Riverside to Reds

Spotlight on: Bulimba Riverside Junior Rugby Club

U-10 player Jacob slots a kick
through the uprights

This week the Reds have a bye and so it made sense to feature a great local club in Brisbane - Riverside Juniors! For all Reds fans, club rugby is the lifeblood of the sport in Queensland, so make sure you’re getting down to your local club as often as you can. Grassroots is what it's all about!

Bulimba Riverside is a Junior club that started in 2004 as an "alternative" to larger clubs in Brisbane. The young people train every Friday night and there was a great atmosphere on the grounds and in the clubroom. There was a BBQ and drinks for sale, catering for the many young families in the greater Peninsula area.

It was good to see all of the juniors training hard, including, for the first time, 3-5 year olds who were running and learning ball-handling skills.

No doubt, there are some future Reds and even future Wallabies in this club, right now!

It was great to meet some of the coaches, the club president Andrew (nice guy!) and of course the great young players themselves. Also, it was great to hear our old mate, the lovely Maddy Maquire sing some tunes for everyone in the clubroom.

You can check out their club website here. New members are always welcome!

Go Riverside !!!!!

Riverside U15s

Reds Rookies Rule - Featuring Feao Fotuaika

This week, the majority of the team is away in South Africa, getting ready to play the Sharks in Durban.

Reds prop Feao Fotuaika, is unfortunately at home injured with a broken wrist. But it did mean that he was free to catch up, in the middle of his morning fitness session!

Feao is one of the great rookies of this years side, who’s already made his mark on the field. And as I’ve found out during the season, he is a real gentleman off the field! Hope you enjoy reading this weeks interview.

Hi Feao,

Nice to meet you. Thanks for taking some time to catch up!

What’s the plan been for the last 2 weeks, with the team being on the road?

The plan’s been to get my recovery going… I broke my thumb against the Brumbies. I’m missing out on 6 weeks of rugby, so that gives me time to focus on fitness and little things I can fix up on my game. A lot of running for the next few weeks. Yeah.

How are you finding being around Ballymore this year?

I’m really happy being here at Ballymore. I grew up in Queensland and the majority of my family are here so that makes it even more special for me to be able to play for the Reds… I’m enjoying everything. The fans, it’s been unreal. I’m enjoying every moment in the Super environment.

You scored a try during your debut against the Highlanders. Can you talk us through that game and what that experience was like?

I still remember everything little that I did in that game. It was an emotional game for me. My first super rugby game… running out with my parents there. My parents hadn’t seen me play since they left Australia and moved back to New Zealand about 5 years ago. So they haven’t really watched me play live [since moving from League]. It was good to run out and see them there! It was really good contact and everything. It was what I expected at the top level and that try was just a bonus. The whole week leading up to it was just unreal.

You’ve had a pretty interesting rugby career so far. Can you tell us about your journey to the Reds?

Journey to the Reds… it’s a long one. I started off playing rugby league in New Zealand and my parents moved us over when I was around 14, to look for a better life here in Australia. Sport was what me and my brothers were after... I was chasing Rugby League until I was around 18. Then I made the switch. Being in the Under-20 training camp was where it all started. I stuck it in from around 20 until now. I thought of hanging up the boots when I was 25, turning 26. I thought it was too late for me to make it, but I just stayed in there, kept putting in the hard work, then luckily enough got the opportunity to come into the NRC and then pre-season training with the Reds. That’s when it all happened. Getting stuck in during pre-season, I lost about 15 kgs. It was a big change for me. I changed what I was eating, the way I was living life and that’s where rugby with the Reds took me.

What do you find the main difference is between playing in the NRC and playing Super Rugby?

Um… I don’t really see much difference. I think Super Rugby is “smarter”, the way it’s played. You’ve got to be always thinking about your role and doing your job, that’s the hardest thing. You’ve got to be 100% accurate with everything.

The style Super Rugby produces is world-class, it’s what people play to watch. NRC is tough physically and it’s close to Super Rugby standards, which is good as well.

Some of my readers are still learning some of the finer details of the game of rugby. In your own words, how would you describe the props role on the field?

I find it a tough position to play, especially with scrumming, with the work-rate around the field, just doing physical hard work, as a forward, the props role is to be the “enforcer” and the “aggressor” of the team.

What’s your favourite thing to do outside of rugby?

