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Andrew Webster - Coaching The Warriors to Success, Shaun Johnson, Up The Wahs Craze, and more!

January 21, 202401:05:16
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Andrew Webster welcome to my podcast
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thanks for having me oh my dog just
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jumped up just about missed it um Wow
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first of all up the W yeah up M what are
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you how God hey um M I'm sorry I'm
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probably going to Fanboy a little bit
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because I can't believe you know you're
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over at my place doing this podcast um
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it's a real sort of punch myself moment
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um uh I think it ISS a lot about you
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like I just miss I got your number off a
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mate I messaged you and you just said
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yep I'll do it but messaged me in a
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month and then sure enough TR of your
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word here you are yeah no I well yeah
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it's it was a BS busy period
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particularly towards the end of the year
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so I said no to lots of people trying to
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focus on the finals and yeah I wanted to
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get it done so I'm glad I'm here yeah do
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you you must get a lot of invites to go
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on podcasts and things how do you decide
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what you're going to do and how you what
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you're not going to do oh I don't I
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don't really know I just I work it out
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from time to time probably depending on
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the schedule now's a pretty good time of
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the year so um but yeah no I U you were
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very polite so people are polite and ask
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nicely and they patient then you're
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often willing to do things for people
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are oh that's nice yeah you were like
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messaging me in a month so exactly a
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month later I mess you then like give me
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another couple of weeks alarm went and
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then you went there so was good I've
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tried the same with um I don't know if
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you're familiar with um Scott Razer
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Robertson yeah course yeah I messaged
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him like about a year ago and said oh do
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you want to come with my podcast and
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he's like I've got a rule I only do one
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a year so I messaged him New Year's Day
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New Year's Day the next year and he's
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like I'm not ready just yet message me
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message me in a couple of months I
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messaged him like first of month
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um but no he's a nogo oh there you go
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okay but um there is so much to discuss
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with you and I mean the impact that
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you've had on the NRL the impact that
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you've had on New Zealand culture since
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you've been here but first of all very
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very tough question who is Andrew
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Webster uh he's a knockout guy I suppose
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he loves his family loves his friends
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loves socializing Loves All Sport really
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um obviously particularly rby league and
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yeah just love helping people get better
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and that's probably why I love coaching
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and um yeah I like a good time I suppose
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because I I I uh I research these things
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as much as what I can and uh there's
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there's a lot of like podcasts that
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you've been involved with online but
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it's generally just focused on like
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League chat y so it's hard to scratch
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beneath the surface and figure out who
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Andrew Webster the person is there is a
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league sports writer with the same name
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though that must get tricky yeah it used
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to get a lot more tricky when I was
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probably in more assistant coach uh
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people would have my number and his
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number and they would text me
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pretending to be him like meaning they
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wanted to speak to him or they would
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text him when they should have been
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talking to me so it got a beit tricky
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there for a bit but yeah all all smooth
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out yeah so you're you're from um you're
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from like a like a a league obsessed
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family yes that's one thing I can gather
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so you were a pretty decent player I was
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average at best but you know I played
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lower grades for for junior Reps for the
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Tigers and Paramount eel so at that
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stage I thought I was doing all right
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but um that's the thing that all these
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young players will find out only they
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said you only probably one or two get
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through from each age group and I
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thought I was tracking all right and
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probably got a rude shock when I uh as
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the standards started to rise that I
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just wasn't athletically gifted enough
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so but I always thought I understood the
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game so um I thought I'd have a have a
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crack of coaching and I loved it and
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wanted to stay involved in the game so I
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got involved in coaching early yeah it
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was do you think it was sort of your
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destiny in a way your brother's a coach
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as well right yeah yeah he's a coach to
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yeah and I I heard I don't know if this
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is um this is fake news but I heard your
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sister as well like when you were little
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growing up um you know you get a lot of
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people that pretend to to be the play
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they pretend to be Nathan clear or Sean
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Johnson whatever she pretended to be
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like a a coach she pretended to be like
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a coach SL commentator and she'd radio
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down on the phone and she'd tell them
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what they're doing wrong and then she'd
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Go Side Line Andrew webson then I'd have
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to say my comments we'd sit there and
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watch Friday night footy and like three
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idiots and but we love she was the
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oldest my brother James so oldest
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Catherine James is the middle brother
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and then I'm the youngest so I'm no
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doubt I was getting the crap job
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whatever I had to do bunker bunker guy
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bunker yeah yeah you would have one then
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but that was the job I would have got it
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so what what sort of age are we talking
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when you're pretending to be coaching a
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I'm sure my sister would have been like
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10 I would have been I would have been
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that means I would have been five and a
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half I suppose that's unreal yeah so
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yeah like who like who seriously who
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does that oh I think I don't know I
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think kids all love imagination don't
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they and love you want to be the the
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star you want to be the man in the arena
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yeah well like I said I was the youngest
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so whatever my sister and brother told
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me I was doing I think I'm guessing my
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brother would have been least more most
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excited about doing it because James is
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he probably like you say would have been
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thinking about being in the arena and
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then my sister she was she was SL
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commentator coach she was given lots of
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advice remember Benny need to go to
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shorts side I remember that one about
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three times does does she still message
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you now with thoughts on games and no
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she's the opposite she's a she's a good
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coach in her own right at Nall um but
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she's no she's more more supportive than
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give me advice um one other thing I um
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picked up that you said in an interview
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or somewhere you're a fan of horse
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racing yes is like a punter or no more
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just love the the game I mean I my my
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pop my uncle's horse trainers and then
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um but more harness racing and then um
