A Conversation with Queenslands Own Zac Henry

Last week, I had the pleasure of catching up with Queenslands Isaac Henry, or Zac, as he's known around Ballymore. It was our second official catch-up for my blog - you can read my first interview with him here. As we caught up this time, Zac was relaxed, calm and yet focused as he described his rugby journey, as well as how the Reds are tracking through pre-season.

Zac's journey in recent years has been challenging, as he’s had an unlucky run with injuries. It seems clear to me that he’s in a very good space now and has grown mentally stronger while going through a tough rehab journey this year. He shared some lessons that he’s learnt that will hold anyone in good stead that is going through a tough time.

I, for one, will be following his journey and his expected return closely next year!

Hey Zac, thanks heaps for making time to chat!

How do you feel the Reds are travelling at the moment? There seems to be a bit of a buzz amongst the squad, after the Japan trip.

Yeah, always good to chat to you Tommy. (I’ve always got time for your mate, just want to make that clear.) First question, yeah, there is definitely a buzz and the boys are all super excited.

I think last year was a pretty good year in terms of some of our attack and other things and I think we've really grown as a team. We’ve obviously got a young squad still, but I think it's there's a lot of excitement around the boys at the moment.

Yesterday was the first day of pre-season, there’s definitely a buzz.

Pre-season is always exciting! I know the forwards hate it though!

Yeah, they always hate it.

How are you going personally at the moment?

Yeah, going good.

Rehabs, tracking along nicely. I think I'm eight months through my rehab now and probably have a couple more to go. I start running in three weeks, the strengths back up, body's feeling good and the mind’s even better. So I'm pretty excited for some footy around the corner.

That’s good to hear. I want to see you back to your best soon.

I love hearing about peoples rugby journeys. How old were you when you started playing the game? Also, what inspired you to start playing?

Sure, good question. I think I started when I was four, maybe just turning five. Reason for it was my mom was sick of me running around the house. She needed to find an outlet for me to go and run and just get rid of some energy and the closest sporting club to us was rugby union, the Kenmore Bears which was rugby union. We went down when I was four and never looked back. Union wasn't really a sport in our family until I just stumbled across it back then. It was just pure luck that that was the closest sporting club to us.

Can you describe your journey from your junior club to the Reds?

Yeah, I obviously started at the Kenmore Bears, I think I played five or six years there…

and then as I got to high school age, I went to BBC [Brisbane Boys College], played rugby there for GPS from grade 8 to 12, then I graduated in 2016, jumped to UQ [University of Queensland] for a year, which was great and then finally made the switch to Wests. I think Wests was just a really good club for me at the time, it was close to home, really good people. I still love playing there whenever I'm able to.

And then, I went down to Canberra, actually, in 2020, played a little bit at the Tuggeranong Vikings, in development with the Brum[bies]s, just crafting away and then the opportunity came to come back to Brisbane and to the Reds. My mum was a little bit unwell at the time, so I thought that was a great opportunity for me to come back and be closer to home.

And now I’ve been here for the last four years, it's been it's been turbulent, but I love it. I'm super blessed and grateful to do what I do. You know there's ups and downs, but that's kind of life I guess, you know, you've just got to find your way and figure it out Tom.

I saw a video online of you playing 10 for your high school. How did you end up transitioning to center? Do you still prefer that position the most?

Yeah, I played 10, growing up from pretty much when I started, when the positions all started and then I jumped to center in 2018 and it turned out I just really liked the contact and being a little bit wider. I was still able to do a lot of what I was doing at 10, but sort of run a little bit more and be a little bit more involved in the contacts, which I love about the game. So I think that's why I moved.

And then I think the body probably helps, getting a little bit bigger. And I definitely have fun in the centers, I probably prefer it, but I've still got that option. I think it's good just for the skill set, you learn a lot about kicking, passing, running, reading the game, by playing at 10. There's a lot of things you probably wouldn't think about if you're playing in the center as well. I was probably pretty fortunate that I got to play 10, learning that side of the game and then transitioning with all that I'd learned.

What are some things you've learned through your recent rehab journey?

Sure. Mate, I've learned a lot to be honest, it's been a tough period. I'd say it's probably been the toughest period I've been through in my life.

