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First Grade
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Source: http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22334392-5006066,00.html
Asotasi the Souths saviour
NO ONE saw the shadowy figure lurking outside South Sydney Leagues Club.
Well, certainly not Mark Rowan anyway. Walking briskly across Chalmers Street, the Sydney manager already had his head inside a 10 o'clock meeting with Rabbitohs boss Shane Richardson.
Contracts, clauses, cap concessions. Dollars, decimals, sponsorship deals. Rowan mentally organising the many details still preventing a signature from his star client Roy Asotasi.
And then a dark figure stepped from those early morning shadows.
Sporting a grey hoodie, gritty stubble and giant aviator sunglasses, Russell Crowe looked more a New York mugger than Oscar millionaire. His message, however, was unmistakable.
Mark, I just want you to know, whatever it takes, mate, we want this kid.
"Absolutely amazing," Rowan recalls today. "I mean, Russell had driven right across town just to say that. Then he left . . . never even came inside for the meeting."
Of all the lines Crowe has delivered in his stellar Hollywood career, none has impacted quite like that little speech on Chalmers Street, Redfern. Whatever it takes, mate, we want this kid.
These are the eight words that have saved South Sydney. Resurrected the Rabbitohs. Once loners, losers and regular wooden spooners, Souths are now the most popular Bunnies outside the Playboy mansion.
And the secret is their hulking New Zealand import.
Sitting in the old grandstand at Erskineville Oval - dressed in khaki trousers, black trucker cap and white tracksuit top - Asotasi can only smile sheepishly when asked to describe the hype surrounding his Redfern revival.
"Being a prop you just run and make your tackles," he shrugs. "No one thinks of you as an X-factor."
Oh, but they do Roy. Just ask Souths coach Jason Taylor. And club icon John Sattler. Even members of The Burrow describe Asotasi as the "white knight" of their fairytale season.
"I'm not gunna say he's better than John Sattler or Lurch O'Neill," Burrow president Ian Spruce says. "But call back in five years and ask again."
When trying to unlock the Asotasi phenomenon, you must first start with the obvious Polynesian power package. All 184cm and 103kg.
Asotasi sprints 40 metres in 4.9 seconds.
Benches 170kg. "An athlete," says his first Marist Saints coach Anthony Lipscombe, "who took less than 80 minutes to prove he was definitely no winger."
Others such as Errol Alcott, however, go deeper. Having spent 24 years with the Australian cricket team, this Souths staffer talks of a mental toughness to rival Shane Warne and Steve Waugh.
Alcott reminds you that Asotasi never missed a game in 2004. Same in 2005. And when a medial tear sidelined him for three games last season . . . well, this zealot spent almost an entire summer balancing on his injured leg to improve its strength.
He hasn't missed a match since.
"You're impressed by Roy's 80 minutes each week," Alcott says. "But what really sets him apart is everything done on those other six-and-a-half days."
Almost punted from a Canterbury Jersey Flegg team for poor fitness, Asotasi now churns through a weekly routine of weights, nutrition, warms-ups, sprints, ice baths, hydration, stretches, video analysis, warm-downs, even sleep pattern studies.
And it's rubbing off.
When players arrive at Erskineville Oval, Asotasi is already on the exercise bike.
When they leave, he's still practising passes.
And trainer Vince Kelly says the co-captain encourages so loudly from the interchange bench on game day "you can't hear anything else".
"Roy Asotasi is the Rabbitohs revival," club legend Bob McCarthy enthuses. "He arrives and Peter Cusack plays better. Luke Stuart plays better. John Sutton plays better. These guys have been running into brick walls . . . now they're smashing through them."
If finding a weakness in Asotasi is hard, uncovering a scandal or dirty scoop is bloody impossible.
Don't let the shaved head and tattoos fool you. This tyro has never once made headlines for boozing, bashing or boofhead behaviour.
"At Canterbury," one Belmore insider reveals, "he never even farted the wrong way."
Asotasi credits his cleanskin image to the Catholic upbringing of his Samoan parents Koroseta and Pesi. He speaks of modesty. Humility. A footballer so committed to Christ, a tattoo of The Last Supper runs the length of his right forearm.
"I've had mates in the headlines but I try to lay low," the reigning Dally M prop smiles. "My parents have always taught me to . . . well, to make sure you don't love yourself too much."
Away from football, Asotasi is equally low key. He listens to Xzibit, enjoys travelling with girlfriend Celeste and wants Bra Boys John Sutton and Reni Maitua to teach him to surf.
South Sydney, too, continue moving heaven and earth for his happiness. Almost like $2.2 million over five years - raising his salary from $150,000 to around $450,000 - means nought.
When Asotasi needs financial advice, he speaks with Aussie Home Loans boss John Symond. Personally. And his new home in Blakehurst, well, that was organised by real estate supremo John McGrath.
Earlier this year, Asotasi mentioned an interest in commercial real estate. So now he dons a business suit once a week with global firm CBRE.
He will work fulltime at their Botany office in retirement.
"Obviously a few people questioned my decision when I first moved across to Souths," Asotasi concludes. "But they never saw the plan. Never saw how far Russell and Peter Holmes a Court are willing to go to make this club a success."
Until now.
Whatever it takes, mate, we want this kid.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What a champion this bloke has proved to be. Certainly worth every single cent Souths paid him!
