The Fittler Files '12

By Ian Heads and Brad Fittler

A true insider's look at the 2012 rugby league season from hugely popular former player Brad Fittler, featuring all the action from on and off the field and complete with trademark Fittler insights and humour. Includes over 100 photographs.
'I love the way Freddy loves Rugby League. Look we all know that he sees the world a little differently and when it comes to talking footy that's a good thing!' Andrew Johns Following on from the success of tHE FIttLER FILES comes tHE FIttLER FILES 2, a review of the 2012 rugby league season from round one through to the grand final, covering all the big events both on and off the field. Not simply a rehash of the regular, NRL-sanctioned press conferences and news, this is a genuine inside look at rugby league from a trusted and well-connected team. Written with Brad's brand of honesty and humour, and including over 100 photographs, tHE FIttLER FILES 2 is the perfect gift for the footy fan this Christmas.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
• Release date: Dec 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781743097601

Ian Heads

Ian Heads has covered Australian sport for 45 years as a sportswriter for newspapers and magazines, and since 1988 has been author or co-author of 38 books. He is a league specialist and is supremely qualified to assist Brad with this project.

Book preview

The Game that Never Sleeps

When a footy season ends you are generally sucking in the big ones after a season of highs, lows and those weird in-between feelings. The first thing I try to do is get away with the family. For them, it’s a kind of retribution meted out for sacrificing me to the game I love for the best part of seven months.

So, at the end of 2011 I packed up the family (well, my wife, Marie, did most of the packing) and headed to Queenstown, New Zealand, for a skiing holiday. The idea was to push rugby league to the back of my mind, even for just a week. Since turning from footy player to footy tragic I don’t love off-seasons and spend most of the time conjuring up images of that first kick of a Steeden in March.

The rugby league gods had other plans, though. No sooner had the last page been inked for the first edition of The Fittler Files, than the biggest rugby league story of 2011 broke. The headlines splashed across the back pages of the newspapers said it all: ‘Bulldogs Sign Des Hasler for 2013’. Big, huh?

But that was just the beginning! As if Hasler signing with a rival club just days after winning a premiership with Manly wasn’t enough to have sports journalists salivating (as they say in the greats), the plot thickened.

When the deal was first announced it had been understood that Des would guide the Sea Eagles through 2012 before moving to Belmore for 2013. But that wasn’t how things played out. A month after the news of Hasler’s defection, Manly decided the relationship with the bloke who had guided their club to two premierships during his tenure was no longer tenable. Rumours had been circulating that, during the previous four weeks, Hasler had begun recruiting players and staff to join him when he made the move over the bridge and down the M5. So Manly sacked the coach with the golden locks and immediately installed his deputy, Geoff Toovey, as head coach.

Canterbury-Bankstown chief executive Todd Greenberg needed no invitation and, within days, Des Hasler had been handed the keys to Belmore Sports Ground to begin pre-season training for 2012.

As time passes we’ll no doubt learn more about what happened in the hallways of Manly Leagues Club that led to this coaching conundrum.

Across town in Redfern, the South Sydney club was all aflutter thanks to the arrival of new coach Michael Maguire. A former assistant to Craig Bellamy at the Melbourne Storm, ‘Madge’ had enjoyed immediate success in his first season as head coach guiding the Wigan Warriors to their first Super League title in ten years. He’s known for his tough approach, which is just what the Rabbitohs needed, but what was most exciting for the red and green faithful was his close relationship with Greg Inglis. GI is a great player, but not even the great Craig Bellamy has managed to get the most out of this man every week. Maguire could just be the bloke to do it.

When I caught up with big British Bunny Sam Burgess, who shares the same local café as me, I got a sense that the Pride of the League was firing up for something special this season.

I spent some time down at Roosters’ training and, if I’m honest, I didn’t get the same feeling. With the club parting ways with the troubled Todd Carney, the Chooks lacked that swagger, the kind of confidence you get from cocky playmakers who make the whole team believe they can beat anyone on their day. I do love the club, but feared the worst for the boys from Bondi in season 2012.

