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This week’s guest on Behind The Roar is Wests Tigers Player #94 Keith Galloway. One of the best props to have pulled on a Wests Tigers jersey, Galloway played 173 games for Wests Tigers over 10 seasons after joining the club from Cronulla Sharks in 2006.
A good old-fashioned prop who had a cult following in his heyday, Galloway reflects on the good times and the tough times in his days at the Wests Tigers. Still in great shape, the heavily tattooed big fella explains how he still misses playing the game, but says it helps having a big group of ex-NRL players as current workmates.He talks of the camaraderie of his playing days, his life post football, his brief experiment with an acting career, and his love of Leichhardt Oval.
Galloway enjoyed some really good years in a team which fell narrowly short of the grand final on a couple of occasions, and which regularly pressed for the top-eight.
He also talks about the latter years in his time at the Tigers when things weren’t going so smoothly, so he knows a thing or two about the pressure that mounts during a losing streak.
Offering some sage advice to the current group of Wests Tigers, he says to ignore the outside noise, and keep working hard.“You’ve just got to keep it between these four walls, you just got to work at it together,” said Galloway.“You can't listen to too much outside noise. You start reading all these headlines, all these people on social media hammering you, things like that.“You just got to stick together, keep turning up. I know it's hard. I've been there.But the only way out is to stay positive, keep believing and keep working hard.”Galloway doubled down on those who are relentless with their criticism of the group.“As long as the effort's there, the supporters be proud.
“Some of these media outlets, there's blokes on TV that I don't think they've even played games and they're throwing barbs at the boys and things like that.“They're just like parasites. My advice is to not let them rattle you.“Keep believing and keep working hard.”
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This week’s guest on Behind The Roar is former Dragons’ winger Alex Lobb, who will make his first starting appearance in the NRL on Friday night in Wollongong.
Lobb, a 22-year-old Wollongong local, joined Wests Tigers in the off-season looking for an opportunity.
He was unexpectedly called on to make his NRL debut in the team’s most recent match against the Cowboys in Townsville.
It was an unlikely debut with little fuss or fanfare in the lead up to the game. As Alex explains, it was not how he thought it would happen, but he’s just stoked that it did.
His debut milestone was belatedly celebrated this week at the club, with his family on hand at the Zurich Centre on Tuesday to present Alex with his very first NRL jersey.
They will be there on Friday night too when Alex gets to run out in the starting side for the very first time, against of all sides his former club, and just up the road from home.
We chat to Lobby about his first 12 minutes in first grade, about his pathway to Wests Tigers after switching from soccer to league, and about how he’s enjoyed his first season at Concord despite the daily journey from the Gong.
We also dig a bit deeper into the mindset of a player and how he prepares for a match when named as 18th man.
Alex is living proof that you’ve got prepare as if you’re going to play, and you just never know, 18th man or not, you might even make your NRL debut!
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On this week’s episode of BTR we chat to the man behind the design of our 2024 Indigenous Jersey which will be worn on Friday night against the Cowboys.
It’s a special bitesize edition of BTR where we recognise and celebrate the immense contribution indigenous players – past and present – have made to our game.
Uncle Richard Campbell has very close ties to rugby league and indeed to Wests Tigers. He is from the same Indigenous community as current Tigers half, Jayden Sullivan, who quickly suggested that his Uncle Richard should design the jersey. He is also the cousin of former Balmain Tigers player Paul Davis.
Richard talks about the significance of NRL Indigenous Round, the important role that rugby league plays in helping Indigenous youth, and his sheer delight in being involved with the club he supported as a child.
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This week’s guest is a highly regarded sports administrator who was CEO of Central Coast Mariners for nine years and has previously worked in the NRL at both Penrith Panthers and South Sydney Rabbitohs.
He was recently appointed to the position of GM Community, Foundation and Affiliates and his work will play a huge role in Wests Tigers Strategic Plan.
We talk to Shaun about how his challenging experiences in the A League have shaped his passion for making a true difference in the community, and about the structure and purpose of the soon-to-be-launched Wests Tigers Empower program.
Shaun also tells us about the time he shared a beer with Kenny Sutcliffe – the ‘male model from Mudgee’ – not in Mudgee mind you, but of all places in Saudi Arabia!
All that and more in Episode 51 of Behind The Roar.
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Joining us this week on our 50th episode of Behind the Roar is former Cowboys hooker, now Wests Magpies NSW Cup Coach, Aaron Payne.
Payne joined Wests Tigers in the pre-season, uprooting from Townsville for a sea change in the big smoke, and a fresh challenge.
After playing 219 NRL games across 11 seasons with the Cowboys, this fella has plenty of skin in the game, and can tell a yarn or two as well, like how he made a thousand bucks a minute when making his NRL debut.