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I've always loved the gallops but then I
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decided to buy a Gallop galloper two
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years ago and put all my friends and
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family into it and just had like a small
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share we're going to race and picnic
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races and uh we got lucky enough that it
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became a really good race hor so I've
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got become a bit of a hobby I think
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everyone's got outside yeah so I mean I
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could sit there and not have a bed on a
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race and watch it and love it and enjoy
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it um so it's not it's not about the
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gambling it's it's about the actual
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thrill of racing see not looking on your
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phone just having a couple of bucks on
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whatever's going on at Mooney Valley in
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the middle of the week not at this stage
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no and what about in your spare time
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what do you do um I've just had a son so
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I've had Max um he's only six months um
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obviously my wife's made a huge
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sacrifice coming over here and um we
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live here so yeah you know the most
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important thing is spending time with
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Max at the moment and them and then the
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other thing would be just friends and
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family love socializing love getting
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around love going out for dinner that'd
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be my favorite thing I'd say is going
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out for dinner where where do you go
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what does that look like for you oh
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anywhere in Orland orland's got great
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food yeah I could be it could be a pub
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we're going to go up the road to a pub
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tonight and have dinner after this and
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or it could be uh a fine restaurant but
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steak's my favorite and see food so um
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if you got that on on K oh mate have you
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have you been to juvo Steakhouse yes
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love
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it um see so your wife Emma M Emily oh
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sorry M yeah she'll shoot me if you say
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oh really why did I think it was Emma um
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so has you just signed like signed an
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extension on your contract so you're
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here for like another five years correct
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y so um how's she has she made friends
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here has she got friends here she's got
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friends here I mean how did she make
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them like like anti natal class or no I
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think it's been more well one was
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actually through one of those classes
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but um most of it's been obviously
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through football and we were here before
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too so we so and she was here for with
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me for the second year of that of that
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time so um yeah I don't know we just get
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out there and meet people um we're
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probably going to make some more friends
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I suppose with they will say when you
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have young kids you make more friends so
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yeah but no she's she's super dependent
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woman um she loves being a mom right now
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that's probably her main focus and uh
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yeah we're having fun yeah love new love
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being here love
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ockland I've heard you say that you're
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such a good Ambassador for this country
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yeah um yeah you were here as assistant
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coach for was that Andrew mcf yeah yeah
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so 2015 2016 correct yeah and so where
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did you live then what area I just lived
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across the road here across the road VI
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near VI Vicky Park in the Bowmont
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section Vicky park by the way that's the
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most Australian abbreviation ever I've
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never heard it called Vicky Park all
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right victoriia park
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Liv over there loved it could walk
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everywhere so yeah found Orland amazing
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City and yeah yeah it was when I got the
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opportunity was Ken to come back yeah
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cuz I mean you you're here you've got a
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busy job and you're doing very well but
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I mean if if home life's not good it's
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never going to work is it like she if
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she's homesick it's de done yeah that's
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right I think like it's clear for any
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player that if they're happy off the
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field then they're going to play their
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best football so it's always most
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important that you're happy and yeah we
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got a good balance in our life yeah so
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so your son Max he must have been born
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like SM being in the middle of the
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Warriors Season yeah we played the
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Broncos in napia um born the day before
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the game I literally left her at the
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hospital she drove herself to uh to
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birth care afterwards and uh went to the
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game that's how Rox is Savage and she
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had a um I don't know if I'm all to say
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this but as a zaran too so I don't know
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if we meant to do that oh was it like an
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elected one so that no it was just like
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a scheduled one no it's just last minute
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would would would you have missed the
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game if the need be or off for the birth
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I was I was going to miss the game I
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yeah the birth was i' never miss uh him
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being born so um but yeah there was a
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deal once uh once the if it didn't Clash
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um then I was off you managed to do
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everything actually actually yeah that
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so sha and um sha and Kayla they must
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have had their baby round about the same
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time yeah so well sha had a milestone
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game du to play um in
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param and we didn't think that it was
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going to happen and then Kayla felt like
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she was going to be fine so she said get
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on your bike and go and obviously her
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being a professional sports swi herself
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knows what it's what it's like and how
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much she want to win so she sent him on
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his way and had full support and lucky
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enough that nothing happened while he
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was away and got to get back for the
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birth CU you did it I can't remember
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exactly what the line was but you did a
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like a media standup thing and you had a
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very funny line about that can you
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remember what was that something like if
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the baby if you got the call that the
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baby was coming on on game day what was
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your what was your joke I said if the
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baby's coming the morning of the game he
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can leave if it comes at half time then
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he's staying so that was a joke but yeah
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it was it was very funny yeah we were
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trying to trying to think ways what was
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his last cut off to get back on a plane
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that night what was the last flight so I
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think it was like 7:30 and I think he
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would have to have left around half time
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for him to get there if you thought it
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all out no we thought about everything
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doing so oh yeah so how did you and him
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meet uh we met her work actually she
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worked at the paramid eels I was a uh
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assistant coach 20s coach then um and
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yeah she rolled up and was in the office
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next to me so she was very shy um I was
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bit outgoing so so they got to meet we
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were friends I left the club and then um
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kept in contact and then yeah we started
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dating just before I left to come to the
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Warriors and then we just put it on ice
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for 12 months and then I said come on
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come over so she got to experience New
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Zealand 2016 oh how good I cuz when you
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did your your daily speech um for Coach
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of the Year you said she she's not
