player sightings / experiences

[LESStar58]

Back in 1997 I saw Tawera Nikau at Dreamland (this was after the season)....
Was extremely nice and signed autograph for me....

I used to make coffee for him. Lovely fella.

Petero is a deadset gentleman. How could you say anything bad about a six foot four Fijian with a smile like that. Met him at a fan day during tri nation's in 2006 and I had an old Umbro training shirt on from 1992 and he and Lockyer were asking me about it.

Locky is a gentleman as well. Signed a book for me after the Broncos got flogged by 50 at Olympic Park. He must have felt rotten but he was happy to shake my hand and sign my book and accept my well wishes all while remaining entirely civil.

Andrew Johns was an arsehole when I met him.

 

[LESStar58]

I've seen a lot of Raiders players out, former and present (Vidot, Waddell, Dugan, Thompson, Costigan, Goodwin, T.Carney, Learoyd-Lahrs) to name a few.

Carney was piss drunk when I saw him and in general was acting like a f**king mong. Learoyd-Lahrs is a legend, saw him at a club in Manuka 4-5 years and had decent chat to him.

Best of all was Alan Tongue, saw him at All Bar Nun a few years ago when I was with a few friends, what a f**king champion. Saw that we were Raiders fans so he came over, bought us drinks etc most humble guy ever.

Tongue is a f**king champ. I was having dinner with friends in a pub and the Raiders were down here on their end of season trip. He was at the bar and one of my friends called out "hello mister Tongue! What are you doing here!?" My friends had their gear on and he saw us and came over to chat for about 15 minutes. Lovely, lovely bloke. Poor bugger probably thought he'd come down South and not get recognised but gets spotted by a table full of rugby league nuts. Haha!

 

[Eels Dude]

If you live in the area or frequent where the club is based you'd probably see them out all the time. I often see Eels players out at pubs (They seem to like the Royal Oak or Albion) or having a sandwich at a cafe or just wandering down Church Street Parramatta. Once saw Sam Burgess having breakfast at Potts Point... Had a chat with Matt Parsons who was working security at a pub in Tamworth of all places a few years ago.

 

[butchmcdick]

Ran into kiwi and eels halfback from that 90's stu Galbraith in a strip club in mt isa of all places.

Had a great chat to him and a few beers. He seemed pretty bitter that freeman didn't pick him for the kiwis tour of great Britain. Had a great chat about footy

 

[Doga]

Back in 2000/2001 had a mates birthday. This guy was good friends with Michael Korkkidas who was at the Roosters at the time. Came across as a very nice, very likeable guy.

We all ended up going out to Carmen's in the shire. He was mobbed by footy fans wanting to have a chat. He took it all in his stride.

 

[Red Bear]

I can't get over some of the stories on here. Obviously NRL players don't come to the South Island much so I haven't seen any out in public, except at games. It is very cool hearing about what players are like off the field.

Some of my Uni mates went on a Union tour over to Sydney and trained at WIN Stadium. They saw Matt Cooper walking down the street talking on his mobile. By all accounts he is an absolute tank.

Yeah, Always see Matt Cooper hanging around near the mall, is a tank.

Rod Wishart is a top bloke as well whenever I've seen him.

See quite a few Souths players whenever I go to watch the Bears, Michael Crocker, Sam Burgess in particular always make the effort. Luke Burgess had a smoking hot missus

Ryles and Gasnier came into my old work, shortly after both had signed overseas, work had a deli attached to it called taste of france so I said "Not a surprise to see you guys in here." Gasnier laughed, Ryles was pretty stonefaced.

 

[canberra_raiders2k2]

First story -

Back in 2007, I was down in goulburn for work. I had to head into town and grab some food, as I drive through the main street I see a car coming through a round about but driving in the wrong lane. I avoid the car before following it to the lights. I pull up and go off at the other driver.. He pulls down the window, gives me the bird and takes off. Todd carny at his finest!

Second story -

In 2009, a few mates head into the city. I pick up a girl and so does a mate. We end up catching a taxi to one of there homes. We get inside this house and... Fairly obvious. Anyhow as we are leaving my mate notices a bunch of photos on the wall, we asked one of the girls why they have so many pictures of ******* and one replies thats her partner.

My mate bragged for ages about smashing this girl that was dating a footy player.

He is still playing and doing quite well.


Third story -

Willie Tonga is a dickhead. Tried to pick up my partner at a club, then hid behind some other knob head player when I tried to get him. If anyone has seen him out and about, he is by far the sleaziest bloke you would ever meet.

Fourth story -

I was at a dogs vs dragons game, I got there early with my partner. As I'm outside I help this bloke carry a few things from the car. As I go to walk away he gives me a few tickets. I wasn't even aware it was Ted Goodwin until we sat next to him hahah. Some very interesting stories were told.