I think the lessons I've learned would be to just take it day by day, not focus too far ahead on the outcome or the results. I think that you can get a little bit frustrated and anxious about what's to come. So I've really tried hard to practice being present and just doing what I can in the moment. That's a big thing for me.

And then also, I think it just brings perspective. I've had a lot of opportunity to reflect on where I am, how I've got here, my family, the people that have supported me and I think I'm probably a lot better with my mental side of things now, with the road I've had. I think everything happens for a reason, so I'm blessed to be in a position I am and I don't take it for granted any day.

There were plenty of periods where I was pretty bit down and out, but I think it takes a lot of courage and a lot of strength to pull yourself out of those moments and learn from it too.

Can you tell us something about yourself that not many people know?

That's a good question… Actually, here you go… 10 pin bowling. Big fan. Love it. I reckon it’s so much fun.

I did a lot of 10 pin bowling parties as a kid and I tried it again, actually, on my recent trip to the US with my fiance and my mum and I loved it. I thought it was the best thing ever. So I'd say that's a little bit of a passion that's been sparking.

I've started a bowling team, got some customized shirts and things.

That's good mate, that’s beautiful.

There you go, no one's heard that before Tom. First time going public with that!

No worries. Thanks for taking time to chat, Zac! I'm sure you'll be back to playing your best rugby soon. I'll be cheering you on all the way.

I appreciate that. Thanks for having me on Tom. Again, always got time for you. So if you you need anything, just let me know, I'll be there.

Wallabies Hub Scoop: A Conversation with Halfback Tate McDermott

The second interview I got to do during the Wallabies hub was with one of my favourite players, Queensland co-captain, Tate McDermott. I had an awesome conversation about what the 2 day Wallabies hub had been like, it’s like working with Joe Schmitt. I also asked him some questions about the Reds super rugby season.

Every time I catch up with Tate, I get 1,000 reasons why Queensland rugby and yes, Australian rugby, is in good hands.

First of all, congratulations on recently becoming engaged!

Thank you very much! It worked out awesome, while Lucy and I were down in Tasmania, I popped the question and luckily enough, she said yes! 

How cool has it been, having the Wallabies hub up here at Ballymore?

Yeah, having the Wallabies hub down at Ballymore has been unreal. Obviously, we [the Reds] trained here the whole year so to have the Wallabies coming here and use our facilities, you know, it feels like another great step in the journey for us and to be at home makes it all the better. So slowly building, we haven’t gotten the results we wanted this year as a as the Wallabies, but we've done it a little bit differently this year where we haven't been in camp as such down at the Gold Coast or Sanctuary Cove where we usually are. We've split it up so we've had more time with our families… we did pre-season with the Reds last week and then trained first time with the Wallabies coaches Thursday and then today. So it's been really good.

What are some of the key things you've been working on with the wider squad?   

Well, the first week after the last Bledisloe, I just had a week off fully, just to get away from footy, reenergise and freshen up. That was kind of just a mental break that I thought I needed. But for me personally, I'm just working on my fitness. We did a 1.2 Test today, I thought I did all right. So I've been working on that and then just my skills. I want to get better at my passing and my kicking so that hopefully I can start to work my way back into that 9 jersey for the Wallabies.

What’s Joe like to work with?

Yeah, he's awesome. He's very different to a lot of the other coaches.  Him and Les have have worked together in the past, they've got similar mannerisms, but they see the game a little bit differently.  But I've enjoyed Joe's coaching.

He's huge on the fundamentals around your ball carry, your ball place and your general skill set and I think if we stay on his course, we're going to get a lot better. We've just got to be a little bit more consistent and the only way you can get the consistency of of your fundamentals is if you work really hard in these these blocks where there’s not games, because it's hard to grind away on your craft in a game week. So time off like this is is incredibly valuable. 

I’d love to talk about this years Super Rugby season, while I’ve got you.

It’s been a cracking year for the Reds. How do you feel the team has improved in 2024?

