RedVDave
First Grade
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"I AM who I am," says Jamie Soward. "I'm not changing for anyone - unless someone tells me I have to pull my head in."
This isn't another one of those Jamie Soward stories about him being maligned and criticised and no media darling. This isn't another one of those Jamie Soward stories about why he should or shouldn't play State of Origin.
This is a Jamie Soward story that explains why he no longer cares what the story about Jamie Soward will be.
This all started last week when this journalist wrote how Soward had arrogantly pushed aside an interview in the dressingroom after the Dragons' comfortable win over the Roosters on Anzac Day.
The Jamie Soward story that day was why Jamie Soward should be the NSW five-eighth.The tsunami of vitriol from Dragons fans since has only just abated. He admits he could've handled the situation better. So could this reporter.
Nevertheless, this very minor incident confirmed to some people that Soward's supposed hubris could upset a NSW team, should he be picked.
It was something subtly identified behind the scenes during the Emerging Blues camp earlier this year. Some thought Jamie Soward was acting like a rock star.
"I'm not a rock star," he laughs. "Confidence can be mistaken. Everyone who knows me knows that I'm a bit of a joker, I get into blokes.
"Sometimes it can be taken the wrong way. As I've found out, I've acted like that but forgotten I'm in a different environment. I'm not at the Dragons. It's only happened once or twice. But the rock star thing ... that's not right."
Since joining the Dragons, Soward has become tight with retired winger Wendell Sailor. When Sailor started his career, the league chitterati didn't understand his faux ego. It took time to understand that's his schtick. Now there's no more magnetic individual in the game than Del.
"That's me, too," Soward explains. "I like to have a joke around. I get shit put on me as much as I put on anyone else. If that's being a lair ... I'm not a lair. If people misread that, that's not really my fault."
Sitting here with Soward in the cafe at the Country Origin team hotel in Albury, there is no hint of rock star. You find a genial yet confident fella.
This hasn't always been the case. His legion of critics have dismantled and dissected his game, perhaps more than any other current player.
He said the criticism last week didn't concern him yet Dragons captain Ben Hornby, with whom he has become very close, and Dragons mastercoach Wayne Bennett felt the need to pull him aside after training and reassure him.
"Benny [Hornby] had a chat to me," he says. "He said, 'We know you're not like that'. Benny Hornby is someone I've been comfortable with over the years. They know I would've seen the paper. They said to just lay low."
That's impossible. When he lines up for Country against City in Albury tonight, every move he makes will be seen in the context of playing for NSW.It wasn't that long ago, when Soward was playing for the Roosters, that Phil Gould was throwing him video of Darren Lockyer ahead of an opposed session against the Blues in preparation for an Origin match. "I remember being very nervous," Soward says. "Gus wanted me to play like Lockie."
On the other side of the ditch that day was Trent Barrett, the former NSW five-eighth who knows a thing or two about the pressure of the sky blue No. 6 jumper as well as the one with the Red V.
"He was very good," Barrett recalls. "His kicking game was superb."
That kicking game - particularly that long kicking game - is the best in the competition. Soward knows, though, that outside of his kicking and his pace that there are prettier players to watch.
"I'm not the most gifted player to grace the field," he says. "I'm not the strongest defender. But I'm just a guy who loves competing. That to me says something: if you compete and work hard, opportunities come your way."
Soward has literally willed himself to great heights; to a premiership last year and to the verge of Origin selection this season.
Confidence players need someone to believe in them. And that's where Wayne Bennett comes in.
"He's put the polish on me and made me into that bloke that I hope is easier and happier to be around," Soward says. "He made me enjoy my footy. He's turned me into a competitive little shit."He laughs at his own words.
"Coming into first grade early on, when I was at the Dragons, I took my football very serious. I had to do things a certain way. It almost became anal that I had to have everything a certain way. I guess I'd be irritable. Short with family and stuff like that. Thinking about the game three days before it was played.
"People who know me know I don't like to talk too much about the pressures of the past. The Dragons Red V six has been one of those positions that's been constantly hammered. From Choc [Anthony Munine] to Baz [Trent Barrett] to now. To me.
"Wayne encouraged me to let my character come out a bit."
This is the character in Jamie Soward some see, others do not. Some players care what the masses think, but Soward wants to please his mum and girlfriend and sister and mates and his grandparents that attend every game without fail.
"I'm not saying this rudely or with attitude, but I don't really care what people think," he says. "I just care about my family, my teammates and my mates."
Then he pauses and his brown eyes light up.