We talk about the challenges and opportunities that come with the job as reserve grade coach, when, more often than not, the team changes from week to week.
Payne talks about his own football journey and why the time was right for him to hang up the boots as a 29-year-old and turn his hand to coaching. He also talks about the disappointment of losing the 2005 Grand Final, the No.9s competing with Api Koroisau for a Blues Origin berth, and away from footy, his love of fishing and thoroughbreds.
All that and more on our 50th episode of Behind The Roar.
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On this week’s episode of BTR we learn a lot more about 21-year-old middle forward, Fonua Pole.
We chat about preparations for Saturday’s game against the Bulldogs, how some divine intervention helped him switch from Aussie Rules to Rugby League, and he also tells us about his ‘first true love’.
As debate continues about banning the long kick-off, Fonua says he loves coming off the back fence, and reveals what goes through his mind at that moment just before ‘collision time.
Of Tongan heritage, New Zealand-born, and raised in Melbourne, Fonua also reveals his entrepreneurial side, telling us about his latest clothing label and the inspiration behind its name, ‘live yourz’.
All that and more on episode 49 of Behind The Roar.
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On this week’s episode of Behind the Roar turn back the clock with two of Wests Tigers ‘Originals’ who played in the club’s first season in the NRL, and in the very first match against the Broncos at Campbelltown.
We chat to WT Player #8 Shane Walker – who zooms in from his worksite – and WT Player #15 John Skandalis – who strolls in from his worksite, the corporate sales suite at the Zurich Centre.
Both players reminisce about the good old days, excited about Saturday’s past players get together at Campbelltown, when suddenly informed mid-recording that former teammate, WT Player #4, had passed away.
We talk about Terry - the footballer and the larrikin, we look at a couple of key battles that will take place on Saturday evening, including the match-up between two of the game’s best props, Stefano Utoikamanu and Payne Haas.
We also discuss the move of John Bateman to lock, the impending NRL debut of former Super Rugby star Solomon Alaimalo, and the rising stars involved in junior rep Grand Finals on Saturday at CommBank Stadium.
All that and more on episode 48 of Behind the Roar!
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This week’s guest on BTR is former Panthers, Wests Tigers and NSW prop, Tim Grant.
Much of the chat with Tim is about his role at the Wests Tigers as head of wellbeing, and we take a deeper dive into the link between mental wellbeing and player performance.
He talks openly about his own battles post-retirement, and the struggles of others who failed to cope when all they knew was suddenly taken away. These days he’s helping players in many ways, whether just there as a friend who’ll listen, or helping them form a ‘plan p’ for the transition post-retirement.
He also talks about his penchant for pruning hedges, and his football-loving grandma who was a nurse, who would stich up the wounds of his fathers’ bush-footy teammates, without anaesthetic!
All that and more in episode 47 of Behind the Roar.
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In this week’s episode of Behind the Roar we chat to Wests Tigers very first captain, Darren Senter.
Senter played 226 NRL games in total over 13 seasons. He made his debut with Canterbury Bulldogs in 1992, playing three seasons at Belmore before joining Balmain in 1995, where he played five seasons there.
He played another five seasons at West Tigers but decided to hang up the boots in 2004. Despite missing out on the club’s maiden premiership in 2005, he’s got no regrets about making that tough decision.
Senter was one of the more experienced heads in the side during an era that saw the emergence of future Wests Tigers greats, like Benji Marshall, Robbie Farah and Chris Heighington. He talks fondly of all three men.
A hard-nosed hooker who was fitter than a fiddle, Senter draws some comparisons between the team from the early 2000s and the current squad.
“We had a few really experienced guys like Terry Hill, Jarrod McCracken, Shane Walker and me, and then there was this batch of young guys coming through like Benji and Robbie.”
Ahead of our first home game in Campbelltown this season, Darren recalls the buzz around the place ahead of the team’s very first game at the same venue against the Broncos in 2000. He says it was also at Campbelltown where he played perhaps the best game of his career.
We also chat about life after footy, the importance of staying connected with former teammates, why family matters so much, and the origins of his nickname ‘Hollywood’.
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Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson joins us on this week’s episode of Behind the Roar to talk through some key elements of the club’s new strategic plan, and a whole lot more.
We talk about the importance of increasing Wests Tigers’ focus on the southwest corridor, our plan to be the number one development club in Sydney, and with Leichhardt Oval facing an uncertain future, we discuss the factors shaping the club’s stadia policy over the next few years. We also reflect on Easter Monday’s marvellous win over Parramatta Eels, take look at this weekend’s game against the Dolphins, and we have an expanded segment of Questions from The Crowd. All that and more on episode 45 of BTR.