Yeah, I feel like we've just evolved, to be honest. We always had probably the right ingredients. We just could never put it all together on the day and sometimes we could and then the next week we couldn't.  And there was a couple of times we did that this year, but overall I thought we were a hell of a lot better.  The forwards improvement was was out of this world. The amount of rolling mall tries they scored, for example, three against Wales, it's incredible to see how those forwards coaches, Fish and Zane Hilton n particular, how much improvement they got out of the boys, because it was a relatively similar squad with the inclusion of guys like Guppy and also the big man Jeff. Yeah, so their experience around a younger group of forwards was invaluable for us. And yeah, it was awesome to have them with us. But yeah, I think the way that the backs stood up, guys like HMP and Tom Lynagh, they steered the boys around well. Hunter and Flooky had great seasons, Jock at the back was always solid.

And then also guys like Kalani [Thomas] and Louis [Werchon], to see them playing and playing well, particularly against the Kiwi sides, when I got red-carded, they were fantastic. So yeah, it's just great to see that in Queensland. We're a really healthy squad. We've got great depth and we've also got great coaches and are building to get better every day.

That does link to my next question, which was who's a young player that you want to shout out who are coming through and working hard this season?

I might lock in two. I reckon John Bryant's been brilliant and he's he's been rewarded with selection in this hub. Whether he comes on the Wallaby Spring Tour or he does the Reds Japanese games and then goes to play in the Aus A fixtures, I think it'll be a great reward for him because he's been putting his hand up week in, week out. He had a couple games off the bench, a couple of starts and he was solid as for us. So it's great to see him playing some footy and playing well too.

Catching up with Tate, circa 2019

And also his good mate, HMP [Harry McL-Phillips]. Two Souths boys and Harry played a little bit at the start and then had to go over and play all Aus 20s and then didn't play a hell of a lot when he came back.  But he's been rewarded in this camp as well and and he's been training really well. So I wouldn't be surprised if we see him in some sort of gold jersey as well, which is great to see. Those two young fellows are going to be, you know, corners of our future really.

What was your personal highlight of the Reds 2024 season?

Personal highlight… I reckon it was beating the Chiefs at Suncorp. That was brilliant. Particularly when the week before, we lost a couple of key players. We lost Jordy, he got knocked out cold, Hunter got injured, so we had guys stepping in.  But yeah, the way the team played, the way they defended at the end, yeah, that's why I love the Reds, that's why I love Queensland. It was awesome to see the home fans get a taste of that. If I played in that Crusaders game, I'd probably say that'd be close to rolling it. But I watched on the sidelines. I'd say that was one of the team highlights, that Crusaders game.

What’s the number one piece of advice you would have for young rugby players that are hoping to some day play rugby professionally, both boys and girls?

I reckon just be really clear on what you want to achieve. You know, if you have that goal at the top, whether it be Wallabies or Reds, you've just got to work out exactly what you want to be good at, what your point of difference is going to be and then how you're going to get good at those things. I think obviously you've got to probably sacrifice things here and there, it's a lot of hard work, but it's worth it for the reward you get at the end. So I think I think that would be my thing. Enjoy your footy and and work hard. 

Thanks, Tate for making time. I know it's been a very busy week.

No worries at all, thanks for having me. Legend.

The Reds Kick-off for an official capped game against the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights in Kumagaya, on November 4. Tate and the Wallabies kick-off their spring tour of Europe soon after that on Novemeber 10th in London!

Living it up in Queensland: A Cool Conversation with Reds Winger Lachie Anderson

Several weeks back, after a tough training session at Ballymore, I met one of the new members of our team. I knew it was Lachie who’d recently come from the Rebels. I was super keen to organise an interview and welcome him to Brisbane!

Last week was a busier week at Ballymore than most. Players had travelled from around Australia to join Joe Schmidt and his coaching staff for what was termed the “Wallabies Hub”! Lachie Anderson was a part of the two day event, but still made time to catch up with me on Thursday. I hope you enjoy reading our chat….

Hey Lachie, I know you’ve been here a few months, but still I want to say welcome to Queensland! What are you loving most about being here? I know training just got a little bit hotter.

Thank you! Yeah, probably the sun. The weather up north is obviously a lot warmer. So it's good to good to get up here and get a bit more to the beach in the warmer climate… I missed that the last few years. A bit of vitamin D is good - and trying to work on the tan a bit (laughs).