"Wayne Bennett," he chuckles. "If he starts writing columns saying I'm a lair, that's when I'll sit down and reassess where I'm going."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ke-the-next-step/story-e6frexnr-1226050799276
This isn't another one of those Jamie Soward stories about him being maligned and criticised and no media darling. This isn't another one of those Jamie Soward stories about why he should or shouldn't play State of Origin.
This is a Jamie Soward story that explains why he no longer cares what the story about Jamie Soward will be.
This all started last week when this journalist wrote how Soward had arrogantly pushed aside an interview in the dressingroom after the Dragons' comfortable win over the Roosters on Anzac Day.
The Jamie Soward story that day was why Jamie Soward should be the NSW five-eighth.The tsunami of vitriol from Dragons fans since has only just abated. He admits he could've handled the situation better. So could this reporter.
Nevertheless, this very minor incident confirmed to some people that Soward's supposed hubris could upset a NSW team, should he be picked.
It was something subtly identified behind the scenes during the Emerging Blues camp earlier this year. Some thought Jamie Soward was acting like a rock star.
"I'm not a rock star," he laughs. "Confidence can be mistaken. Everyone who knows me knows that I'm a bit of a joker, I get into blokes.
"Sometimes it can be taken the wrong way. As I've found out, I've acted like that but forgotten I'm in a different environment. I'm not at the Dragons. It's only happened once or twice. But the rock star thing ... that's not right."
Since joining the Dragons, Soward has become tight with retired winger Wendell Sailor. When Sailor started his career, the league chitterati didn't understand his faux ego. It took time to understand that's his schtick. Now there's no more magnetic individual in the game than Del.
"That's me, too," Soward explains. "I like to have a joke around. I get shit put on me as much as I put on anyone else. If that's being a lair ... I'm not a lair. If people misread that, that's not really my fault."
Sitting here with Soward in the cafe at the Country Origin team hotel in Albury, there is no hint of rock star. You find a genial yet confident fella.
This hasn't always been the case. His legion of critics have dismantled and dissected his game, perhaps more than any other current player.
He said the criticism last week didn't concern him yet Dragons captain Ben Hornby, with whom he has become very close, and Dragons mastercoach Wayne Bennett felt the need to pull him aside after training and reassure him.
"Benny [Hornby] had a chat to me," he says. "He said, 'We know you're not like that'. Benny Hornby is someone I've been comfortable with over the years. They know I would've seen the paper. They said to just lay low."
That's impossible. When he lines up for Country against City in Albury tonight, every move he makes will be seen in the context of playing for NSW.It wasn't that long ago, when Soward was playing for the Roosters, that Phil Gould was throwing him video of Darren Lockyer ahead of an opposed session against the Blues in preparation for an Origin match. "I remember being very nervous," Soward says. "Gus wanted me to play like Lockie."
On the other side of the ditch that day was Trent Barrett, the former NSW five-eighth who knows a thing or two about the pressure of the sky blue No. 6 jumper as well as the one with the Red V.
"He was very good," Barrett recalls. "His kicking game was superb."
That kicking game - particularly that long kicking game - is the best in the competition. Soward knows, though, that outside of his kicking and his pace that there are prettier players to watch.
"I'm not the most gifted player to grace the field," he says. "I'm not the strongest defender. But I'm just a guy who loves competing. That to me says something: if you compete and work hard, opportunities come your way."
Soward has literally willed himself to great heights; to a premiership last year and to the verge of Origin selection this season.
Confidence players need someone to believe in them. And that's where Wayne Bennett comes in.
"He's put the polish on me and made me into that bloke that I hope is easier and happier to be around," Soward says. "He made me enjoy my footy. He's turned me into a competitive little shit."He laughs at his own words.
"Coming into first grade early on, when I was at the Dragons, I took my football very serious. I had to do things a certain way. It almost became anal that I had to have everything a certain way. I guess I'd be irritable. Short with family and stuff like that. Thinking about the game three days before it was played.
"People who know me know I don't like to talk too much about the pressures of the past. The Dragons Red V six has been one of those positions that's been constantly hammered. From Choc [Anthony Munine] to Baz [Trent Barrett] to now. To me.
"Wayne encouraged me to let my character come out a bit."
This is the character in Jamie Soward some see, others do not. Some players care what the masses think, but Soward wants to please his mum and girlfriend and sister and mates and his grandparents that attend every game without fail.
"I'm not saying this rudely or with attitude, but I don't really care what people think," he says. "I just care about my family, my teammates and my mates."
Then he pauses and his brown eyes light up.
"Wayne Bennett," he chuckles. "If he starts writing columns saying I'm a lair, that's when I'll sit down and reassess where I'm going."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ke-the-next-step/story-e6frexnr-1226050799276