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In episode 44 of Behind the Roar we chat to veteran half Aidan Sezer ahead of Easter Monday’s match against the Eels.
Aidan has played more than 150 NRL games and made his first starting appearance for Wests Tigers in Saturday night’s glorious win over the Sharks at Leichhardt Oval.
He’s a wonderful character with a great sense of humour who is grateful for the opportunity he’s been given at Wests Tigers after spending four years in England.
Sezer, or ‘salad’ as he’s affectionately known, covers plenty of ground in this 40-minute episode, dishing the dirt on one of his ‘coffee snob’ teammates, and reliving the time in England when he fell victim to Johnny Bateman.
He tells us how he’s loving life at Wests Tigers under the coaching of Benji Marshall, showering praise on Api Koroisau after his ‘masterclass’ last weekend.
Sezer also explains why it’s such a thrill to be playing alongside a rookie five-eighth, what the sheer presence of Justin Olam means to the team, why Bateman is such the good leader he is, and the backstory to Wests Tigers new team song.
You’ll hear about the improvements made against the Sharks following the loss in Canberra, and ‘the basics’ that the team must get right against the Eels on Monday.
All that and more on Behind The Roar.
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In Episode 43, we sit down with Wests Tiger number one Joel Caine. Joel takes us on a journey through his career, sharing insights from his time with the inaugural Wests Tigers team and his transition into the world of media.
But that's not all - we introduce a brand new segment called Turnbuckle Time, proudly brought to you by Pro Wrestling Australia.
All that and much more, on this episode of Behind The Roar
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Wests Tigers assistant coach John Morris is our guest on the first episode of Behind The Roar for the 2024 season. We also welcome to our new sponsor of Wests Tigers official podcast, Pro Wrestling Australia.
Morris covers plenty of ground on this episode of BTR, talking about the rigours of pre-season, about what is needed this weekend in Canberra, and giving specific detail about his role as defensive coach. Morris also talks glowingly about his ‘boss’ Benji, and how well he has brought the crew together. Specifically, he tells BTR how Marshall has empowered his assistant coaches with very clearly defined roles.
All that and a whole lot more on this week’s Behind The Roar.
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In our final episode of Behind The Roar’s pre-season series we chat with rising star and former development player, Josh Feledy.
Josh talks about his hopes and dreams for 2024, his pre-season goals and achievements, and how important it was to him making his NRL debut at the end of last season.
A powerful centre, and one of the shorter players in the team, Feledy explains how dropping a few kilos over summer has made a sizeable difference.
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On Episode 40 of Behind The Roar, we speak to Shane Richardson
Recently appointed CEO Shane Richardson wants to make Wests Tigers the best sporting club in Sydney, outlining here some key changes that will form part of a new business strategy for the club.
He also issues a challenge to Wests Tigers supporters who have not yet 'joined the family' as a member. -
This week we chat to Solomona Faataape, a 23-year-old centre from Brisbane who was a standout in the Queensland Cup last year, helping Brisbane Tigers win their first premiership in more than 30 years. He talks about what it means to be given this opportunity, the benefits of being able to train full time, how he was off the pace when he first joined the club, and how something as simple as a free bottle of Powerade can mean so much.
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This week we chat to Solomone Saukuru, a 19-year-old centre who has played the past few seasons in Wests Tigers pathways teams, and well on the mend after post-season shoulder surgery.
He talks about the challenges he faced when entering pre-season but unable to train with the main squad, his goals and aspirations over the next 12 months and beyond, his father’s influence on him as a person and a player, and how he’s enjoying training alongside the team’s most recent recruit, Justin Olam.
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This week we chat to Tony Sukkar, a local junior and edge forward who has climbed his way through Wests Tigers pathways teams, and is now patiently for that next big opportunity.
Tony talks about his junior footy where he played for three clubs in the Balmain district, the influence his father has had on his young career, the greatest challenges of pre-season training, and why ‘finding his voice’ is a work in progress.
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This week we chat to Kit Laulilii, an exciting young lock who made his NRL debut for Wests Tigers in the final round of the 2023 season against Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles at Brookvale Oval.
Captain of the premiership-winning Wests Magpies Harold Matthews team, Laulilii explains how leadership has been instilled in him from a young age.
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This week on BTR we chat to Alex Lobb, a goal-kicking winger who joined Wests Tigers from the Dragons at the start of pre-season. Still living in Wollongong, Lobb wakes most mornings at 4:30 ahead of his trip to Concord. The early riser talks about his transition to his new club, how playing soccer as a kid has helped his kicking game, his burning desire to make his NRL debut, and a whole lot more.
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