What are you loving most about being around the crew here at Ballymore?

It's just a really good energy with the group at the moment. Like obviously we've got, you know, world class facilities. You've got a group of boys that have been together now for a couple of years, I think there's a strong culture in the locker room and there's a real good buzz about the place at the moment. I think the direction that rugby is going in Queensland is good at the moment. So I’m stoked to be a part of that and hopefully I can contribute both on and off the field into that kind of rugby landscape.

You’ve been training with the Wallabies at their “hub” at Ballymore this week. I was just watching you on field with some of the squad just earlier today. How has the experience been? 

Yeah, it's been awesome. You know, I think the more exposure you get to the programme and what they're doing up top, you give yourself the best chance to grow and get better, especially this time of year when you're not necessarily playing as many games, you know, it's awesome to test yourself in a different environment with different players. It's been a big couple days, but they're really enjoying it and I’m lucky to be doing it again here in Queensland at our new home. That's also been awesome.

So it’s starting to feel a little bit like home?

Yeah, it’s starting to feel like home now - we’ve moved into a house now - that definitely makes a big difference… when you're in your own place you can go back to, you're not living out of a suitcase and that sort of thing… I think that makes it a bit more homey and stuff. So that's made a big difference.

I’m glad you feel at home now. Who would you shout out from the Reds that’s been training hard in the lead up to the Japan tour?

Oooh, a shout out... I'll go big Ryan Smith.

He's just had his little one and he's functioning on about two hours sleep and training the house down. You wouldn't know that he's a new dad and barely sleeping. He’s been bringing the energy, so I'll give him a big dad shout out!

I love hearing about peoples rugby journeys. How old were you when you started playing?

I played my first game when I was four years old, I played in my brother's team, my dad was the coach in Sydney… I played in under sixes and then I've played every year since that.

I grew up in Sydney, played rugby all through school and then fortunately enough as a 17 year old I think, maybe 18, I got picked up with the rugby sevens guys and did a couple years travelling around with them. I loved my time there and travelled to some pretty cool parts of the world. And, you know, the Commonwealth games and the Olympic Games is pretty special and I transitioned from there to down to Melbourne. And again, I just loved my time down there and, you know, another different part of the world, another city and now my journey's taken me up here. So it's been good to kind of bounce up and down the coastline a bit and experience different cities. 

It's been a crazy journey up to this point, but I probably wouldn't change a thing. It's been awesome.

What was your favourite part of the experience of representing Australia at the Olympics in 2021?

Probably being in the village with all the different athletes from other sports, exchanging stories and hearing about how they go about their training, what they do and what excites them. Being part of that kind of “team Australia” and being in a different environment as opposed to just the rugby training room. That was pretty cool.

What do you love most about playing Rugby Sevens?

Probably the travel I got to do as a young fella. I went to a lot of parts of the world that I probably wouldn't have had a chance to go to otherwise. I managed to sneak in an Oktoberfest over there once as a cool work trip, yeah, I was eighteen, nineteen, travelling around the world playing rugby with my mates and I was just loving it. So hands down that was easily the highlight.

What did you love most about your Sevens experience, on the field?

Probably the Hong Kong tournament, that was wild. The atmosphere over there - it was probably the loudest stadium we've ever played in! They go crazy and that was awesome to be a part of. It’s a pretty prestigious tournament, so to be able to tick that off was unreal. 

Yes, I have watched a few of them! What do you love about the fifteen man game, that made you want to focus solely on it?

Probably just that it was the game I grew up playing, so I fell in love with it. And I definitely had aspirations to try and play for the Wallabies one day. And I still have goals in that code that I wanted to to achieve and I always knew that eventually I wanted to come back and try and do those things. So I think that was a a big ticket for me, trying to try to get back into Fifteens.

Final question: what’s your favourite post-game meal?

Post game meal… maybe a couple of cold beers after a win. They always go down pretty nice. I’ll have to change over to a Four X now, so I guess a Four X Gold now I'm up here!

Thanks Lachie for taking time to chat, especially in the middle of a busy training week!!!

No dramas at all. Good to finally sit down with you and have a have a good catch up.  Appreciate it!