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interested in League knows nothing about
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League not interested but she worked at
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the club she must know well it's quite
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funny because she actually worked in a
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really important role she was in charge
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of typing up players contracts um like
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she could sit there and tell you what
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every person's salary was on like stuff
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that people in the press and media would
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love to know her friends would know and
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she couldn't even tell you what number
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they were on their back so she didn't
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she didn't care anything about it she
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just enjoyed her job enjoyed the people
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um yeah had zero interest in what
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actually was happening on the field she
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she got an understanding of it now more
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of an understanding no I would say no
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but what does she do for the games does
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she watch she goes she when people cheer
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she cheers she understands Tri um but I
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like it like that like it's like I think
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if I asked em to get involved and learn
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it and understand that she would I I
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like coming home and she just says good
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well done or bad luck you know and she's
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so neutral all the time she changes the
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subject when I've had a bad day at work
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into something else and we start talk
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about something else instead of coming
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home and going oh he was bad and giving
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me all this advice telling me what
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everyone was doing wrong or right she I
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come home and she's so neutral about it
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and supportive um really cares when we
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win and cares when we lose but she
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doesn't care about the detail of the
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game or how it happened or give advice
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so suppose that's your job in your
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business yeah she's a trooper yeah yeah
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there was um a hell of a speech you made
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so the Del M coach of the year did you
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feel like you were going to you were
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going to win I feel like it sort of had
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to be you oring that one really oh I
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think Kev wers too I mean I feel I feel
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the coach of the year is hard because um
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there's two coaches that are in the
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Grand Final and that was Kevin wers and
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Ivan clear and the award gets given that
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week so um I feel like they're probably
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the two best coaches of the year if you
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ask me um so they' done a great job but
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I was privileged to win it um I wouldn't
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say it was a goal of mine but to
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actually um Mal Mana to present me coach
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of the year was a huge honor you know
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that was that was amazing so he's an
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idol of mine growing up as a kid so yeah
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was he was a captain of Australia when I
00:13:03
was a kid supporting and my sister was
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probably ringing him tell him what to do
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down the
00:13:08
sideline but no it it was a great honor
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but yeah I I didn't think I was going to
00:13:13
win I wasn't sure everyone told me I was
00:13:15
going to um but yeah I didn't I didn't
00:13:17
want to get ahead of myself there it was
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it was a great speech and um yeah you
00:13:21
you started off by giving a shout out to
00:13:23
M your wife you called her um a good
00:13:26
sort a champ and the most beautiful
00:13:29
woman in the room um it was a it was a
00:13:32
great speech was she um she looked like
00:13:34
she looked embarrassed but embarrassed
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in a good way what did she say when you
00:13:37
sat back down oh no she yeah she was she
00:13:40
was definitely embarrassed I mean M
00:13:43
doesn't like attention um doesn't likes
00:13:45
to be the Limelight she likes to be
00:13:47
there in the backgrounds but um I think
00:13:49
she was she's grateful that I I thanked
00:13:51
for everything she' done because I
00:13:52
wouldn't be a about it so I think she
00:13:54
was really appreciative of that um but
00:13:56
probably didn't need to do it on the on
00:13:58
thetion on stage oh and I'm sure she I
00:14:01
mean it's a lot of sacrifices the um the
00:14:03
partners make so to give them that
00:14:05
acknowledgement I think that's really
00:14:06
cool yeah no definitely I mean I
00:14:08
remember we got the job um was a big
00:14:10
decision we we knew we were pregnant
00:14:13
with Max or just or we were we were
00:14:15
trying to one or the other and to go
00:14:18
away from your your family or your first
00:14:20
child um particularly when your
00:14:22
husband's away every second week she's
00:14:24
done a great job and you had um no notes
00:14:28
and it felt like you said all the all
00:14:30
the right things you acknowledged all
00:14:31
the right people said all the right
00:14:32
things did you sort of plan and you like
00:14:34
how do you how do you do your speeches
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you sort of plan on your head what you
00:14:36
were going to say if I plan I'm hopeless
00:14:38
I would I'd fall over and wouldn't know
00:14:40
what to say so but I mean I think it's
00:14:42
pretty obvious you think the people you
00:14:44
love you think the players because
00:14:45
you're not there about the players and
00:14:46
you think the people who gave you the
00:14:48
opportunity and that was Cameron and
00:14:50
Mark Robinson so um you know the players
00:14:53
this year I'm a reflection of them so
00:14:55
and when they do well um I get praised
00:14:58
but the end they they're the ones making
00:14:59
the tackles and scoring the tries so I I
00:15:02
didn't think it was going to be
00:15:03
complicated I was from the heart that's
00:15:05
what I felt you know try not to
00:15:07
complicate things and yeah oh we I
00:15:09
thought it was a phenomenal speech yeah
00:15:10
I just wanted if any s have thought went
00:15:12
into it no not too much no yeah um and
00:15:15
yeah one thing you did say is um you
00:15:16
said um to your team I love you boys so
00:15:19
much which um I I thought that was
00:15:21
really significant I thought there was a
00:15:23
like a to like to me that um almost
00:15:26
seems like a rural sort of like culture
00:15:28
shf or you know like you you mentioned
00:15:31
Mel Mana before and players that you
00:15:33
watch growing up there's no way like
00:15:35
Wayne Bennett in the 990s would would
00:15:37
tell tell his team he loves them like
00:15:39
prob not I mean it's it's only it's only
00:15:41
a word it's not that big a deal but I
00:15:42
think the fact that you said on that
00:15:43
stage I was like oh [ __ ] yeah well
00:15:46
anyone knows me I'm scared to show me
00:15:48
Show my emotions to what I think um I
00:15:52
don't know I generally do that we got a
00:15:56
great group of players but they're a
00:15:57
great group of people you know you know
00:15:58
they they work hard they get along you
00:16:01
could sit down and have a one-on-one
00:16:02
conversation with any of them and
00:16:03
actually enjoy it they're um going
00:16:06
through lots of things off the field
00:16:07
like good and bad and you sort of ride
00:16:10
the [ __ ] coaster with them like if I
00:16:12
could tell you which I wouldn't um so
00:16:14
many conversations of the um just some
00:16:17
bad times and hardships that they all go
00:16:19
through um and then obviously there's
00:16:21
some real celebrations so I do I
00:16:23
generally built relationships with these
00:16:25
guys and I love them so I'm scared to
00:16:27
say it it's really cool it was it was
00:16:29
really cool and uh yeah have you always
00:16:31
been quite sort of um you like
00:16:34
vulnerable and good at showing um sort
00:16:36
of vulnerability I think more so around
00:16:38
myself yeah like around my own
00:16:41
performance I'm pretty honest about
00:16:42
myself and willing to show if I make a
00:16:44
mistake for example I would admit it you
00:16:46
know um I feel I'm okay with that I I
00:16:49
suppose there was a stage in my life
00:16:51
where like you say showing showing
00:16:54
people how much you uh care for them is
00:16:56
not always the uh mainly thing to do no
00:16:58
especially with Australian and New
00:16:59
Zealand males I think yeah that's true
00:17:02
but um yeah I'm just real comfortable in
00:17:04
my skin right now so I don't doesn't
00:17:06
worry me to say that but I don't think I
00:17:08
I'm not sure I would have been like that
00:17:10
all all the time yeah so yes so so the
00:17:13
Warriors um phenomenal year this year
00:17:15
you first came here 2015 for two years
00:17:17
that was your first NRL job uh assistant
00:17:20
coach yeah yeah first assistant coach
00:17:21
yeah I worked in the NL Pride tigers
00:17:24
paramet as under 20s and I was like what
00:17:26
you call it the transition coach where
00:17:28
I'd help those 20s guys to transfer into
00:17:31
NRL so but that yeah he was my first
00:17:34
assistant coach job in the NRL and I was
00:17:36
in charge of the attack and yeah I can
00:17:38
still remember it feelings like such a
00:17:41
huge responsibility at the time so how
00:17:44
did the team how did the team do then um
00:17:47
we missed the playoffs both years um
00:17:49
first year we were top four halfway
00:17:53
through the year and I don't know if you
00:17:54
remember sha broke his League against
00:17:55
Manley so um I know it's it sucks
00:17:59
relying on one on one play but he is
00:18:00
your halfback and we crushed and burned
00:18:02
at that time and then the next year we
00:18:04
one game away from the top eight again
00:18:05
and failed unfortunately but I had two
00:18:07
great years here like learn a lot about
00:18:10
myself and about New New Zealand culture
00:18:13
there is actually I feel there's a
00:18:14
difference um and yeah it was just it
00:18:16
was an amazing time met so many friends
00:18:18
and I I feel like I got miles better at
00:18:20
my job and still really grateful for
00:18:22
Andrew mcfaden what he taught me and
00:18:24
responsibility he gave
00:18:26
me yeah so the um the the coach I have
00:18:30
sitting in front of me now like do you
00:18:32
how how much of it is like parts of um
00:18:34
people that you've worked with along the
00:18:35
way like Andrew F Ivan clear yeah heaps
00:18:39
I think the the the best thing I've
00:18:41
always learned from probably Ivan
00:18:44
particularly the last coach I worked
00:18:45
with is always to be yourself and you
00:18:48
can't copy and paste everything and you
00:18:50
got to take the best pieces and the
00:18:52
worst parts from wherever you've been
00:18:54
you got to implement them and why I
00:18:55
bring up the worst Parts is because you
00:18:57
learn lots of lessons when you see
00:18:58
things done the way you wouldn't do them
00:19:00
or the way you don't think they should
00:19:02
be done and then you get really excited
00:19:04
when you see a coach that reassures you
00:19:07
that this is actually the way to do it
00:19:09
um but yeah you got to have your own
00:19:11
style because if it's not authentic and
00:19:13
it's not you then the players read that
00:19:15
from a mile away and they think God this
00:19:16
guy's not being himself and the moment
00:19:18
that happens you're gone you got to make
00:19:20
sure you're yourself and you got your
00:19:22
own ideas and your own style and yeah I
00:19:24
feel like I'm real comfortable with that
00:19:25
at the moment yeah what what makes you
00:19:27
so good
00:19:28
I wouldn't I don't know come on come on
00:19:31
be honest um what I read about you
00:19:33
someone talked about just how good at
00:19:35
attacking you are like what the yeah
00:19:37
you've been called an attacking whz or a
00:19:39
mastermind so what what does that mean
00:19:41
exactly like I'm I I know probably as
00:19:43
much as your wife does about League I
00:19:45
don't know I think I think I've learned