As I have done for the last two seasons, I was a part of Wayne Bennett’s coaching staff for the Annual Allstars match on the Gold Coast. The promotion these players have to do is pretty intense, and while I understand how good it is for the game, I get the sense that it takes its toll, especially given that, back at their clubs, these players are getting flogged on the training paddock. For the most part, though, it’s a great week. Fans get the best players in the world on the field at the same time, all the while celebrating the game’s wonderful bond with the Indigenous people of this land. The event may soon need a facelift, though, as the buzz on the Gold Coast has waned considerably year by year. The inaugural clash was a blockbuster, but the following year the buzz became a hum. This one was more of a whisper, no doubt due in part to the fact that the region is really struggling. But the game was hotly contested, with the NRL Allstars victorious over the Indigenous Allstars 36–28. The biggest loss suffered was by the Rabbitohs, who would be without Greg Inglis for the start of the season after he injured his ankle during the match.

One thing I don’t miss, pre-season training in Penrith. Manu Vatuvei’s ink dedication to daughters Makayla and Savanah.

The young blokes in Allstars camp love getting their shirts off.

Here Josh Dugan displays his ever growing tatoo collection.

Wayne Bennett and Darren Lockyer keep a watchful eye over the Allstars camp.

The week after marked the dawn of a new era in rugby league with the formation of an independent body to run the game. On 10 February 2012 the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) was founded, made up of individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds, including business, marketing, advertising and, of course, rugby league. Led by Chairman John Grant, the commission consists of Catherine Harris AO PSM, Ian Elliot, Peter Gregg, Wayne Pearce OAM, Gary Pemberton AC, Jeremy Sutcliffe and Dr Chris Sarra.

The formation of the ARLC is one of the most significant moments in the game’s history. For so long the game’s administration has sported the scars of the Super League war from the mid-nineties, but now, the game can finally move forward. However, this group of highly skilled individuals have a big job ahead of them, with many pressing issues facing the game, not the least of which is the record broadcast deal on the table.

So here we go! The second edition of The Fittler Files is up and running, and let me say it’s great to be back. I have no doubt the season will throw up its usual twists and turns and I will do my darndest to get you as close to the action as humanly possible. With my trusty Canon in hand I solemnly swear to give my guts to The Fittler Files, providing you with the inside story as I see it from the sidelines. I love this game of rugby league and I hope, when you read the following chapters, you get to see that dripping off the pages. If you can have a giggle at my expense along the way, even better!

ROUND 1

(1 – 5 March)

A Melbourne Jewel Shines in League’s Crown

The Scores

Dragons 15, Knights 14 (golden point); Broncos 18, Eels 6; Storm 24, Raiders 19; Bulldogs 22, Panthers 14; Titans 18, Cowboys 0; Sea Eagles 26, Warriors 20; Wests Tigers 17, Sharks 16 (golden point)

Freddy’s Players of the Round*

Billy Slater (Storm): 3

Sam Burgess (Rabbitohs): 2

Benji Marshall (Tigers): 1

Try of the Round

Anthony Minichiello (Roosters)

Blooper of the Round

Jared Maxwell, referee, Tigers v. Sharks

What a start! What a round! The scribes (and David Gallop) declared it the most closely fought opening round in the history of the game. I admit I haven’t reviewed the previous 104 seasons to check that stat, but I’ll take their word for it. It was certainly a bloody fantastic start to the season!

Andrew Johns stands in front of his stand.

A new era for the Knights built on old principles.

Akuila uate fires up for the season opener.

Amidst all the hullabaloo there was one brief and brilliant moment that stood out above all else. It happened just two minutes into the game between Melbourne and Canberra and involved the most lethal trio in rugby league: the Storm’s Smith, Slater and Cronk.

Currently nothing in the game matches their three-way partnership. It’s sport at its best, and anyone who didn’t see the magic moment missed a treasure. Catch it on video if you can. It ended in a try by the flying Billy Slater, concocted via sweet and subtle variation on a theme. The ball play between Smith and Cronk, with Slater ‘hiding’ somewhere behind, had been subtly reworked with slight variations in position and in the line Cronk took when he snared Cameron Smith’s pass. Version one of the play is by now well known to all Melbourne opponents. Version two isn’t much different, but is adjusted sufficiently to open the defensive line enough to give Billy a hint of daylight. Of course, that’s all he needs. The try featured a sleight of hand, complete trust between the three players — and absolute magic.

It was fitting that a Cronk try scored via desperation (off a Smith kick) and a Slater ‘killer’ that left Josh Dugan on the deck, beaten, capped the Storm’s tightly fought victory over the Raiders. The big Canberra side looked unstoppable at times and showed Melbourne to be more fragile than we’ve known them but the Raiders still couldn’t beat the Storm.

