 --> 0:17:34.840 Sorry, you know, like he'd go and watch the week 0:17:34.880 --> 0:17:36.440 we'll play, the team will playing. 0:17:36.480 --> 0:17:38.240 He'd go and watch them two weeks in advance. 0:17:38.320 --> 0:17:40.600 Him and Robber would sit in behind the post and 0:17:40.600 --> 0:17:42.720 they'd have a game plan written up three weeks in 0:17:42.720 --> 0:17:44.680 advance of who you about to play in three weeks time. 0:17:44.760 --> 0:17:47.879 And he had set pieces that would expose vulnerable defenses 0:17:47.880 --> 0:17:50.720 that he'd seen firsthand and worked hard. He was just 0:17:51.359 --> 0:17:54.040 he was actually really good for me at the time. 0:17:55.359 --> 0:17:57.840 And I think he was the most intelligent coach I've 0:17:57.840 --> 0:18:02.280 had by by fair Way, actually the best roach, best. 0:18:02.040 --> 0:18:06.400 Coach like you would have been coached by Gus. Yeah, 0:18:06.440 --> 0:18:07.800 Gus was brilliant. 0:18:07.880 --> 0:18:09.919 It was only had h one one year in origin 0:18:10.000 --> 0:18:12.560 and I was kind of off the bench and like 0:18:12.760 --> 0:18:16.080 just eighteen year old, bright eyed, but just sit back 0:18:16.080 --> 0:18:19.600