Becoming a Queenslander: A Conversation with Jeff Toomaga-Allen

Super Rugby may be in “off-season” at the moment, but that doesn’t mean the Reds boys are not training hard! (Some, of course, are going all in with the Wallabies, many are also ripping in and giving back to their local club in Brisbane.)

This week, right after a tough training session at Ballymore, I had the awesome opportunity to catch up with Reds Prop Jeff Tomaga-Allen. Jeff has been a powerhouse for the Reds forward pack ever since he arrived in Queensland at the start of this year. In 2024, he’s definitely left his mark in the Ballymore community on and off the rugby field.

We chatted about the advice he would give up-and coming rugby players, his own rugby journey and I got to ask him a few fun questions aswell!

I hope you enjoy reading our conversation!

What do you love the most about living here in Queensland?

Sharing a laugh with Jeff, earlier in the season.

I love the weather! It’s very appealing. And it’s good to have some banter with Queenslanders, especially when it comes to State of Origin, because I’m a New South Wales fan. That's League, so you know, that’s separate! But in terms of Queensland, I love it. There's a lot to do here. It's awesome, it’s a fantastic place to live.

What do you enjoy most, being based here at Ballymore, day to day?

The facilities, they're awesome. But getting to just come to work with a whole bunch of friends, that’s the best thing really.

We’ve got a good boss - and the whole management is really good. It's a great organisation, because the leadership is good from the top down. So it's a very comfortable environment to work.

How did your rugby journey start and what got you here to the Reds?

I started when I was six or seven and I just signed up to a local club down in Porirua, in Wellington, New Zealand.

And then, as I grew up, like everyone that grows up in New Zealand, I wanted to be an All Black, so by the time I was eight, I told my dad that's what I wanted to do. And then I made that dream come true later in life, which was cool. Then Kissy, the coach here, (Les Kiss) he gave me a call when I was overseas. I was playing at Ulster in Belfast.

Then Kissy gave me a call when I was off contract and asked if I wanted to come to Queensland. And then he got my wife on the call as well, then she shed a tear, and as soon as that happened, I knew I was coming to Queensland. It was because of the feeling it gave my wife, a sense of comfort and welcoming into, you know, something new… and a new challenge and what they were building here. So it was exciting because Kissy had seen me play against him in the Premiership when I was playing at the Wasps and he was with London Irish.

Also, the way he asked me to come, it was more so for the off field than the on field stuff. So more to create culture and bring experience, which I was excited about. And it was a new thing, because in the teams that I had been a part of, the culture was, not so much “set”, but the average age was 29-30. Whereas now, the average age here is 22-23. So I get to lead in a different sense and be that older kind of role model and literally bring my experience to the team.

What's been the highlight of your career so far?

Oh, wow. A few highlights! I know I have what people would call accolades, won a super rugby championship, debuted for the All Blacks, I've played for the Manu Samoa… but it's cheesy - actually it's not cheesy, but it's very sentimental... There are two highlights in my career so far, one was the day that my son realised I was an actual professional rugby player. And he was chuffed, because all his friends are like, “oh, your dad plays for Ulster” [in Ireland]. And then he came to the game and he asked me for my signature. That was big man, a very big moment for me. And then this year, actually running out with my son at Suncorp Stadium, every home game. Those are the two highlights so far, in my career.

What are some of your remaining personal goals, both inside and outside of rugby?

Personal goals… Oh, man, we can talk about a lot of things. I think, personally, both in rugby and out of rugby, is I just want to make an impact and influence in someone's life positively. And when I leave them, I want them to feel better about themselves and that there's hope in whatever situation that they have, whether that's in rugby chasing their dreams and goals, or in life, chasing whatever. And in rugby goals, I want to win a Super Rugby title with the Reds. That's my goal.

Yep, that’s my goal too! My next question is, what's your favourite post game meal?

Anything that's fatty [laughs]. Nah, I don’t really have a favourite. I do like, I love hot chips, and… you can't beat nuggets. McDonald's nuggets with sweet and sour sauce. No other sauce, just sweet and sour… and even chuck a burger in there, but nuggets and chips, that's the go-to.