00:19:46
to simplify things um so we got a great
00:19:50
um coaching staff uh and they're all got
00:19:53
their own roles and capacity um my last
00:19:56
job with the Panthers I was an attacking
00:19:57
coach but I got to work with probably
00:20:00
some of the best attacking players in
00:20:01
the world so that always helps but I
00:20:04
feel like you can complicate defense and
00:20:06
attack and rugby league in general and
00:20:08
if you have some real small focuses
00:20:10
instead of being a jack of all trades
00:20:12
and and and you're not a master of none
00:20:15
that's never going to get you where you
00:20:16
need to know so I don't try and cover
00:20:18
every facet of attack and defense all
00:20:20
the game rby League just try and focus
00:20:22
on what's the most important things and
00:20:24
instead of being just okay at it um we
00:20:26
want to be the world's best at it and
00:20:28
that's what we're trying to achieve so
00:20:30
so as as head coach you've got other
00:20:32
coaches um beneath
00:20:34
you so like so yes so what's your job
00:20:37
exactly I'm guessing a lot of it as like
00:20:38
you mentioned before about the intimate
00:20:40
conversations you have with some of the
00:20:41
players I'm guessing a lot of it as like
00:20:42
being almost like a counselor in a way
00:20:44
yeah it I definitely think it is I mean
00:20:46
you have so many one-onone conversations
00:20:48
you close the door talk to the
00:20:50
individual makings going well about
00:20:52
their football and about their home life
00:20:55
um I think my role is I've certainly got
00:20:57
a real standing an idea and how I think
00:21:00
we should play but I make sure that our
00:21:03
coaches believe the same thing and I
00:21:05
want to hear their ideas and I want to
00:21:06
make sure they're empowered and uh
00:21:08
they're in charge of different different
00:21:11
elements of our game and uh and actually
00:21:13
trust them and I do I trust them because
00:21:15
they're so good at their job so um that
00:21:18
enables me to free me up and um have
00:21:20
those one-on-one conversations but I
00:21:22
always still feel like I've I've got my
00:21:24
eye on the football and I got the my eye
00:21:27
on the detail I should say on what we're
00:21:29
doing every day yeah I'm not sure where
00:21:31
I heard this it may have been in a in a
00:21:32
podcast that one of the players did or I
00:21:34
may have read it somewhere but
00:21:35
um kind of kind of a bigest deal I guess
00:21:38
has been made of the fact that um
00:21:39
players have to walk past your open
00:21:41
office door when they arrive and when
00:21:43
they leave yep is that a thing or yeah
00:21:45
yes we got a door in one door in one
00:21:46
door out policy it's just just the way
00:21:48
our facil is really built really it's
00:21:51
just a design thing well it's just a
00:21:53
design field thing that like uh if
00:21:56
there's five or six do in the facility
00:21:58
that could get you to their sheds and if
00:22:01
they had a bad bad night and they wanted
00:22:03
to avoid you cuz they you know look to
00:22:06
beit tired or bad not sleep they could
00:22:08
they could go in the back door easy to
00:22:09
the sheds and you wouldn't even know you
00:22:11
wouldn't be able to read their body
00:22:12
language but you wouldn't be able to
00:22:14
check in and just build that
00:22:15
relationship anyway just a simple High
00:22:17
a um and then on the flip side let's say
00:22:20
things haven't gone well they haven't
00:22:21
trained great and then they just want to
00:22:23
leave in the back door they're going
00:22:25
home unhappy aren't they so they're not
00:22:27
feeling good about them elv as if they
00:22:28
walk partially they can sit down they
00:22:30
can clear it up uh you can say can I see
00:22:32
you for a second they can check them
00:22:34
with the coaches then they leave them
00:22:36
really good about it and feel like they
00:22:38
got things off the chest then they want
00:22:39
to come back the next day because if you
00:22:41
think about anyone's job if they want to
00:22:44
come back the next day they're going to
00:22:45
give you everything they've got as if
00:22:47
they don't want to come back they're not
00:22:48
enjoying it they're just going to give
00:22:50
you a half half ass effort aren't they
00:22:52
so that door is very much about the
00:22:55
facility but what it gives us is make
00:22:57
sure creates a bond between the coaches
00:22:59
and the players and make sure we we
00:23:01
clear things up and we just yeah create
00:23:03
those relationships so so so the players
00:23:06
like you and they want to play for you
00:23:08
well is that part of you'd have to ask
00:23:09
them but I'm not I'm not I'm not trying
00:23:12
to get them to like me I just hope that
00:23:14
yeah I hope that happens naturally so
00:23:17
I'm not it's I'm not saying I'm not
00:23:20
saying you have to like me or I'll do
00:23:21
whatever cuz if I just want to please
00:23:23
them yeah and be a pleaser then they're
00:23:26
going to see straight through that yeah
00:23:28
can't be everyone's mate can it can't be
00:23:29
everyone's mate but if it organically
00:23:31
happens and I'm honest and I show I care
00:23:33
about them and I listen to them then I
00:23:35
think we're going to get that anyway so
00:23:38
um yeah I'm yeah I'm not trying to be a
00:23:41
pleaser but I'm I I would rather be
00:23:43
friends of every single one of them and
00:23:46
um in Rugby Union uh the old blacks in
00:23:48
particular that Springs to mind for this
00:23:50
one they have like um a senior um
00:23:52
leadership group yep which uh you makes
00:23:55
a lot of the decisions and is sort of
00:23:56
involved in the process you have the
00:23:57
same sort of thing the year no no we um
00:24:01
we don't have a senior players group we
00:24:03
believe in everyone should lead and can
00:24:05
lead and should feel comfortable there's
00:24:07
guys who are more experienced players
00:24:09
and so therefore they've been around for
00:24:11
longer and they've got stronger opinions
00:24:13
and understand things a bit better so
00:24:16
they gradually will um promote their
00:24:19
opinions and their ideas and they'll
00:24:22
drive accountability naturally so we
00:24:24
don't sit in a room and go okay what do
00:24:26
you guys think as like leadership group
00:24:28
what do you think how this week worked
00:24:30
or how do you think that happened and
00:24:33
then we we yeah we just don't do that we
00:24:35
if I feel like I need someone's idea
00:24:37
from a leader like tohu Harris is a
00:24:38
great captain always have conversations
00:24:41
I'll call them in I'll ask them their
00:24:42
opinion I'll get five or six guys with
00:24:45
their opinion or I might throw it to the
00:24:46
whole team so don't sit there in a
00:24:50
leadership group every week and and
00:24:51
discuss things yeah that's a good way
00:24:53
looking at it so it sort of removes that
00:24:54
US versus them yeah potential mentality
00:24:57
well sometimes leaders lead from a from
00:25:00
a way where they think that's only what
00:25:02
they think is best and they probably
00:25:03
don't ask the group enough and some
00:25:05
great leaders do and I've worked with
00:25:07
some great leadership groups and and got
00:25:09
to sit there and be a part of it and
00:25:11
watch how well they lead uh I'm not
00:25:13
saying it's not the best thing for every
00:25:14
group but we just found last year it
00:25:16
wasn't the best thing for us we needed
00:25:18
to all all take some
00:25:20
responsibility um take some ownership of
00:25:23
our performance together and um if
00:25:26
you're a young 20y old and you lead
00:25:28
respectfully then you can lead so if
00:25:30
you're a a 30-y old player that's had
00:25:33
200 games experienced well I certainly
00:25:35
hope you are going to lead because you
00:25:37
got so many experiences in your rugby
00:25:39
league life yeah um this might be a dumb
00:25:42
question probably one of many dumb
00:25:44
questions as I said I know less about
00:25:45
rugby league than than your wife does um
00:25:48
could could you could you coach Rugby
00:25:50
Union you know there's players that make
00:25:51
the switch with varying degrees of
00:25:53
success you've got Roger to vus shb uh
00:25:56
he he's done very well at rugby could
00:25:59
you know feels like a lot of what you're
00:26:01
doing is is like managing people which
00:26:03
is surely transferable between codes
00:26:06
could you coach Rugby Union or no
00:26:08
certainly not no well lots of lots of
00:26:10
League coaches transfer to Rugby Union
00:26:13
and become say defensive coach or
00:26:15
whatever um but I I I think it's such a
00:26:18
specialist game and I would never
00:26:20
undermine or what's the word
00:26:22
disrespect uh Rugby Union and and all
00:26:25
those great coaches to just suggest that
00:26:28
I could go and do it um would I could I
00:26:32
help and be a part of a small part of it
00:26:35
and and kind of look and and give advice
00:26:38
but certainly not on the x's and the O's
00:26:40
and the details because I just don't
00:26:42
understand it but you know we have great
00:26:44
rby Union coaches that come to our
00:26:45
training and we go to their training
00:26:48
because there there are parts of the
00:26:49
game that are similar we can learn off
00:26:51
it but certainly not arrogant enough or
00:26:53
[ __ ] enough to think that I could jump
00:26:54
in their shoes and and do what they do
00:26:56
well Ted so went from went from American
00:26:59
football to soccer by the way are you a
00:27:01
fan of that show have you watched that
00:27:03
show love that show love good our whole
00:27:05
team watches that show yeah so it's how
00:27:07
how much of that is sort of you know I
00:27:11
this sounds like a dumb thing to say but
00:27:12
how much of it is sort sort of realistic
00:27:14
uh I think I think um the the
00:27:17
relationships are realistic I don't know
00:27:20
some of the stuff certainly not you
00:27:22
wouldn't get away with um just how
00:27:24
relaxed Ted is about some issues but he
00:27:27
doesn't sweat the uh small stuff does he
00:27:30
you know and um he he really has his big
00:27:33
focus on making sure the players believe
00:27:35
in themselves which I've got a I got a
00:27:37
huge belief in that too so um yeah this
00:27:40
parts that are pretty cool and they
00:27:42
certainly have fun and that's what we
00:27:44
want to do we have fun so there's so
00:27:46
much
00:27:47
Ted I can't believe I bought I'm sorry
00:27:50
the boys bring it up okay hypothetical
00:27:52
question say you had like a Jamie tart
00:27:54
on your team like a precocious player
00:27:57
star player like gifted Talent or
00:27:59
whatever but was an absolute [ __ ]
00:28:01
pain in the eyes to be around disruptive
00:28:03
to the team what would you do you you I
00:28:06
wouldn't I wouldn't throw him away
00:28:08
straight away that's for sure I wouldn't
00:28:10
I'm not like let's just get rid of that
00:28:12
guy work with them um probably try and
00:28:16
break down why why they're acting like
00:28:18
that and why they think they're better
00:28:21
than someone else or why they're not
00:28:24
willing to do certain things I mean
00:28:26
Jamie [ __ ] in that show was super
00:28:28
talented but he felt like he didn't need
00:28:29
to connect with the group at all and not
00:28:32
every player likes each other but you
00:28:34
should you should respect each other
00:28:36
enough that you're willing to just show
00:28:37
each other respect and connect so um I'd
00:28:40
probably just work with him break break
00:28:42
those walls down communicate with him
00:28:44
and just say look every the team's going
00:28:46
this direction you're going the opposite
00:28:47
so I'm going to work you're going to
00:28:48
have to work on this or it's see later
00:28:52
but um if because everyone's not roll in
00:28:54
the same direction you're in trouble
00:28:55
with cow and then shows it
00:28:58
that just sounds like so much work
00:29:00
getting every Rong in the same direction
00:29:01
like there's so many different you talk
00:29:03
about like breaking down the personality
00:29:05
type and working out what's what's going
00:29:06
wrong with them or whatever it happens
00:29:08
to be but you know do that with one or
00:29:10
two people that's fine but when you're
00:29:12
talking a whole Squad that's a lot of
00:29:13
work yeah it's a lot of work but yeah
00:29:15
it's good we got 35 players I mean I'm
00:29:17
not the only one that helps
00:29:20
relationships like I said our system
00:29:21
coaches do but yeah i' I'd like to like
00:29:24
to think I'm across it as much as I can
00:29:26
be it's hard because um you know you
00:29:30
you're not a mind reader and I'm not I'm
00:29:32
not a trained psychologist so I'm don't
00:29:34
try to be I just try and be a friend and
00:29:36
listen and and make sure they're all
00:29:38
good where does this um like emotional
00:29:41
intelligence that you've got come from
00:29:44
is probably the way of been brought up
00:29:45
really yeah yeah I think I think we
00:29:47
could sit around the dinner table and we
00:29:49
could probably talk about most things um
00:29:52
and I I don't know I've just been lucky
00:29:53
I think being the youngest in my family
00:29:56
I've always been around older people and
00:29:58
um I'm extremely immature and extremely
00:30:02
mature um probably my whole life so when
00:30:04
I'm a kid I could be the silliest man in
00:30:07
the room and or silliest kid in the room
00:30:08
and I could also have a conversation
00:30:11
with an adult and I I think just being
00:30:12
the youngest can remember my mom would
00:30:14
drag me to restaurants and cafes with
00:30:17
her uh with her friends when I was um
00:30:19
still not ready for school so I'm sure
00:30:22
I've just been around older people and
00:30:24
and just learn it naturally I think no
00:30:25
one sat me down and give me a lesson in
00:30:28
it that's for sure yeah cuz how old are
00:30:29
you 41 41 yeah yeah so I'm I'm 50 and
00:30:33
for like for guys us age you know 40s or
00:30:35
50s it's like it's it wasn't the way we
00:30:37
were raised was it to like to show
00:30:39
vulnerability and to yeah you know sort
00:30:42
of show emotion and you tell people you
00:30:43
love them back to that thing again yeah
00:30:45
well yeah my family certainly told each
00:30:47
other they loved them yeah I can
00:30:49
remember I wasn't allowed to get out of
00:30:51
the car my mate was in the car next to
00:30:53
me not say I loved you m i get shot so
00:30:57
um but you're right like just the more