I’ve got two kids, one is seven and one is five. I love to hang out with them as much as I can. Me and my partner love to take them out. If I’m not training or anything, I’m hanging out with my kids and my partner. Other than that, hanging out with friends… I also picked up a new hobby lately which is playing PS4. My partner doesn’t really like it (laughs). I’ll have to kick back on that one. But I enjoy playing GTA with my sons.

Thanks Feao for your time, it’s a real pleasure talking to you. I’m cheering you on during your recovery. 

No thank you for giving up your time to have a conversation with me. I’m happy to talk with you anytime Tom.

Shooting the Breeze with Queenland's Shannon Mato

G’day from Sydney! In case you’ve been living under a rock, the Super W final is on today! I’ve travelled down to support. Good luck to all the players!

Kick off time is 4:30pm at the Leichhardt Oval (which is in Western Sydney). Should be a cracker of a game!

Earlier this week, I caught up with Queensland lock, Shannon Mato. I hope you enjoy reading our chat, as much as I enjoyed talking with her. Go Shannon!!!

Hey Shannon, congrats on a great team win in the play-off last weekend.

Thank you!

You played brilliantly. What’s been the teams mindset this week, since that game?

Just to execute well together, to be patient, to work well together, to just relax, but be hungry at the same time, to go in with contention.

What’s been your highlight this year, during the Super W season?

I would say being a part of the whole Super W has been my highlight and just going out and putting on the maroon jersey.

You were chosen to be a part of the Classic Wallaroo’s match a few weeks back. What are some things you learnt from that experience?

It was a really good experience. It was a big eye opener for me, the culture was good. And you can make good friendships by playing rugby. I learnt that culture means a lot, out there in the country (we were playing in a country town). 

How long have you been playing rugby for? And also, what inspired you to play rugby, right at the beginning?

So I started off with Rugby League in school, when I was 13. Then I moved over to Australia [from New Zealand] and my friends asked me to play Sevens, just for fitness, then Sunnybank asked me to play fifteens. Thats how I started playing Rugby Union, in grade 11. What inspired me to play rugby… that was my brother. He always had a passion for it and he just told me to come down to a club. I started playing and I fell in love rugby.

What’s something you love to do when you’re not playing rugby?

I love animals. I have two dogs, Bentley and Zeuss… I love them very much. Other than that, I love to sing. I have sung for school, but I’m normally too shy to sing out there. But in my own time, I love to sing.

All the best this weekend Shannon! I’ll be cheering you on this Sunday, in Sydney.

Thank you! Thank you for having me.

Heart to Heart with Hana

A Conversation with Queensland (and Wallaroos) Prop Hana Ngaha

To close followers of women’s rugby, Hana Ngaha doesn’t need an introduction. A bedrock of the Wallaroos since 2017, Hana has also helped lead the Queensland women’s side to prominence in recent years.

It’s a big week for her State’s team. Fresh off a play-off win against the Brumbies (where she scored a great try!) she and the team are looking forward to playing in the Super W final against New South Wales this Sunday!

Hana talked about where she feels the team is at in the middle of finals week and what her number one personal goal is for the future (hint: it’s got nothing to do with rugby.)

Hey Hana, thanks for taking the time to catch up. Big week for you guys for sure!

No worries!

What’s been the attitude amongst the team, leading up to the final?

Everyone’s been really positive hey. We’ve got a good team culture at the moment… through out the whole campaign actually. Everyone’s real positive and I think that’s really important.

Are you planning to score a try this week, like you did last week?

I think that’s the plan every week. Hopefully, I’ll see what I can do aye! (Laughs)

It was amazing seeing six women score six tries last week down at Ballymore. Congrats on the win by the way.

Thanks!

But looking forward… What do you think it’s going to take to beat New South Wales in Sydney this weekend?

I think it’ll be important for our forwards to be on our top game. They’ve got some really fit, experienced forwards. But I think we’ve got it in our team, obviously with our passion and with our skill set and our attitude. I know we’ve got it this weekend. 

You’ve performed at a high level, having played for the Queensland and the Wallaroo’s for several years now. What are your personal goals looking forward?

I think I’m coming towards the end of my rugby career. I’ve got a couple of kids at home that have just started playing competitive rugby and my daughter’s started playing netball, so I’d love to support them. Over the years, I’ve supported them, but I’d love to support them 100% and go back and hopefully make them good! (Laughs)

What advice do you have for young rugby players, both boys and girls?

I think it’s gotta be: “Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard”. It’s so cliche, but it’s so true.

Awesome. Thanks again for taking time to chat. All the best this weekend! See you in Sydney.

That’s awesome! Thanks for your support.