Who in the team would you spotlight as someone that's been training hard during the off-season?

Ah… Alex Hodgeman… he sets a standard. Guppy is definitely one of the older boys leading from the front. And then with the younger boys… Ah, I’d say Massimo De Lutiis. He's really focused and locked in, really trying to make changes in his game, which is cool to see, even though it's off-season and you can easily cruise. I think there’s a real importance in this little time off at the moment.

Is it true that you earned the name Boggsy during a team trip this year?

[Laughs] Yes, it’s true. It’s a double up, because my room-mate is Boggsy, too. Josh Nasser, all right, but yes, definitely true. That happened. It was that bad that we changed rooms. We got to upgrade room, so maybe it was tactical.

With Jeff at Ballymore, the spiritual home of rugby in QLD

The Reds have had two cracker international games this year since the Super season ended. You faced off against Wales at Suncorp, before traveling to face Tonga. What was the highlight from those games?

Definitely scoring more tries against an international team. Oh yeah, and stopping their mauls! It was cool to see that a club team can do that, so that was a highlight.

And Tonga… I think just playing in the islands was awesome. Just for the culture and for the nation, it’s a small nation… So getting to play there and have the exposure over there for the game was good.

What's the number one piece of advice you would give to players that want to play at a higher level?

For young players, the shortest answer I can give is, nothing comes from nothing. So do something. Because there's no easy fix, there's no quick fix to success.

If there's any hard work, really hard work, dedication and not worrying about other people's opinions of you, staying true to your values and your upbringing and who you are as a person.

Thanks Jeff for taking time out today. Tell all the boys. I said, keep training hard during the off season.

Balance - have a break as well aye!

Reds Star in 2024 Wallabies Squad

In the eyes of some, Rugby has had a rough few years.

For me however, as a fan, I’ve been locked in for the whole of 2024…. and have loved every minute of it!

Of course, that includes Queenslands Super Rugby season, right through to the recent 3 game Wallabies series AND the electric international matches the Reds played against Wales and Tonga!

“The Rugby Championship” is coming up, kicking off at “the Fortress” Suncorp Stadium, against the world champion Springboks. I can’t wait and I hope I see you there in the crowd with me!

I thought I’d continue the tradition of highlighting the Reds players that have made it into the Green and Gold squad in 2024, including some well deserving debutants! I can see plenty of signs of hope for the future of the Wallabies. Especially if Joe Schmidt continues to pick a lot of Reds players. :-)

First up, I have to start with a leader of leaders amongst the Reds……

Liam Wright

Liam was appointed as the 89th Wallabies captain for their first win against the Wallabies. That’s right… At the same time that he  burst his way back into the side for the first time in over four years, Joe Schmidt acknowledged his leadership ability and appropriately picked him to lead the side. Liam rose to the challenge and his squad delivered. (Unfortunately, he was then set-back by a shoulder injury. Hopefully he’ll be back very soon and I wish him a speedy recovery!)

You can read my 2021 interview with him here and my 2019 chat with him here.

Hunter Paisami

I am really glad Hunter has made his way back into the squad. I think he’s had an amazing Super Rugby season this year and can’t wait to see what he does with the Wallabies!

Fraser McCreight

After a fantastic Super Rugby season, Fraser has continued his amazing form for the Wallabies against Wales and Georgia. Unfortunately he will be out for some time after getting surgery fixing up a thumb injury. I’m wishing him a speedy recovery. I’d love to see him back to full health and playing again soon!

Also, a huge congrats to Fraser for earning the Stan Pilecki medal. (You can catch my 2018 chat with him here.)

With Fraser and Harry at Brothers Rugby
Club back in 2019

Harry Wilson

I was really stoked when Harry made it back into the Wallabies this year. He's been proving his worth all year, especially when he starred in the Wallabies match against Georgia. I'm sure there's plenty of good footy left in him as we look to the Rugby Championship. Check out my 2019 interview with him here.

Tate McDermitt

Tate is a fan-favourite among many Queenslanders and Australian rugby supporters. I can’t wait to see what he does for the remainder of the year! He’s my pick for the starting #9 jersey. And I think I’m putting my bias aside!