00:30:58
manly you got um probably in your
00:31:01
teenage lives you weren't meant to be
00:31:03
like that but yeah a lot of love in our
00:31:05
family a lot of love in our house so um
00:31:09
yeah I like I said I was getting back to
00:31:10
it I think I felt we felt comfortable we
00:31:12
could be like that in house yeah I think
00:31:14
it's something you you touched upon
00:31:15
earlier it's you're you're comfortable
00:31:17
in your own skin and with who you are I
00:31:19
think the more the more comfortable you
00:31:20
are in your own skin the more the less
00:31:22
you give a [ __ ] about that stuff and
00:31:23
about the image you're portraying yeah
00:31:25
definitely yeah um how do you how do you
00:31:28
coach someone with um flare and
00:31:29
Brilliance like like a a Nathan Clary or
00:31:32
a sha Johnson don't get in their
00:31:35
way just make sure they're happy let
00:31:37
them let them be them yeah let them um
00:31:40
what do you say let a let an artist
00:31:43
what's the word um feel like they can be
00:31:46
as flar and as enjoy let them Express
00:31:49
themselves that's the best way to say so
00:31:51
someone who's that brilliant if they
00:31:52
can't express themselves then I don't
00:31:54
think you're going to get good results
00:31:56
as long as with the team Dynamic uh go
00:31:59
for it I mean I think Nathan if you'd
00:32:02
say was worked so hard to where Nathan
00:32:05
clear he his his flare has come from
00:32:08
hard work as he's probably not naturally
00:32:10
flaring as someone like sha who uh has
00:32:14
been extremely flare his whole career
00:32:15
has actually still got that a part of
00:32:18
him but he's got even more control about
00:32:20
him so it's funny how the flare can
00:32:22
leave you and come back and and you can
00:32:25
you can work out what when you should
00:32:27
use it when you shouldn't and I think
00:32:29
those two boys have got it down pat at
00:32:31
the
00:32:32
moment yeah CU like a lot of a lot of
00:32:34
coaches would come along and see SE how
00:32:36
was sea now what is he 30 33 33 so yeah
00:32:40
so you came along last year he was 32 a
00:32:41
lot of coaches would come along want to
00:32:43
stamp their Mark think you his best days
00:32:45
are behind him potentially because he
00:32:46
hadn't been that awesome the years
00:32:49
leading up to that um but but you I mean
00:32:53
it looks like Shawn Johnson from 10
00:32:54
years ago it's like he he looks so happy
00:32:56
out there yeah and he's done such a
00:32:58
phenomenal job yeah I think being back
00:33:00
in New Zealand being with his family
00:33:02
made him so happy um I think he had a
00:33:04
real ambition that he was like I'm not
00:33:05
going to finish this way um so he went
00:33:08
after it um did I have faith in Sean yes
00:33:11
I did I told him I said look this is the
00:33:13
end um don't let it be this way I think
00:33:16
you got more in you and I told him that
00:33:19
um I want you to stay and play um but
00:33:21
you're going to have to earn everything
00:33:22
it's not going to be given or guaranteed
00:33:25
and I'm never s a more guy go after it
00:33:28
and the way trained in pre-season U then
00:33:31
he grew in confidence and then what he
00:33:33
did for the team was
00:33:35
amazing so um let's wind back the clock
00:33:38
and go to um getting the job so did you
00:33:41
apply for it or were you like shoulder
00:33:43
ta no I got a phone call about it I
00:33:45
didn't apply yeah I got a phone call
00:33:47
saying look where um Nathan Browns just
00:33:49
reside um and if you want the job let us
00:33:53
know U and if you do we're going to come
00:33:56
back and have a chat to you so said yes
00:33:58
I want the job and then the COO come and
00:34:00
Jo said right well next time I talk to
00:34:03
you it's going to be yours to lose so I
00:34:05
knew I was a pretty good shot then you
00:34:07
um you were assistant coach at the time
00:34:09
at the penth Panthers under Ivan clear
00:34:12
um you must have had people saying what
00:34:13
the [ __ ] are you doing withby yes like
00:34:17
like what's happening in um penth at the
00:34:19
moment it's like they're creating a
00:34:20
dynasty right yeah it's like a
00:34:22
phenomenal setup and uh you you could
00:34:24
have been cushy there for however many
00:34:27
years and then eventually Ivan will
00:34:28
leave and it'll roll over to you look I
00:34:31
I don't think Ed would have rolled on to
00:34:32
me I mean that there's a lot of good
00:34:34
coaches of the Panthers so I'd never
00:34:36
suggest that but um the thing for me was
00:34:40
I didn't want to be a coach at any NL
00:34:41
Club I there was a few that I wanted to
00:34:44
be a coach at and the Warriors is one of
00:34:46
those um why well I've worked here feel
00:34:49
connected to the club I felt like I I
00:34:51
knew the culture of New Zealand and I
00:34:54
love the people and you got to like love
00:34:56
living where
00:34:57
you know going to work and like I
00:34:59
mentioned before I love love this place
00:35:01
so um yeah it was a no-brainer for me
00:35:04
and um did I have thoughts about cheese
00:35:07
were doing weren a good thing here at
00:35:08
Panthers I could be part of this for a
00:35:10
long time of course I did but i'
00:35:12
literally never been happier in my life
00:35:13
like we had great friends um football
00:35:16
was going great really connected to the
00:35:18
community but um I also was like you
00:35:22
know what I want to be a head coach I
00:35:24
love the New Zealand I love the Warriors
00:35:26
I feel like can have an impact um I felt
00:35:29
that Cameron George and Mark Robinson
00:35:31
really sold the ambition of what was
00:35:33
going to happen in this place and I
00:35:34
wanted to be a part of it so in the end
00:35:37
it was a no-brainer but yeah there was I
00:35:39
had to still do my checklist yeah so so
00:35:41
you come up with um with some sort of
00:35:43
like a a game plan or a strategy I'm
00:35:45
guessing what were the sort of um kpis
00:35:48
like like I'm from an outside's
00:35:50
perspective again I'm a I'm a bandwagon
00:35:52
jumper and I'll I'll jump on a bandwagon
00:35:54
that's traveling very very fast I'll
00:35:56
wait
00:35:57
um but like it's it seemed like there
00:36:00
was going to be like potentially years
00:36:02
of rebuilding you know especially if you
00:36:04
think back to like use the parallels
00:36:06
between like the pinth Panthers like
00:36:07
there was a couple of [ __ ] years before
00:36:08
they started making playoffs right yeah
00:36:11
I think um people were telling me I was
00:36:14
mad I was I didn't want to come out in
00:36:16
the media and say this is a rebuild I
00:36:18
didn't want to try and I felt like
00:36:20
people do that to buy themselves time
00:36:22
they want a lower expectation of the
00:36:24
board members they want a lower
00:36:26
expectation of the fans but whilst
00:36:29
they're lowering these expectations
00:36:30
they're constantly telling the players
00:36:32
through the public eye that they're not
00:36:34
good enough so they're saying this is a
00:36:37
rebuild we don't have the team to do it
00:36:38
yet give us three years so if you're one
00:36:40
of those players how do how do you feel
00:36:43
when you hear your coach say that about
00:36:45
all time so I'm I'm chips all in like I
00:36:48
don't care what people thinks I don't
00:36:50
care if they hold it against me and they
00:36:52
say you said Webby this I was like we're
00:36:54
going to get that confident as aou group
00:36:57
um then we feel like we can actually do
00:36:59
something so there was no rebuilding for
00:37:01
me I didn't have a kpi around top eight
00:37:04
or anything like that our goal is to win
00:37:06
the comp like every other club in the NL
00:37:08
there's not one club in the NL doesn't
00:37:10
want to win the comp so our kpi was the
00:37:12
exact same we W going to lower it by say
00:37:14
top eight we weren going to say let's
00:37:16
make sure it's top four or let's just
00:37:18
not come last there's nothing stupid
00:37:21
like that we were just going after let's
00:37:23
not come last let's not come last
00:37:27
let's not come let's not get the wooden
00:37:28
spoon again yeah so there was none of
00:37:30
that our whole thing was let's win as
00:37:33
many games as we can let's not come last
00:37:35
let's crack up um but I mean like
00:37:38
previous years it's the Warriors have
00:37:40
been one of those teams where Midway
00:37:42
through the season you always look at
00:37:44
mathematical chances like oh if the if
00:37:45
the Titans win this weekend and such and
00:37:47
such then we've got a chance of making
00:37:49
the top eight but there was none of that
00:37:51
was even needed this year like it just
00:37:53
it was like a hot knife going through
00:37:55
butter well we want to be consistent
00:37:58
like um want to be consistent in our
00:38:01
performance alone results
00:38:03
like I'd say this all the time but I
00:38:05
think we lost three in a row I think we
00:38:06
lost three good teams um we came home
00:38:09
here and we came home to sellout C crb
00:38:13
against Red Cliff dolphins and I I just
00:38:16
I couldn't believe off the back with
00:38:18
three losses in a row that the crowd was
00:38:21
still supporting us so I know there's a
00:38:23
loyal call fan wherever you go um but I
00:38:26
felt like the warriors were fans were
00:38:28
something different like like they were
00:38:29
proud of the way we were playing so
00:38:32
whilst we didn't win during that period
00:38:33
we we really were that the fans were
00:38:36
proud and so was I I was like boys look
00:38:38
you're playing really good football here
00:38:40
um and then as a result we went out and
00:38:42
had a crack a night that and we went on
00:38:43
a run and won lots of games of football
00:38:45
so our big thing was even when we lost
00:38:48
we'll be consistent and when we won were
00:38:50
we consistent because there was games we
00:38:52
won and we weren't happy about the way
00:38:53
we played yeah even though the
00:38:55
scoreboard looked good um in our four
00:38:57
Wars at work we were lighten up that's
00:38:58
not that's not how we want to be that's
00:39:00
not our standard so without boring
00:39:03
everyone like as long as we're proud of
00:39:05
our performance like our whole thing is
00:39:07
about winning so winning is our business
00:39:09
we understand that but you got to make
00:39:11
sure you're proud of the way you
00:39:13
play yeah when you lose those three
00:39:15
games in a row is there I mean do you
00:39:18
feel the heat well I've only had one
00:39:21
crack at it and there was that that
00:39:22
three times I didn't tonight I didn't
00:39:24
feel it I felt like we're playing good
00:39:25
football the group was happy but like we
00:39:28
could see lot of the tunnel um yeah I
00:39:32
mean you know three in a row is not fun
00:39:34
like I didn't enjoy I didn't enjoy it
00:39:37
but um I certainly didn't feel any
00:39:39
pressure at that stage now yeah and then
00:39:41
um so then the home game against the
00:39:43
Dolphins is that the Wayne Bennett team
00:39:44
yep yeah are you intimidated by him what
00:39:47
are you what's your relationship like
00:39:48
with Wayne Bennett do you look up to him
00:39:50
no look up to him he's incredible yeah
00:39:52
great coach lucky enough to spend a bit
00:39:54
of time um watching him Co coach um when
00:39:57
he was at the Newcastle night so um yeah
00:40:00
what what what can you take from him
00:40:01
like it's been an outstanding career
00:40:02
what's made him so good well I think way
00:40:04
so dry in the metor and stuff like that
00:40:06
but I think he's the best of putting his
00:40:08
arm around a player that I like he's
00:40:10
very very good at that he's very good at
00:40:12
making I think the players feel like
00:40:13
it's their idea so I've seen him take
00:40:16
drills and then he say to a player going
00:40:18
you take this and then he manipulates
00:40:20
the drill but then everyone thinks the
00:40:22
players come up with it like he's just
00:40:24
he's very smart and classy that um yeah
00:40:28
and generally obviously looks like he
00:40:29
cares about his players so he's
00:40:32
about in the time I spent with him I
00:40:35
couldn't believe how many times he asked
00:40:36
them how their family were or their mom
00:40:38
and dad or something like that so yeah
00:40:41
he's amazing but I didn't get
00:40:42
intimidated by those guys because I'm
00:40:44
not tackling them you know what I mean
00:40:45
like we're coaches so he sits on the
00:40:48
other side of the field I sit on this
00:40:49
side of the field and there's no
00:40:52
intimidation after yeah also you've got
00:40:54
the uh the delm award for Coach of the
00:40:56
Year which you you carry around with you
00:40:57
everywhere I'm guessing what what do you
00:40:59
get for that is it a a medal a trophy
00:41:01
what is that uh just a big trophy of
00:41:03
obviously it's the daum night is after
00:41:06
Da and messenger which is a famous
00:41:08
player a long time ago so um everyone
00:41:11
gets a like a a trophy of him and it's
00:41:16
big and heavy and yeah I gave it to my
00:41:19
mom and dad to put on their their mental
00:41:21
piece at home just say thank you for
00:41:22
everything they're done yeah so you've
00:41:25
got no sort of
00:41:27
trophies or memorability or anything at
00:41:29
your own place uh yeah got a Warriors my
00:41:31
Warriors jersey from from round one we
00:41:34
got that on the wall I was lucky enough
00:41:35
the club gifted that to me which I was
00:41:37
really grateful for because I never
00:41:38
thought that would come or expect that
00:41:40
to come um and how do you mean you never
00:41:43
as in you being a head coach of an NL
00:41:45
team well there things that happen for
00:41:47
players they get jerseys I've never seen
00:41:48
a head coach a debutant jersey so that
00:41:51
was that was really nice I Lov that
00:41:53
actually meant a lot to me um you got
00:41:56
that on on a wall upstairs but no got if
00:41:59
you walked into our house you wouldn't
00:42:01
see much football stuff at all um hence
00:42:04
why my my wife likes that because she's
00:42:06
not she's not into football but um I
00:42:09
don't know I just I just yeah I like
00:42:12
it's not to say that I won't have a man
00:42:14
shed one day with things in it but yeah
00:42:16
right now I don't throw them out or
00:42:18
throw them away it's just um I don't
00:42:20
have them on display anym yeah you I
00:42:23
suppose you're at that point of your
00:42:24
career where you're just too busy
00:42:25
focusing on what's next that it's not