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

Brett Hodgson and John Skandalis were/are real cleanskins on the field and genuinely nice people to meet in the street.

 

[bileduct]

I used to do some work for Fox Sports between 2001 and 2004 as a second job on weekends doing support for the system that produces statistics and on screen graphical overlays during live production. For NRL games, which was basically every Raiders home game during that period, I would sit next to the producer in the commentary booth.

During that time I got to work with Gary Freeman, Wally Lewis, Greg Alexander, Laurie Daley as well as Andy Raymond, Mark Braybrook, Warren Smith, Russell Fairfax and John whatshishead. Tony Butterfield popped up occasionally when he was doing business for the Players Association.

Gary Freeman was always a lot of fun and joked around with everyone. I remember one afternoon the reserve grade game was on, the Raiders were in the process of scoring a length of the field try and I could hear Gary in the next room yell out "RUN YOU FAT C..T!!" I walked into the room a moment later and he sees me and says "how did you get up here so quickly?"

Wally Lewis was a real quiet bloke. He was the only one that would write down his commentary beforehand and fully rehearse it before the games.

One year I made a bet with Warren Smith that the Raiders would make the 8 and he said he would host NRL on Fox in the nude if that happened. Russell Fairfax brought it up on the next show. The next Raiders home game the producer pulls me aside and asks me not to bring it up with Warren again and that was the last I heard of it. Raiders did make the 8 that year.

Laurie Daley was a nobhead, and Tony Butterfield was one of the nicest guys you would meet.

 

[DeeJ]

Wally Lewis was a real quiet bloke. He was the only one that would write down his commentary beforehand and fully rehearse it before the games.

How many times did he write down the phrase 'dictate terms'.

 

[bileduct]

How many times did he write down the phrase 'dictate terms'.

Nowhere near as often as Daley's "chanced his arm".

Brett Kenny was another one, now that I remember. He was a bit of a nobhead too and completely ignored everyone around him. One of my mates doing the same role was sent up to Townsville on occasion to do some games where Brett was doing commentary. He said they'd go to the pub and Brett would always disappear when it came to his turn to buy the next round.

 

[natheel]

in 2002 (another story haha)

i had a transplant and got a trip with parra up to brissy to watch the State of Origin and Brissy v parra game, stayed in the same hotel as them, went to training all that. i was a younger kid (16) so i was stoked with this.

of the players i really got to talk to (some are very to themselves while prepping for a game) these were genuinly glad to have me there.

Andrew Ryan
Brett Hodgson
Nathan Cayless (although very quiet)
Nathan Hindmarsh
David Vaealiki
Adam Dykes (introduced me to his wife and kid after the game, really genuine bloke)
Adam Mogg
Brad Drew
David Solomona (sat in the hotel arcade for hours with him and Hindy)
Jason Moodie
Daniel Wagon
Michael Vella (remember him putting techno music on in the bus on the way to their training and he was dancing up the isles haha pretty funny bloke)


ones that kept to themselves

Jamie Lyon - Surly bastard
Ian Hindmarsh
Pat Richards
Andrew Mcfadden

The Hindmarsh bros were the ones who organised the trip with one of their sponsors for me, really nice guys. He visited me in hospital a few times just to see how i was doing. Same with Mick Vella.

I was having intense treatment and check ups so i had to stay at the Ronald McDonald house so i saw them alot and got to know some of them.

I remember walking down to the beach with the players and Jamie Lyon, Nath Hindmarsh, Moodie were walking with me and Lyon asked me who my favourite player was (me being a kid just blurted it out) Brett Hodgson and he seriously took it to heart, got very quiet and separated himself from the group a bit.


on the coach Brian Smith - deadset one of the nicest guys i've met in NRL. went out of his way to make things as comfortable as possible for me.

on the night parra an brissy played i met Gordon Tallis and he made a bet with me that if parra win i got his socks and shorts - parra won and his socks and shorts are still sitting in my wardrobe. Will never forget that week, was a great week and great to see what the teams do in preperation for matches.

Watched the origin with the Parra boys too which was awesome, there is a video in the vault on the footy show site ill try find it and post it.

 

[Parra Pride]

I was at Freddy's last origin game, and sitting in the row behind me was Karmicheal Hunt, he copped shit all game as NSW spanked QLD, but he took it all on the chin.

 

[Big Pete]

One year I made a bet with Warren Smith that the Raiders would make the 8 and he said he would host NRL on Fox in the nude if that happened. Russell Fairfax brought it up on the next show. The next Raiders home game the producer pulls me aside and asks me not to bring it up with Warren again and that was the last I heard of it. Raiders did make the 8 that year.

Was that 2002? Because I remember Smith honouring that bet.

 

[bluesbreaker]

Coming from newie you see players all the time.