Tate has always been very passionate for the jerseys he represents. Check out one of my early interviews with him here:

Angus Blythe

To put it bluntly, Reds lock Angus Blythe has earned his spot. He debuted off the bench during the first Wales test and started against Georgia! Check out my interview with Angus here.

Alex Hodgeman

Alex made his Wallabies debut against Georgia! It was well-deserved, I loved the way Alex played for Queensland this year, dominating the front-row. He’s one of those rare players that can say he’s played for the All-Blacks as well… But I’m glad to say the past is the past. Check out my conversation with Hodgey from earlier this year.

Tom Lynagh

Tom has come into his own and matured very quickly during his time in Queensland. Since our official interview in 2022, he’s begun to secure the Reds number 10 jersey. I’m stoked he’s now made his Wallabies debut and can’t wait to see what the future holds for him in Green and Gold. You can read my interview with Tom here!

Zane "Baby Thor" Nonngorr

I caught up with Zane back in 2021 during his debut season with the Reds. At the time, he had been nicknamed "Baby Thor" (based on Taniela Tupou's "Tonga Thor" nickname) and was finding it quite funny and entertaining. Since then, he's come into his own and made his Wallabies debut last year, earning 4 caps! While Taniela isn't with the Reds right now, it's pretty special that he and Zane are both a part of the Wallabies camp ahead of the Rugby Championship. Of course, I'm wishing them all the best in this competition and beyond!

Ryan Smith

Ryan thoroughly deserved his Wallabies call-up after an awesome season with the Reds this year. The best is yet to come for Ryan “Socks Up” Smith! Check out my previous chats with Ryan here (2023) and here (2023).

Seru Uru

Seru has been in discussions among rugby fans for some time, about being ready to play in the green and gold jersey.

When I chatted with Seru in 2022, I asked him what his goals were - he said his rugby goal was to don the Wallabies jersey. Seru has been a part of the wider squad several times and I can't wait to see him finally make his debut.

Josh Flook

Josh was regularly put forward as the Reds player “most likely to debut in Green and Gold”. I was happy to see him not just debut, but play extremely well against Wales!

Check out my interview with him from earlier this year.

Matt Faessler

Matt rightfully rose to first pick among Australians hookers last year. He’s continued his fine form this year - and even took on a new challenge by co-hosting the “Socks Up” podcast this year alongside Ryan. They released a new episode the week of every home game, and I think they both did a fine job! (Matt is on my “to interview” list…)

Josh Nasser

Josh has risen through the ranks of the Reds since signing ahead of the 2020 season. He is also on my “to interview” list!

Filipo Daugunu

Special mention to this guy, who has recently resigned with the Reds. The flying Fijian has found great form this year and I can’t wait to see more barn-storming runs from him in Green and Gold! Check out my 2018 interview with him (and with my old mate Samu) here.

Off-Set with Front-rower Sef Fa'agase!

This week I had the privilege of catching up once again with Reds front-rower Sef Fa'agase.

The first time I interviewed Sef for Reds Rugby Rules was back in 2017, which was the day that I was featured on Fox Sports "Kick and Chase"! You can read that interview here and check out my appearance on Kick and Chase here.

Rugby has taken Sef around the world and back since then. I loved catching up and hearing what he learnt while playing overseas. I hope you enjoy reading our conversation too!

Hi Sef, thanks for taking time to chat! Last time we caught up (officially), we had a few camera’s around. (A good memory!) Since then, a lot has happened! You were with the Reds from 2015-2018 and then you went overseas. What are some of your coolest memories from playing abroad?

I think the last time we met was 2016… 2017 for the last official one. Yeah, a lot has happened since then. I guess the coolest experiences were getting to live in another country and experience another lifestyle. I loved my time over in Japan, I grew a fondness for the Japanese people. It's hectic, the lifestyle over there. I guess it's an organised chaos.

Sef with Chris Hemsworth
[via his Instagram]

That was my experience of Japan, when I visited in 2018! That was on the way to watch the Reds play in Tokyo.

I remember! I think on the way over there, we had a cool experience when we actually saw Chris Hemsworth in the lounge on the way over to Japan. That was a cool experience.