00:42:27
time to pause and reflect although did
00:42:28
you do that at the end of the last
00:42:30
season yeah no definitely I'm I yeah I
00:42:32
definitely did I mean I'm not not one of
00:42:35
those guys who has to move on straight
00:42:37
away um I like to just pause and
00:42:40
celebrate and will pause and reflect um
00:42:44
because I I want this to be fun I want
00:42:46
to enjoy it I don't want it to be so
00:42:49
stressful that I I don't even get to
00:42:51
enjoy of the good times and people say
00:42:53
oh that's not a successful mindset well
00:42:55
they can go and get stuffed that's
00:42:57
that's not how I am I I like to enjoy it
00:43:00
and okay well done now get over yourself
00:43:03
let's go win the next one but I have
00:43:05
that moment yeah it's like what would
00:43:07
Ted do Ted you enjoy he's having fun
00:43:11
okay so what does an average day look
00:43:12
like you you guys start pretty early he
00:43:15
yeah yeah um everyone's got to be there
00:43:17
by 7:45 um we got our first meeting at
00:43:20
7:45 yeah um but they're they're in way
00:43:22
before that I think the players have be
00:43:24
there from sort of 6:45 on
00:43:26
stretching getting ready for the day
00:43:28
getting physio treatment whatever they
00:43:29
got to do us coaches we arrive probably
00:43:32
between 5:30 and 6 I'd say yeah so
00:43:35
you're [ __ ] me yeah no early start
00:43:37
of the day yeah really yeah that seems
00:43:40
unnecessarily early no it's not well
00:43:42
it's like this you got to prepare for
00:43:44
the day ahead and what do you mean
00:43:45
exactly well we have a coaches meeting
00:43:47
at 7 o' so there's a huge amount of
00:43:50
cutting of Clips so you got to probably
00:43:51
work back from the day before if that
00:43:53
makes sense so let's say Monday's happen
00:43:55
as a field session so we've gone out and
00:43:57
trained and come off uh and we got a
00:44:00
drone that films our whole training and
00:44:02
then we cut what the boys did really
00:44:04
well what they didn't the boys cut their
00:44:05
own Vision downstairs then we come
00:44:07
upstairs and we have have one-on-one
00:44:10
video with the players and then the next
00:44:12
day we got to take some of those clips
00:44:14
and put them into unit group so backs
00:44:16
and forwards attack defense last plays
00:44:20
which is special teams like Stacy Jones
00:44:22
is in charge of so there's lots of stuff
00:44:25
we do and you got all that information
00:44:28
that you've just you've just um put
00:44:30
together from the day before so what are
00:44:31
you going to do with it now so we make
00:44:33
sure we're getting we get organized we
00:44:35
know how we're going to do it players
00:44:37
are in different teams for training so
00:44:39
yeah there's lots that go into it so I
00:44:42
think you're looking from sort of
00:44:43
arriving that time to leaving between
00:44:46
sort of 4:30 and 6 o00 that's probably
00:44:48
an average day
00:44:51
yeah I think that'll surprise a lot of
00:44:53
people yeah I think but which which is
00:44:55
fair enough I think I think people think
00:44:56
you turn up um you go out you throw some
00:45:00
cones on the field you train and you
00:45:01
leave and you go to the gym a couple of
00:45:03
times go to the gym you that's not how
00:45:05
it works no like a player a players got
00:45:08
a full full schedule they go home
00:45:10
exhausted but
00:45:11
today um and no one trust me they're all
00:45:14
grateful for their jobs they're not
00:45:16
feeling sorry for themselves like
00:45:17
they've got it good but uh they work
00:45:19
hard manate yeah they work really hard
00:45:21
and our coaches work really hard too and
00:45:23
so do our like conditioners and so do
00:45:25
our phys
00:45:26
and there's so many people in the
00:45:28
organization that world long hours how
00:45:31
much of um what you've implemented since
00:45:34
you've been here is as like pinth
00:45:35
Panther's IP Oregon is definitely part
00:45:38
of it yeah yeah well has it's part of
00:45:41
you I couldn't give you a percentage of
00:45:43
it but um I mean I refuse to copy and
00:45:47
paste the whole pen program because it
00:45:50
doesn't necessarily suit our players but
00:45:53
there's things that I've learned for
00:45:54
penth that i' been an absolute idiot not
00:45:56
to not to use the Warriors it's a
00:45:59
winning team why not yeah that's it so
00:46:01
there so many things there that we use
00:46:03
but I made a mistake a long time ago I I
00:46:06
worked at one team had a lot of success
00:46:09
took that same philosophy and that same
00:46:10
ideas to another team and it was
00:46:13
terrible so you got to make sure it
00:46:15
works for your team there's things that
00:46:17
the Panthers there's things that the
00:46:18
Broncos there's things that all these
00:46:20
really good teams do that will work at
00:46:23
every single NRL team if you implement
00:46:26
them right and you know why you're doing
00:46:27
them and you can coach it properly so
00:46:29
you'd be mad not to do those things but
00:46:31
there's also things that just wouldn't
00:46:32
suit our boys
00:46:34
yeah yeah You' you you've done the work
00:46:36
he like you you've really done the work
00:46:38
like if if you look into your your you
00:46:40
your backstory you player coach in the
00:46:42
states for a while yeah uh was that your
00:46:44
first coaching job yeah yeah yeah yeah
00:46:47
yeah you don't I don't know if there's
00:46:48
much of a rugby league culture
00:46:50
in so where were you I was in
00:46:52
Connecticut World CS place just outside
00:46:55
of man and I think there was 10 teams at
00:46:57
the time and I was 23 I had long hair I
00:47:01
got the job did you like a surfy yeah
00:47:03
like a surfy but I couldn't surf um and
00:47:06
I was like I'm going to travel with
00:47:07
football I'm going to have some fun but
00:47:08
I realized that I'm not going to make it
00:47:11
um I'm going to go on have phone I got
00:47:13
got a job as a captain coach he gave me
00:47:14
a job uh a house and a car so that was
00:47:17
pretty cool and then I went and did that
00:47:19
for six months and then I was like I
00:47:20
want to give this a crack so then I
00:47:22
moved to England and got an opportunity
00:47:24
over there yeah so so you've done the uh
00:47:27
you've done the apprenticeship yep um
00:47:30
and I'm guessing they weren't they
00:47:31
weren't big paying jobs or anything
00:47:34
so how long did you give
00:47:36
yourself uh I didn't give a number like
00:47:39
I have a different stages I'm I'm going
00:47:40
to go after this and do that and I
00:47:42
quickly learned that's not the way to do
00:47:44
it so um coaching's very patient game
00:47:47
and I hadn't played at an elite level I
00:47:49
didn't have a reputation as this great
00:47:52
player that was going to automatically
00:47:53
transition as a player and those guys
00:47:56
kind of deserve that because they they
00:47:58
played for origin they played for
00:47:59
Australia they played for New Zealand
00:48:00
they deserve that that faster transition
00:48:03
um so I knew I was going to have to work
00:48:04
hard at it but my whole thing was I just
00:48:06
wanted to get paid for something that I
00:48:08
love doing and I was like what am I
00:48:10
going to do now once I knew I was going
00:48:12
to make I was like I have to coach
00:48:14
because I still love rubby League I
00:48:16
actually think I really know it I think
00:48:18
I could be good at this so instead of
00:48:20
just chasing and doing something I
00:48:22
didn't like doesn't mean I didn't have
00:48:23
to do lots of other little jobs I hated
00:48:26
to get there but um yeah I was I was
00:48:29
going to go after it and didn't matter
00:48:31
how long it
00:48:33
took that's amazing um I've heard uh in
00:48:38
interviews um the players talk about a
00:48:40
thing called Extreme ownership yep
00:48:42
extreme what's that exactly what does
00:48:43
that mean is that a Navy SEAL thing yeah
00:48:45
it's not a big piece of our it's not a
00:48:48
big piece of our puzzle like it's not a
00:48:50
I think I've read in a few places though
00:48:51
yeah yeah no it is so it's it's
00:48:53
something we did we did an exercise one
00:48:55
day were I just didn't feel like we were
00:48:57
owning what um we weren't owning our
00:49:00
good stuff we weren't owning the bad
00:49:02
stuff so uh if people made a mistake I
00:49:04
didn't think there was any there was
00:49:07
really any ownership around their
00:49:09
mistake or what was happening I didn't
00:49:10
think there was any ownership around
00:49:11
their performance so they were getting
00:49:13
everything handed on a platter and they
00:49:16
weren't actually going and digging and
00:49:17
watching their own own training sessions
00:49:19
their own games um they're basically
00:49:22
expecting everyone else to do it for
00:49:23
them so yeah
00:49:26
there was a video that I watched online
00:49:28
it was around extreme ownership I
00:49:29
thought that's unbelievably relevant to
00:49:31
where we are right now and I felt there
00:49:33
was a lot of blame on others rather than
00:49:36
themselves thought there was a lot of
00:49:37
denial like that didn't happen and I
00:49:40
just wanted to just wanted to sort a few
00:49:42
boys out and so some of you guys are
00:49:45
this right now in the room and some of
00:49:47
you guys are AR so yeah we just did a
00:49:50
little exercise and watched the video
00:49:52
and yeah we just just said who who can
00:49:56
start living this a little bit more than
00:49:58
than being the other way yeah so you say
00:50:01
that's not a big part of the the puzzle
00:50:03
what what are some of the big pieces of
00:50:04
the Warriors puzzle what like what are
00:50:05
some of the sort of um like pillars or
00:50:07
cornerstones yeah I think I think the
00:50:09
biggest thing is we got to have fun we
00:50:11
go home tired every day but we have fun
00:50:13
and Fun's not um Fun's not always
00:50:17
laughter so laughing is a huge part of
00:50:19
being fun but like if you want to laugh
00:50:21
you can laugh that's fine but the best
00:50:23
biggest thing is if you enjoy something
00:50:25
I think and you've had a great day and
00:50:27
it's been like I said the word fun and
00:50:29
you probably feel a part of it feel like
00:50:31
you've had had a say on what's happened
00:50:33
feel like you've got better so you've
00:50:35
grown a little bit feel like you belong
00:50:37
at the place so actually Everyone likes
00:50:40
you being there and you feel safe to be
00:50:41
yourself and if you're all those things
00:50:44
that equals fun and then if you laugh a
00:50:46
little bit more and then we can make it
00:50:48
an enjoyable environment then people are
00:50:50
going to like I said come back to work
00:50:52
so but they'll go home tired cuz we're
00:50:54
going to work bloody hard
00:50:56
if if there was someone that was um like
00:50:58
a good laugh and really popular and
00:51:01
fitted into the team really well and
00:51:03
wasn't necessarily the best player in
00:51:04
that position would you still keep them
00:51:06
around uh yeah for the balance I would
00:51:09
so there's a salary cap there's a price
00:51:10
there's money uh if that player fits
00:51:12
into that that bracket and we got enough
00:51:16
depth and I feel like he's gonna I feel
00:51:18
like you need guys like that they might
00:51:20
not be the best players in the world but
00:51:22
they add so much to your culture um
00:51:25
you know laughter fun um and they're
00:51:28
really good humans and yeah you want
00:51:30
them around who who is it in the the
00:51:32
current Warrior Squad like who are the
00:51:33
who are the pranksters or the Jokers or
00:51:35
um the prankster is Dylan well he's not
00:51:38
a prankster he's just he's just funny
00:51:40
he's Dylan Walker he says it how it is
00:51:41
Bailey serin was certainly that last
00:51:43
year he's certainly popular guy and a a
00:51:46
terrific human unfortunately he's left
00:51:49
because of Sal C his shoes we would love
00:51:50
to C him but yeah there's a few there's
00:51:53
a few like that I mean Dylan's got
00:51:55
amazing um skill where he can be really
00:51:58
immature and have fun and and then the
00:52:01
moment football comes to be real serious
00:52:03
and switch on because he's super
00:52:04
competitive and he wants to win so yeah
00:52:06
there's a few like that and toou Harris
00:52:09
your your captain how's his body he
00:52:11
seemed to have like every game I watched
00:52:13
last year he had extra bandages on each
00:52:15
game yeah no is he Hanging On by a
00:52:17
thread no he's fine yeah toys is going
00:52:19
great his body's good he he just he's
00:52:21
played for a long time you know he's and
00:52:23
he plays tough he plays 80 minutes most
00:52:25
times and um I feel like he just
00:52:28
understands his body and he's got little
00:52:30
bits of strapping that help him and
00:52:32
there probably probably looks like
00:52:34
there's a lot more sure he'd rather get
00:52:36
rid of a bit of it but um yeah he just
00:52:38
knows what works for him what he needs
00:52:40
to needs to tape up so one I think it's
00:52:42
some of it's precaution and some of it
00:52:45
he needs it so but yeah everyone ask me
00:52:47
that all time he's fine yeah and what um
00:52:50
what are your thoughts on the the bunker
00:52:52
ref situation CU again as I said before
00:52:54
I'm a b won jumper but the games I
00:52:56
watched last year it just seems alarming
00:52:59
there does seem to be a definite sort of
00:53:01
bias against the Warriors it's like
00:53:03
every single decision sort of gets
00:53:06
questioned yeah look I I don't see any
00:53:09
bias not at all like I don't say anyone
00:53:12
questioning the Warriors or I don't
00:53:14
think any refere no not at all no just
00:53:17
I'm not that guy I don't I don't think
00:53:19
there's any excuses if we lose that the
00:53:21
referee the bunk has got it wrong I just
00:53:24
don't believe in that so do they make
00:53:26
mistakes and frustrate the hell out of
00:53:27
me yes of course they do um have they
00:53:30
got some real big ones wrong yes but so
00:53:32
have we we've made some big mistakes
00:53:35
this year too so um I'm not saying it's
00:53:37
okay but I'm not going to use it as an
00:53:39
excuse and I certainly don't think
00:53:41
there's any bias against the Warriors if
00:53:42
anything I think the whole um the whole
00:53:45
the rubby League have fall in love with
00:53:47
the Warriors so I think they want us to
00:53:49
do well but it doesn't mean they're not
00:53:51
going to get things right you you get do
