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Joe Gulavao

Twizzle

Administrator
Staff member
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155,336
Manly Sea Eagles forward Joe Galuvao proves Russell Crowe wrong

by: Paul Crawley
From: The Daily Telegraph
September 28, 2011 12:00AM

All smiles: Manly's Joe Galuvao, here enjoying a word in the ear of teammate Anthony Watmough, has bounced back to prove Russell Crowe wrong Picture: Brett Costello Source: The Daily Telegraph

SOMETIMES, it pays to get a second opinion. Joe Galuvao needed one four years back.

That was after Russell Crowe told him he had no future in footy - and that he should consider retiring to become a religious minister.

Since then big Joe has played in a grand final for Parramatta and is now four days away from playing another for Manly.

This is how it sometimes works in league, and life. When a bloke is prepared to pick himself up off the deck, even when he has a foot on his throat.

At the Sea Eagles, they tell you this 33-year-old veteran is their lucky charm. This will be Joe's third grand final at three different clubs, after winning a comp with Penrith in 2003.

Yet the man himself tells you he's just an average Joe.

The grand final hero who still catches a train and bus to work.

From his home at St Marys, Joe says it's an hour and a half each way on public transport.

"Cost effective," he explained. "I was spending like $300 just on gas and tolls a week.

"Now I pay $200 a month for a ticket that gets me on trains, buses ... you'd be surprised how many of the younger guys do it.

"Maybe not the big NRL stars but it doesn't bother me."

At Manly they love how he always arrives at training wearing a smile. But he admits he wasn't smiling when told he was no longer needed at Souths.

"I was angry and I was pretty bitter at the fact they discarded me," he recalled. "At the time it hurt ... but I talked to my wife and with my church and my pastors and they helped me.

"I knew why they were doing it and it was all business - but at the end of the day I got through it and I am better for it."

They say Joe never complains, that's why youngsters like Daly Cherry-Evans look to him for advice. The NRL Rookie of the Year was at training this week, surrounded by about 20 reporters and cameras, when he brought up Joe's name. He told how Joe's experience was helping the young halfback through the biggest week of his career.

He also helps troubled teenagers through his work at the church. Joe has survived more than his share of setbacks.

He lost his mother when he was seven and was raised by his father and five sisters. He admits his teenage years were tough.

"You get involved in drinking and partying," he said. "When I was on the drink I was pretty wild and I guess alcohol and me didn't mix too well. I got into fights and thought I was pretty tough. I could have easily ended up somewhere I didn't want to be but fortunately for me league was a great avenue."

So was church. That's where Joe turned to when one of his mates committed suicide.

"He was the most loving guy and happiest guy you would ever know but no one knows to this day why he did it," he recalled.

"It just made me really question life and what am I living for?

"I had a few friends that started going to church and I started going and just the values and principles I learned help me. "I think that is one of the greatest things for me, knowing that there is someone to talk to. And especially with footy, you can have lots of highs and lows."

Then he smiles, like there's no regrets. Some guys make their own luck. Big Joe's proof of that.


clicky
 

Sleep

Juniors
Messages
2,377
Great guy and great player. I loved him when he was at Penrith. Always one of our best and toughest.

I was gutted for him with the whole Souths saga and was glad to see him find some form at Parramatta. He's kicked on even more at Manly and is playing as well as he ever has.
 

M2D2

Bench
Messages
4,693
He played Horrible for souths.
Rusty was well within his rights to shit can him.
 

firechild

First Grade
Messages
8,097
Simply shows how useless Souths are. A player that has made an impact at every other club he's played at (with GFs at 3 of them) and yet Souths can't get any results out of the bloke. I suspect it is the system at Souths and not Galuvao that caused this anomaly.
 

Brutus

Referee
Messages
26,460
I like Joe as well.

But he was shit at Souths and needed to move on. He offered the club nothing.

Good to see him doing well at Manly.
 

betcats

Referee
Messages
24,318
He played Horrible for souths.
Rusty was well within his rights to shit can him.

No right to tell him he hasnt got any future, what the f**k does Russel know anyway? Made himself look like a proper dickhead didnt he considering Joe has played in 2 GFs since.
 

JoeD

First Grade
Messages
7,056
In the lead up to last week's Storm Vs Warriors match I was having a look at Youtube and came across the Storm V Warriors from 1998.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IwvvPeWNOk

Watch the first 30 seconds to see Joe score his first ever try in first grade, playing from fullback. Hard to believe he's been around so long.

Awesome vid. Is that Mogsheen reffing? Also highlight for me was the try from the bomb at the end, how many were contesting it?
 

Brutus

Referee
Messages
26,460
I think the fact Russell said he didn't have a future gave him the edge to strive harder.

But he was f**ked at Souths and his final days at Penrith were shit as well.
 
Messages
3,741
Manly Sea Eagles forward Joe Galuvao proves Russell Crowe wrong

LMAO at Russel Crowe.

Funnily enough every club joe has been at since his south sydney days has been more successful that south sydney.

Post south sydney clubs wins(manly & parra): 53

Souths wins: 41

Also to the stat, the last times Souths were in a final a final was in 2007; which was Joe Gulavao's last season at souths.

Coincidence ? maybe. But still LOL@Ru$ty.

f**k these DT people really do read this forum for ideas don't they.

LOL If they got their ideas from this forum then Rebecca wilson would be sacked, sadly it isn't the case.

LOL they probably look at the rumours section. :crazy:
 

Honkiest_Honky

Juniors
Messages
619
The idiots who say Gulavou was hard done by at Souths are as clueless as the Souths official who signed him for around $300k per season. If he was on a $60k min wage contract no one including Rusty would give a toss. Gulavou has done well by Souths as have countless other non-performing highly paid has beens.
 

Tommax25

Bench
Messages
2,959
Was quietly happy when he signed for us after his Parra days, always been a fan of his since his Penrith days, due to living in Penrith during his '03 heyday. Was always confident he would perform the bryant role, that of the non-superstar toiler. He has done better than that and has been a key member of our squad.
 

nqcowboy87

Bench
Messages
4,181
kudos to joe, always been a favourite of mine, its cool to see how hes fought back fro the clutches of obscurity to be a solid team player, i remember when i went to png in 03 after penrith one the gf, every town and village we went to that dad knew somebody, wed get out and talk and everybody loved joe and tony,especially joe
 

PARRA_FAN

Coach
Messages
18,287
I still reckon we wouldn't have made the Grand Final in 09 if not for Joe. Against Canterbury in the Preliminary our forwards seemed nervous. Joe came on and showed the way. It was like he said "it's a final, just f**kin run it hard!"
From the moment he came on there was only gonna be one winner.

Especially after Cayless came off injured and basically missed most of the game. Joe came on and really gave us inspiration. Scored a try too which proved his backing up.

That year in 2009 he was coming back to his solid best like his days in Penrith 2003.

Glad Parra threw him a lifeline in 2008.

Now he's playing in another Grand Final. Good on him.
 

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