Talking that Talk with Bobby Tuttle

It's been a while since I last caught up with Bobby Tuttle (his real name is James, but nobody calls him that around here). We had a good chat about the Country NRC season so far and he shared his excitement about next years Reds season!!

[By the way, don't miss the NRC semi-final this week, Queensland Country are set to play the Western Force on Sunday at 2pm! It'll be at their home field, which is Bond Uni at the Gold Coast and live on Fox Sports.]

Thanks to the Bobby and the team for the shirt, I'll definitely be wearing in at the game on Sunday!

Hi Bobby. It’s been a while since we last caught up for Reds Rugby Rules. A lot’s happened since then!

First of all, congrats to you and the Queensland Country squad on making it to the semi-finals.

Thanks Tom!

What’s been the biggest challenge of this years NRC competition?

The biggest challenge this year… I think having a shorter prep time. We only had a couple of weeks to get going. We’re pretty lucky with the start we had, we were three wins in a row before our first loss against the Force. And I think the teams this year are a lot more competitive. There’s a lot more depth in each side. So that’s made for a lot harder competition each week and it’s also made better viewing for the fans. That’s obviously the goal as well - making it enjoyable for the fans to watch.

What’s been your favourite moment playing for Country this season?

I think probably when we had our first game down in Canberra at the start of the season and it was pretty much a grand final rematch of last year. Playing against the same side at the same stadium, with a strong win against a really good Canberra side - so probably the way we started the season. Also, how well we’ve gelled together and our away trips have been really fun and enjoyable. It’s been good to see the side grow and grow, as players individually and as a squad collectively as well. 

I enjoyed supporting the Reds this year. How do you think the side has grown and are you excited about 2019?

Very, very, very excited. The sides grown massively. There are a few guys that hadn’t played a Super Rugby game at the start of the year that have played 10+ games and it builds confidence individually for the players and it also built confidence as a group.

New coaching staff, new playing kit, back to the Maroon which is exciting! And though I’ve got a holiday coming up, I can’t wait to get back in here in 4-5 weeks and get going again. So yeah, really really excited.

What are your personal goals in 2019?

Yeah, just to continue to develop as a footy player and you know, drive standards around the club here. So I’m really excited to help the whole squad grow. Obviously for myself, I want to continue to play consistent footy and get back to a level where I think I should be as well as be able help some of the younger guys coming through, as well as learn some things off the older guys as well.

How did you end up with the nickname Bobby?

Bobby has been with me since I was about 6. Obviously, for James, which is my real name, a nickname for James is Jim and my uncles used to call me “Jimbob”. From Jimbob, it went to Bob, so either Bob or Bobby. I asked my Dad last year if I could legally change my name to Bob and he said no, even though he doesn’t call me James. So that’s all I get called, but I can’t change it legally.

That’s all people around the club call me. It’s a bit weird when someone calls me James!

Good luck to you and all of the team against the Force this weekend.

Thanks Tom.

You know I’ll be there!

Thank you very much. We’ll look out for you and hopefully we’ll get the win for you!

View this post on Instagram

Great to have one of #QLDCountry’s biggest supporters, @tomhamiltonreds, down at training last night ahead of the boys’ semi-final clash with the Force on Sunday at @bondunirugby. #RedsFamily #RugbyFamily #CountryRoad #QLDCvFOR

A post shared by Queensland Reds (@redsrugby) on Oct 18, 2018 at 3:44pm PDT

Brisbane City (and Brothers) Flanker: Fraser McReight

Right on the heels of Brisbane City's win over Queensland Country, I was able to catch up with Fraser McCreight, an up and coming player who has made a splash City Slickers this year! He is a proud Brothers rugby club player and certainly someone Queensland and Australian rugby fans should keep an eye out for!

This weekend, they're playing away against the NSW Country Eagles, Saturday 3pm, while Queensland Country are playing at home, at Bond Uni at 3pm on Sunday!

I hope all of my readers tune in for some NRC action this week, as it's crunch time for the competition. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy reading my conversation with one of Queensland's rising stars!

Hi Fraser,

First of all, congrats to you and your team for the win over the weekend. I imagine you’re proud of your teams effort?

Thank you. Yeah, 100%. I was in Country actually last year… I got picked for them, but I had surgery in the second or third round, so unfortunately I missed the series. But you know, it was a different feeling, in City, coming over and getting the win. Last week, it was awesome getting the win. I’ve got a lot of good mates from Brothers over in Country, it was good to get one over them. You can’t beat it!

I’ve played ‘how many’ games of football with Michael Wood, or Harry Wilson, you see them in the game and you can rub their head in the dirt and get one over them. It’s great!

What’s your highlight from this years NRC season so far and also, how is it different from club rugby?

Highlight… Um, it’s a bit hard to point out one. I think coming off two tough losses was pretty hard, so I’m gonna say the first win we had, against the Sydney Rays. We played some really good footy. I came off the bench, but I got around 55 minutes and I think I played some of my best footy. And obviously, getting the win over Country was awesome.

The way it changes from club rugby… just the skill level. It’s faster and a lot more physical. You get a lot less smaller chances of say getting a turn-over at the breakdown, so you’ve got to be a bit more clinical in what you do.

Speaking of club rugby, I visited your club Brothers a few weeks back and had an amazing time. How long have you played for Brothers and what’s something great you like about the club?

It’s my second year out of school, so I’ve played 2 years. My because my brother went there and it’s a good family club. One of the best things I like about Brothers is that through out all of the grades, sixth grade down to first grade, Colts four down to Colts, we all wear the exact same jersey, socks and kit. That’s something special. I don’t think there’s any other club in Brisbane that does that - same sponsors aswell. We’re really tight, we can bind together and get great success. We had eight out of nine teams in the grand final.

It’s a great culture down there and it’s improving.

What’s your favourite position to play?

Number seven, open-side flanker. It’s fun. You get to roam around the field and have a bit of freedom and just play some good footy I suppose. It’s tiring though.

For all my readers that are non-rugby-experts... what’s the role of the flanker/number 7 position?

Um, so typically, number 7 is on the open side of a scrum, so they hit the first breakdown. In basic terms, they’re just a work-horse that hit breakdowns and do a lot of a work around the field. So, a lot of carries and just a lot of tackles. They’re the work-horse of the team.

What inspired you to play rugby... and what’s your rugby journey been since then?

I think Mum and Dad, I’ve gotta thank them. I was a bit of a loose cannon when I was younger. I was just crazy and had too much energy, so Mum and Dad put me in rugby union.  I just enjoyed the game too much, I loved it. I just kept playing, because you’ve got to love the game if you want to play it professionally. Obviously the end goal is the Wallabies and Super-Rugby, but I’ve got a way to go there… So I’ve just got to keep improving my game and get stronger.

That’s funny, I was going to ask what your rugby-related goals are from here!

Yeah. So obviously, win the NRC title with the Brisbane City team. Next year, win Brothers Premier grade and make it nine from nine teams in the finals… and make a Super Rugby team and go from there with the Wallabies. So that’s the end goal!

Thanks for your time... good luck against the Sydney Country this weekend!

Thanks mate, I appreciate it. Any time, I’ll take time to answer your questions. I love it - and I love a truely good Reds fan that loves his footy. Keep cheering. We’re gonna fill those stands and get another premiership soon. We need all the support we can get. Up the Reds aye!