00:53:53
you get fined if a few you speak to the
00:53:55
media afterwards and you [ __ ] about
00:53:57
yeah what's sort of fine what is it I
00:53:59
don't know I think it's 5 10K oh yeah
00:54:01
does the club pay for that or no you pay
00:54:03
for oh yeah I wouldn't be saying
00:54:05
anything about the bunker R either no
00:54:08
well there safe space here I I I just
00:54:11
wouldn't I just yeah yeah I'll get done
00:54:14
eventually but I'm trying my hardest
00:54:16
okay but when when um do you know Jason
00:54:18
Paris yeah like person when he he put a
00:54:21
tweet out last year do you are you
00:54:23
familiar with this you must be familiar
00:54:24
with this yeah of course yeah um I was
00:54:26
doing a public speaking thing the next
00:54:28
day and there were all these Marketing
00:54:30
Executives there they were like oh yeah
00:54:31
it's fine what he said but the Optics
00:54:33
the Optics aren't good let sort of
00:54:34
marketing speak but um as coach first of
00:54:38
all he just showed how passionate he was
00:54:40
about the Warriors and it wasn't as as
00:54:43
one NZ CEO loves loves us you know so
00:54:46
he's frustrated and um yeah just
00:54:50
probably the head of the moment I can't
00:54:51
speak for Jason but yeah like he's but
00:54:53
as as a coach will you secretly pleased
00:54:55
when he did it like yeah I stayed out of
00:54:57
it like you know J Jay you know he's had
00:55:00
his opinion and you I just can't be like
00:55:02
that so yeah I I just I love all our
00:55:06
fans and our sponsors how passionate
00:55:08
about us are and yeah um and the Heat of
00:55:10
the M battle things get said and done
00:55:13
but yeah as the coach I I just got I
00:55:15
can't be like that yeah yes speaking of
00:55:17
the fans and I suppose in particular
00:55:20
from a like a cultural phenomenon of
00:55:21
what what's happened the past year I
00:55:23
mean this afternoon I went to reel sport
00:55:25
I thought I'll buy a couple of caps and
00:55:27
get you to sign them no merch available
00:55:29
there was like one one supporter singlet
00:55:32
left which was like a 4XL and that was
00:55:34
it like I mean the the the support from
00:55:38
last season that's going to carry on to
00:55:39
this season it's just it's just massive
00:55:42
yeah when did you first hear um up the
00:55:44
was where does that come from do you
00:55:46
know anything about that yeah I can
00:55:48
remember someone was ask me is it should
00:55:50
it be up the W or should be um going
00:55:53
going you know going it's
00:55:55
yeah you aware of that one that was of
00:55:57
course I yeah so I was like and I said
00:56:00
well I'm hearing up the W is taking over
00:56:03
I think up the W as you walk down the
00:56:04
street someone just turns around goes up
00:56:06
the W like it's a way of like connecting
00:56:08
quickly and go how good and then I think
00:56:11
um I think the other one is more of a
00:56:13
chant you know so yeah I when I first
00:56:16
heard it like that and then I just
00:56:18
couldn't believe how quickly and then
00:56:20
there was a song and then everyone was
00:56:22
like just everywhere he went was up the
00:56:24
W I was wedding in Australia and there's
00:56:26
no Warriors fans there and they were
00:56:28
they were um cheersing each other after
00:56:31
each speech saying up the wi so what for
00:56:34
your being AIT or no no no just up thewi
00:56:37
just it just become a thing where if
00:56:39
it's good then it's
00:56:41
up so you've got you don't know where it
00:56:43
started or the origin I saw some threat
00:56:46
online someone was saying uh it was um
00:56:49
created by some new zealanders that live
00:56:51
in Australia a few a few years ago and
00:56:53
it it's an acronym it means we are home
00:56:55
soon for the Warriors but I don't know
00:56:57
seems apparently but there you go I
00:56:59
don't know I I suspect there's probably
00:57:01
a few stories like that yeah but it's
00:57:03
it's great though way you you and the
00:57:05
the the team must have felt it and must
00:57:07
have felt the love and the support of
00:57:08
the nation but also the weight of the
00:57:09
nation yeah the the love was
00:57:11
unbelievable the support like I said we
00:57:13
so I think we sold out in the stadium 10
00:57:15
times this year which is unbelievable I
00:57:17
think it's our best crowds for the whole
00:57:20
season since since 95 which is the first
00:57:23
year so um
00:57:25
everywhere we went because we played a
00:57:27
few games we played um in napr like I
00:57:29
said we played in Wellington I played a
00:57:31
trial in Christ Church just the support
00:57:34
it was unbelievable so um humbling it's
00:57:37
humbling yeah it's it's humbling felt
00:57:39
like a real responsibility people stop
00:57:41
me on the street and say thank you for
00:57:42
you're done for our country I mean I'm
00:57:44
an Australian that blows me away so yeah
00:57:47
it's it's really cool um we just want to
00:57:49
make sure we can stay consistent and
00:57:51
keep them happy yeah and and it was
00:57:53
overlapping uh with a rugby World Cup as
00:57:55
well which makes it even more remarkable
00:57:57
yeah it was yeah um but how do you how
00:58:01
do you cope with the pressure like how
00:58:02
like cu the expectation is you know you
00:58:05
go a step further or even two steps
00:58:06
further yeah in the next season but it's
00:58:09
like success isn't always linear like
00:58:11
that is it no I mean I think the only
00:58:13
pressure I I have is the pressure I put
00:58:16
on myself I mean at the end of the day I
00:58:19
if I know we can prepare well and we've
00:58:21
worked hard and we've given them every
00:58:22
chance the players and the players are
00:58:25
buying in then we're going to give
00:58:27
ourselves a chance to win and um it is a
00:58:29
nerve-racking 80 minutes but that's
00:58:31
probably the only time I feel the
00:58:32
pressure during the game I I don't
00:58:35
everyone thinks I'm really calm but I'm
00:58:36
not as calm as people think but um the
00:58:38
ladup to games I don't get nervous um I
00:58:41
haven't felt the pressure but let's be
00:58:43
honest we the worst we did was lose
00:58:45
three in a row this year so I'm sure
00:58:47
there's going to be times in my career
00:58:48
where's that five or six and you're
00:58:50
really going to really going to find out
00:58:52
what I'm what I'm like under pressure
00:58:54
but right now now I feel comfortable
00:58:55
with it yeah yeah what are you like no
00:58:57
one gets to 41 years old without sort of
00:58:59
facing um some sort of adversity what
00:59:02
what is it what is it for you like where
00:59:04
does your resilience come from what's
00:59:06
some of the I think my adversity has
00:59:08
been the fact that it hasn't been easy
00:59:09
for me like I
00:59:11
wasn't didn't play NRL I just wasn't one
00:59:15
of the best players I had to worked hard
00:59:17
I had to clean rby League football
00:59:19
stands I had to you know be security
00:59:21
jobs I have to do everything to get here
00:59:23
so um I've had to volunteer so I think
00:59:27
my resilience comes from the fact that
00:59:30
um you know it hasn't been my path
00:59:32
hasn't been easy and I've had to work
00:59:33
hard to get here and I I don't want to
00:59:35
lose it I'm here now I want to be B of
00:59:38
winning cultures for the rest of my
00:59:40
coaching Cur so yeah I think that's
00:59:43
where it comes from yeah and and so you
00:59:45
were here on a three-year deal and it's
00:59:46
been extended well you were here on a
00:59:48
2-year deal and it's been extended for
00:59:49
five years three year deal so obviously
00:59:52
done one of them now and now I've got a
00:59:55
a three-year extension on top of the two
00:59:57
remaining so 5 years in total from now
00:59:59
yeah what's what's the um this is a dumb
01:00:02
question the ultimate goal on that time
01:00:03
is to like win a Premiership yeah it's
01:00:06
like sustain success so I'm going to win
01:00:08
as many Grand finals as we can I me
01:00:10
people might laugh and say you won't get
01:00:12
one of those but I don't care like what
01:00:14
they think I just I want us to go after
01:00:16
it and have a real crack at it um but
01:00:20
you know have sustain success you know
01:00:21
win win as many games as we can and make
01:00:24
fans constantly proud of us so that
01:00:27
we're not constantly down the bottom
01:00:29
we're constantly up the top and give
01:00:31
ourselves a chance to win oh that's so
01:00:34
good would you would you ultimately like
01:00:36
to spend your entire career here yeah
01:00:39
I'm happy to yeah I love New Zeal I love
01:00:41
the Warriors I mean the only way I'm
01:00:43
going to leave is if one the club thinks
01:00:46
my time's up or I think I can't give any
01:00:49
more to the club meaning I feel like
01:00:51
they need someone new so some fresh
01:00:53
ideas some fresh ideas is but I I've I
01:00:56
think there's two or three coaches in
01:00:58
the game that have really stayed at a
01:01:00
club for a long period of time like way
01:01:02
benett did at the Broncos for a long
01:01:04
time Craig belly and Trent Robinson's
01:01:07
doing at the roosters i't starting to do
01:01:09
it at the Panthers so uh it's definitely
01:01:12
possible to do because it's not easy not
01:01:14
many Do It um but if I was good enough
01:01:17
um to do that that'd be that'd be great
01:01:19
while ever I'm enjoying it here I don't
01:01:20
want to go anywhere so yeah oh we we
01:01:23
love you here I speak on behalf of the
01:01:25
whole nation yeah it's phenomenal what's
01:01:28
happened in the past year um it's
01:01:29
incredible yeah it's just it's yeah it's
01:01:33
great to have you in New Zealand as a
01:01:34
New Zealander yeah cool no thank you
01:01:36
it's great to be um one thing I I do
01:01:39
like to ask all my guest is about their
01:01:40
um their mental health how's your mental
01:01:42
health because I feel like by asking
01:01:44
this question it just sort of normalizes
01:01:46
the the conversation your mental health
01:01:48
been good over the years or I've been
01:01:50
really lucky I'm lots of U friends and
01:01:53
family have OB struggled with it I mean
01:01:55
it's pretty common Now isn't it I think
01:01:57
especially people are more willing to
01:01:59
talk about it um and my mental Health's
01:02:02
really
01:02:03
good um I don't know I've got a good
01:02:06
balance in my life I'm not suggesting
01:02:07
it's going to be like that all the time
01:02:09
I'm not arrogant enough to think that
01:02:11
everything's going to be Rosy I've
01:02:12
spoken to real strong people that have
01:02:14
gone through had nervous breakdowns had
01:02:16
tough times uh and they would have
01:02:18
laughed if you ever told them that that
01:02:20
was going to happen to them so I don't
01:02:22
think we're all bulletproof um but know
01:02:24
I'm I'm lucky right now I'm good and um
01:02:27
the biggest thing is I think it's the
01:02:29
bravest bravest thing you can do if
01:02:31
you're struggling with mental health or
01:02:33
things aren't going us actually say
01:02:34
something as um I think it used to be
01:02:37
you were weak if you said something so
01:02:39
it's gone from weak to being brave which
01:02:41
I think's awesome yeah well I had um I
01:02:45
don't know if you're familiar with the
01:02:46
uh the old all black coach John Hart yep
01:02:48
uh John will yeah I do it I personally
01:02:51
oh of course yeah he was connected with
01:02:52
the club so he was on the podcast and he
01:02:55
he talked about um he was actually I I
01:02:57
was really surprised he talked this way
01:02:59
so he got back from the 1999 Rugby World
01:03:02
Cup where the old blacks got excuse me
01:03:04
beat him by France and knocked out early
01:03:06
he came back and yeah they were he went
01:03:08
to a horse race meet and someone spat on
01:03:10
him in a bathroom and people throwing
01:03:12
beer cans at his horse homes DG um and
01:03:15
he he said he didn't recognize it at the
01:03:17
time but he was in a like deep
01:03:18
depression for two years where couldn't
01:03:20
leave the house some days yeah um and he
01:03:23
was like a man he was in his 50s at the
01:03:25
time and you know that's very successful
01:03:28
man very successful yeah just knocked
01:03:30
him knocked him to his core there you go
01:03:32
not been to anyone so yeah do you guys
01:03:34
have um like a team psych sports
01:03:36
psychologist or yeah we got um four
01:03:38
welfare managers so we' got we got um
01:03:42
that I wouldn't say the word covered is
01:03:44
wrong because you never got it covered
01:03:46
you always got to be ready for it D be
01:03:48
cross it but um we got four guys that
01:03:50
are in that in that line of work that
01:03:52
that's their role to make sure
01:03:53
everyone's SP spaces as as good as it
01:03:55
possibly can be and if they if they've
01:03:58
got some stuff going on in their lives
01:04:00
they can help them with it um and it's
01:04:03
also my responsibility to help with that
01:04:05
too so um yeah and we got a we got a
01:04:08
really good team of people who care
01:04:09
about these boys so yeah it's awesome
01:04:12
yeah brilliant all right hey well weeby
01:04:14
can I call you weeby you can I feel like
01:04:15
we're mates now go wh mates oh should we
01:04:18
do a shy together not not yet we're
01:04:20
going to win the grand fin have you have
01:04:22
you ever done a shy I'm sure I've done
01:04:24
plenty what do what do you mean you sure
01:04:26
you've done plenty yes or no yes I'm I
01:04:28
gather I have but what do you mean you
01:04:30
gather you have when I was younger mate
01:04:32
I would have U I would have given it a
01:04:33
credit how long have sh's been a thing
01:04:35
sh's been a thing for a long time that I
01:04:37
know right right yeah I feel like the
01:04:39
origins are rooted in Australia and it's
01:04:41
just sort of become International um so
01:04:44
if you win if you win a a grand final
01:04:46
you do a shy for sure yeah I'll do out
01:04:49
of sha Johnson's boot if you like all
01:04:53
right hey um mate It's been a pleasure
01:04:54
to sit down with you today thank you so
01:04:56
much um I've got a lot out of this and I
01:04:58
hope the um the people that listen or
01:05:00
watch this um take some learnings from
01:05:01
this as well you're an inspirational
01:05:03
inspirational guy no thank you thank you
01:05:05
so much having it's a pleasure to be
01:05:06
here and um I hope everyone listen to
01:05:08
your podcast man it's a beauty let's go
01:05:10
on let's go on go the wise out the wise
01:05:14
out the wise