Asotasi the Souths saviour
NO ONE saw the shadowy figure lurking outside South Sydney Leagues Club.
Well, certainly not Mark Rowan anyway. Walking briskly across Chalmers Street, the Sydney manager already had his head inside a 10 o'clock meeting with Rabbitohs boss Shane Richardson.
Contracts, clauses, cap concessions. Dollars, decimals, sponsorship deals. Rowan mentally organising the many details still preventing a signature from his star client Roy Asotasi.
And then a dark figure stepped from those early morning shadows.
Sporting a grey hoodie, gritty stubble and giant aviator sunglasses, Russell Crowe looked more a New York mugger than Oscar millionaire. His message, however, was unmistakable.
Mark, I just want you to know, whatever it takes, mate, we want this kid.
"Absolutely amazing," Rowan recalls today. "I mean, Russell had driven right across town just to say that. Then he left . . . never even came inside for the meeting."
Of all the lines Crowe has delivered in his stellar Hollywood career, none has impacted quite like that little speech on Chalmers Street, Redfern. Whatever it takes, mate, we want this kid.
These are the eight words that have saved South Sydney. Resurrected the Rabbitohs. Once loners, losers and regular wooden spooners, Souths are now the most popular Bunnies outside the Playboy mansion.
And the secret is their hulking New Zealand import.
Sitting in the old grandstand at Erskineville Oval - dressed in khaki trousers, black trucker cap and white tracksuit top - Asotasi can only smile sheepishly when asked to describe the hype surrounding his Redfern revival.
"Being a prop you just run and make your tackles," he shrugs. "No one thinks of you as an X-factor."
Oh, but they do Roy. Just ask Souths coach Jason Taylor. And club icon John Sattler. Even members of The Burrow describe Asotasi as the "white knight" of their fairytale season.
"I'm not gunna say he's better than John Sattler or Lurch O'Neill," Burrow president Ian Spruce says. "But call back in five years and ask again."
When trying to unlock the Asotasi phenomenon, you must first start with the obvious Polynesian power package. All 184cm and 103kg.
Asotasi sprints 40 metres in 4.9 seconds.
Benches 170kg. "An athlete," says his first Marist Saints coach Anthony Lipscombe, "who took less than 80 minutes to prove he was definitely no winger."
Others such as Errol Alcott, however, go deeper. Having spent 24 years with the Australian cricket team, this Souths staffer talks of a mental toughness to rival Shane Warne and Steve Waugh.
Alcott reminds you that Asotasi never missed a game in 2004. Same in 2005. And when a medial tear sidelined him for three games last season . . . well, this zealot spent almost an entire summer balancing on his injured leg to improve its strength.
He hasn't missed a match since.
"You're impressed by Roy's 80 minutes each week," Alcott says. "But what really sets him apart is everything done on those other six-and-a-half days."
Almost punted from a Canterbury Jersey Flegg team for poor fitness, Asotasi now churns through a weekly routine of weights, nutrition, warms-ups, sprints, ice baths, hydration, stretches, video analysis, warm-downs, even sleep pattern studies.
And it's rubbing off.
When players arrive at Erskineville Oval, Asotasi is already on the exercise bike.
When they leave, he's still practising passes.
And trainer Vince Kelly says the co-captain encourages so loudly from the interchange bench on game day "you can't hear anything else".
"Roy Asotasi is the Rabbitohs revival," club legend Bob McCarthy enthuses. "He arrives and Peter Cusack plays better. Luke Stuart plays better. John Sutton plays better. These guys have been running into brick walls . . . now they're smashing through them."
If finding a weakness in Asotasi is hard, uncovering a scandal or dirty scoop is bloody impossible.
Don't let the shaved head and tattoos fool you. This tyro has never once made headlines for boozing, bashing or boofhead behaviour.
"At Canterbury," one Belmore insider reveals, "he never even farted the wrong way."
Asotasi credits his cleanskin image to the Catholic upbringing of his Samoan parents Koroseta and Pesi. He speaks of modesty. Humility. A footballer so committed to Christ, a tattoo of The Last Supper runs the length of his right forearm.
"I've had mates in the headlines but I try to lay low," the reigning Dally M prop smiles. "My parents have always taught me to . . . well, to make sure you don't love yourself too much."
Away from football, Asotasi is equally low key. He listens to Xzibit, enjoys travelling with girlfriend Celeste and wants Bra Boys John Sutton and Reni Maitua to teach him to surf.
South Sydney, too, continue moving heaven and earth for his happiness. Almost like $2.2 million over five years - raising his salary from $150,000 to around $450,000 - means nought.
When Asotasi needs financial advice, he speaks with Aussie Home Loans boss John Symond. Personally. And his new home in Blakehurst, well, that was organised by real estate supremo John McGrath.
Earlier this year, Asotasi mentioned an interest in commercial real estate. So now he dons a business suit once a week with global firm CBRE.
He will work fulltime at their Botany office in retirement.
"Obviously a few people questioned my decision when I first moved across to Souths," Asotasi concludes. "But they never saw the plan. Never saw how far Russell and Peter Holmes a Court are willing to go to make this club a success."
Until now.
Whatever it takes, mate, we want this kid.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What a champion this bloke has proved to be. Certainly worth every single cent Souths paid him!