My best one was Belting Luke Walsh And his cousin at a swimming pool back in the day... He always thought he was pretty good.

Saw Anthony watmough at splendor in the grass 09ish (the one janes addiction were supposed to play), it was weird because he had played a Friday night game against the knights the night before, yet was getting his techno on at 11am the next day in Byron bay. He was in er 'good spirits', wide eyes, hypo etc... Rude merkin as well.

Been out on the Turps with Paul aiton. First time i met him was at a mates 21st and i was thinking "this midget is dreaming, hes got as much chance of playing first grade as i do!"... He debuted the next weekend and never looked back hehe... Top bloke one of the nicest you're likely to meet.

Good mates with Mick young, slept on his and Riley browns floor after a big fannys session.

Willie mason lived in close vicinity of me, though I had more to do with his brother les. Usually a good bet Willie will be at tronno pub of a chrissie eve, nice guy.

Had an interesting experience in Bathurst a few years back with a bunch of knights players... They sacked the right guy. Played against that dude many years ago when he played for scone (from memory). Dustin Cooper rode a bike down the stairs, anyone who has lived at mtg at csu can tell you how impressive a feat that was.

Used to see aku on the train a lot, never had the balls to say anything, knowing what he's like now I regret that a lot.

Daniel Abraham was a mate of my bros at one stage... Occasionally still see him around at the local.

I'm fairly sure I saw tahu on Saturday hooking past the nursing home at teralba... It was a green s commodore ute with tah83u number plates... He flew past us but my girl is a terrible driver so I don't blame him. Pretty shitty looking ute btw.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

Brett Hodgson and John Skandalis were/are real cleanskins on the field and genuinely nice people to meet in the street.

True. I've chatted with both and both are happy to have a chat and neither have tickets on themsleves.

Ok...

I've chatted with plenty of players, from Ron Coote, Les Johns and Bob O'Reilly to current guys, the strangest was at my **th birthday party in the late 60's. A couple of blokes wander in, mates of my old man. I sort of recognised one but thought nothing of it. My old man took me aside and told me who it was, it was Norm Henderson, the Saints Hooker. He spent an hour or so telling me stories of playing First Grade. Nice bloke, real bushie. RIP Norm.

 

[bluesbreaker]

Worth Clarifying that those dick pictures Willie allegedly did turned out to be a news ltd beat up... The scans are available on the net, and there's no steins to be seen.

 

[Scorpio30]

The Allan Tongue ones on here remind me of a story from a few years ago.
A couple of mates and I (one is king "gift of the gab" and any room he walks into, pub or whatever, he is everyone's best friend in about 5mins), went to Canberra to watch Raiders V Warriors. We are in some members lounge at half time (after said mate had ditched us to sit with John Hart for the first half WTF).
And he gets chatting to a couple and it turns out they are Tongues relatives from interstate and will be having lunch with him the next day. My mate gets a napkin and starts writing on it "Dear ******, sorry you couldn't make it to the game. Allan Tongue". Hands it to them and says its for his flatmate who couldnt come to the game and is a mad Raiders fan. They laugh and say they will give it to Allan.....about a week later my mate said he got an A3 Raiders envelope in the mail and it was a players group photo and AT had written the message and signed it!

After that game we were on the beers with Campese and my mate asked Terry to call his flatmate...."Hi *****, it's Terry Campese from the Canberra Raiders"...."He told me to f**k myself and hung up" my mate redials and Terry has another go and ends up chatting to the bloke.

I hope this reads ok....*written on phone, riding bus*

 

[Scorpio30]

About Septemeber last year (whenever the Rabbitohs came to Brisbane) I was in Roma St Parklands having breakfast with family at a restaurant. The Souths players walk past in their tracksuits for what I guess was a morning stroll from the hotel. They were in two or three groups talking to each other and throwing footballs around...except Isaac Luke who was by himself with headphones that made him look like a midget.
About 5 minutes later they walk back past from the opposite direction and I thought that is strange/quick. After breakfast I was taking my wee boy for a walk and we went down to the well manicured open grassed area where they would have been.
Sign reads: NO BALL GAMES.

 

[DeeJ]

Saw Anthony watmough at splendor in the grass 09ish (the one janes addiction were supposed to play), it was weird because he had played a Friday night game against the knights the night before, yet was getting his techno on at 11am the next day in Byron bay. He was in er 'good spirits', wide eyes, hypo etc... Rude merkin as well.

I've seen him at a festival here in Brisbane oddly enough 1-2 years ago. Also saw him at the after party. He seemed to be looking around wanting people to recognise him. He's pretty short but seemed pretty quiet.

I've also seen Yow Yeh at 2 different festivals, one he was in some private area with some mates and girls were getting him to lift up his shirt. Another time he was maggot, leaning up on a wall and talking into his phone.