Podspun Insights

In this episode, Andrew Webster, head coach of the Warriors, sits down for a candid chat that feels like a cozy catch-up with an old friend. The conversation kicks off with some light-hearted banter about the podcasting process, leading into a deeper exploration of Webster's life, career, and the unique culture surrounding rugby league in New Zealand. Webster shares anecdotes about his family’s passion for the sport, his own journey from player to coach, and the challenges he faced along the way.

Listeners get a glimpse into Webster's coaching philosophy, which emphasizes emotional intelligence and building strong relationships with players. He reflects on the importance of maintaining a positive environment and how that translates into performance on the field. The episode is peppered with humorous moments, especially when Webster discusses his wife’s nonchalant attitude towards rugby, and the playful dynamics within his family.

Webster also opens up about the pressures of coaching, the expectations that come with success, and his commitment to fostering a winning culture at the Warriors. His passion for the game and dedication to his players shine through, making this episode not just a conversation about rugby, but a heartfelt exploration of leadership, resilience, and community.

Overall, this episode is a delightful mix of humor, insight, and genuine emotion, leaving listeners feeling inspired and connected to the world of rugby league.

Badges

This episode stands out for the following:

  • 90
    Most heartwarming
  • 90
    Best performance
  • 85
    Most inspiring
  • 85
    Best overall

Episode Highlights

  • Passion for Coaching
    Webster discusses his love for coaching and helping others improve in rugby league.
    “I love helping people get better.”
    @ 01m 59s
    January 21, 2024
  • A Unique Relationship with His Wife
    Webster talks about his wife's supportive nature and her neutral stance on rugby league.
    “I think if I asked her to get involved, she would.”
    @ 11m 46s
    January 21, 2024
  • Emotional Team Bonding
    Webster's heartfelt declaration of love for his team highlights a new coaching culture.
    “I love you boys so much.”
    @ 15m 19s
    January 21, 2024
  • Coaching Philosophy
    A coach emphasizes the importance of being authentic and having one's own style.
    “You got to make sure you're yourself and you got your own ideas.”
    @ 19m 11s
    January 21, 2024
  • Building Relationships
    Creating a bond with players is essential for a positive team environment.
    “If they don't want to come back, they're not enjoying it.”
    @ 22m 44s
    January 21, 2024
  • Emotional Intelligence in Coaching
    The coach discusses the importance of emotional intelligence and connecting with players.
    “You should respect each other enough to connect.”
    @ 28m 34s
    January 21, 2024
  • Reviving a Player's Career
    The coach shares his belief in a player’s potential for greatness.
    “I told him, don't let it be this way, you got more in you.”
    @ 33m 16s
    January 21, 2024
  • A No-Brainer Decision
    Choosing to coach the Warriors felt like a no-brainer for me.
    “I love New Zealand, I love the Warriors.”
    @ 35m 26s
    January 21, 2024
  • Extreme Ownership
    The concept of extreme ownership is about taking responsibility for both good and bad outcomes.
    “I felt there was a lot of blame on others rather than themselves.”
    @ 49m 33s
    January 21, 2024
  • Cultural Impact of Team Members
    Players who may not be the best still contribute significantly to team culture.
    “You need guys like that; they add so much to your culture.”
    @ 51m 22s
    January 21, 2024
  • Unbelievable Support from Fans
    The team's support this season has been massive, selling out stadiums multiple times.
    “The love was unbelievable; it felt like a real responsibility.”
    @ 57m 11s
    January 21, 2024
  • Mental Health Awareness
    Discussing mental health is now seen as brave rather than weak, a positive shift.
    “It's gone from weak to being brave, which I think's awesome.”
    @ 01h 02m 39s
    January 21, 2024

Episode Quotes

Key Moments

  • Coaching Passion01:59
  • Childhood Games04:24
  • Authenticity in Coaching19:11
  • Player Relationships22:44
  • Encouraging Expression31:35
  • Coaching Philosophy50:04
  • Team Culture50:11
  • Fan Support57:11

Words per Minute Over Time

Vibes Breakdown

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