In terms of footy, I really loved my time in New Zealand. Just the way they look and approach rugby as a whole is pretty awesome. And it's something that's stuck with me. I've tried to bring that back and try to implement myself as a rugby player.

The best experience coming out of being in New Zealand was meeting my partner and now we've been together for five years. We've got a little one. So all my Christmas’s I still have to spend in New Zealand (laughs.)

What was your experience like in the USA?

Yeah. It's still in its infancy, I guess, in terms of rugby, but I mean, getting to travel and play in those major cities is pretty awesome. Like going to LA… I’d never been to America before. That was quite an experience. 

I was playing in Boston. So I got to a few basketball games. I got to see Tom Brady play, that was his homecoming game against the Patriots when he was at the Bucks. So that was awesome, just a cool experience all around.

What did you miss most about home while you were away? 

Well, before I left, I took for granted that working and living in your home is such a blessing. The fact that you can go to work and then come home and still see your family, I think that's probably the biggest one for me. I couldn’t just jump in the car and drive to my parents or my dad's house or see my brothers. That was probably the the toughest thing that I missed the most. 

You landed back in Brisbane towards the end of the 2022 season. I was really glad to see you back with the Reds. What are some things that you noticed had changed around here?

I guess for starters, I was coming in as an older person, an older player. So I had to try and set a good example, which was really unique to me.

At the same time, the work ethic that the players had developed while I was away was unbelievable to see, just how different it was. Yeah, that's probably the biggest thing.

I have to congratulate you on 50 caps by the way! You played your 50th game up in Townsville last year.

Yeah, it was a pretty proud moment for me Tom. I'd left in 2018, kind of stuck on, I think, 46 caps or something and it was something I always wanted to, I always wanted to play 50 games for Queensland. I wasn't too sure if I’d get there, so it was a big moment for me - minus the result. Like we went up to Townsville and got hammered. But I think just being able to represent Queensland first and foremost 50 times and being able to represent my family and my friends was huge for me. 

I'm sure you're loving the new facility around here that was completed at the end of last year?

Yeah, well, you remember the last time we were here? I think we were down there, and it was a very different place. I don't think a lot of the the boys here remember the old place and know how good we have it here. So I'm really appreciative. I remember my time in New Zealand. Uh, we didn't have sheds and we didn't have a changing room, so we were getting changed in the meeting room. So it's pretty awesome to have your own locker, which is something we take for granted.

What's your favourite thing about playing at Suncorp?

I guess it goes back to my point about me missing home and my family and friends and getting to play in front of my friends, family and familiar faces is probably my favourite memory. It's the cauldron, right?!

Yeah, I'm the same as you. My seat hasn't changed since before I first met you guys.

Yeah, that's awesome.

What are your personal goals now either inside or outside of rugby?

In terms of rugby, I guess it's just trying to perform, I’m not trying to be perfect, but just always trying to give my best and give everything. 

As long as I'm putting my hand up and then, I guess outside of footy it would be creating a happy home for my family. Probably my biggest “work on” every day is making sure I'm not taking rugby home and just being a dad.

What's your favourite post-game meal these days?

Oh. This is a naughty one, I've been going straight to McDonald's after games. I can tell you my order. 

Okay… It's a large double Filet-O-Fish meal with an orange Fanta and then a double McChicken. And then if I'm feeling extra naughty, ten nuggets as well. Depends on how many minutes I play Tom. (Laughs.)

How are we going to beat the Blues this weekend?

I think we got to try and match them in the forwards. That’s what we've spoken about this week, so just trying to contain them and I guess winning our first three phases is going to be massive. That’ll go a long way to getting a victory.

And then of course, our fans bringing us home. You don't really hear much on the field, but when you hear hearing the “We are Reds” call, you can really hear that. Okay, Tom - so you start that this weekend, you get that going this weekend, then we'll get a result.

Well, thanks for taking time for interview number 2. Glad it's a bit more low key this time. All the best this weekend. I'll definitely be there cheering everyone on!

Thank you for taking your time out today and coming to see me also. I really appreciate it. It’s always good to see a familiar face and an old friend.

The Reds take on the Blues at Suncorp Stadium this Saturday (27th April), kick off is at 7:35pm! I will see you there!