‘Big night for the town tonight thanks for all the tweets, really appreciate it. Enjoy the game and I look forward to the debrief’

Danny Buderus@Bedsy78

A sold-out Newcastle crowd of 33,000 gathered on a Thursday night to welcome home local boys Danny Buderus, Timana Tahu and Kade Snowden. Wayne Bennett (or was it Clint Eastwood?) was there at the helm, and Ben Hornby was playing his 250th game in a Dragons side that, despite a new coach, had the same high-level application and dedication as last year.

The match was a great occasion and evolved into a massive game. A dose of golden point (I love it, despite the doubters!) provided the final thrills. Both sides performed below their best, the Knights lacking punch in their running early, and the Dragons seemingly in control but not getting the points on the board — the same virus that beset them in 2011.

The best players and ground-getters on the field were the four wingers (Dragons Nightingale and Morris, and Knights McManus and Uate), reinforcing the fact that wingmen are crucial to the success or otherwise of their teams today. Dragon Jamie Soward played on the left side, to the surprise of many, and he played very well. Soward booted the field goal that won the night, which was worth $200,000 if the club CEO’s 2011 estimation of what such a win is worth still stands.

Said Soward of his move leftwards: ‘It made my passing feel a lot more natural. I knew how to play right, and training left really helped with our passing 7 to 6 and 6 to 7.’

The match set the tone for a notable round 1: bar the Tigers, every home side lost! For Wayne Bennett there was a nasty bout of déjà vu: his first game as Dragons coach in 2009 saw his team lose to the Storm 17–16 in golden point time.

The game of the week by a fair space was the meeting of last year’s grand finalists, the Warriors and the Sea Eagles. Both teams have new coaches, but have the same intent and potential. What a brilliant sight it was from perpetually soggy Sydney to see the Kiwis turn on a glorious sunny afternoon at Eden Park! Manly shifted the ball dashingly in the first set — and it was on. Everything about the occasion was special: you can’t beat the spectacle of rugby league on a lush green field on a fine afternoon. David ‘Wolfman’ Williams’ kick for a try was the play of the match. Shaun Johnson was just incredible — add him to the list of the game’s resident superstars, alongside the likes of Marshall, Hayne and Slater.

The result was the same as on 1 October 2011, so a great start for Geoff Toovey, who has eased comfortably into the Manly coaching seat. My man Manu Vatuvei scored two tries, and picked one ball off his toes. But he dropped some others, which seems to be a constant problem, and I wonder (seriously) if he needs a trip to the optometrist.

Newcastle’s prodigal son, Danny Buderus, returns home.

Dragons match winner Jamie Soward with andrew Johns.

Penrith’s michael Gordon inspects the damage.

Parramatta and Brisbane had nowhere near the luck of the boys across the Tasman in regards to the conditions they faced. Their tussle was a mixed bag in wet, greasy weather. The Broncos mastered the challenge once they began to go forward and overcame their obsession with getting the ball to Justin Hodges on every play. After a promising opening, Parramatta’s discipline was poor. Chris Sandow made a fairytale start with a try from a Gerard Beale fumble, but was inconsistent from then on. The question is in the air: does — and will — the Sandow style suit Steve Kearney’s coaching? After the win, Broncos coach Anthony Griffin talked of ‘just getting on with business’. That business looks pretty good to me; the Broncos will have a good year.

My old team Penrith started well against the Bulldogs. Last year it took 13 rounds before Michael Jennings scored a try. On Saturday night he had one on the board in double-quick time. The Panthers looked really hungry and in control, but it fell apart in an instant when Michael Gordon snapped a fibula. Later, David Simmons was gone too (see my previous comment regarding the value of wingers in today’s game!). The fortunes of a feisty match swung.

James Graham’s tip-on to Corey Payne for Ben Barba’s try was a wonderful moment for the Bulldogs. New coach Hasler would have got a real kick out of that as well as his team’s overall rugged performance, which was very much in the Canterbury tradition. Frank Pritchard played well, but on the following Wednesday was given a week’s holiday by the judiciary for the thundering tackle that put ex-teammate David Simmons into dreamland. The message was clear: big Frank has to work on his technique. I’ll just say this, though: like Wade Graham, who met the same fate at Pritchard’s hands (well, shoulder, actually), Simmons did not have his eyes on Pritchard before the collision. I know for sure that if I was headed for a bloke of Pritchard’s reputation and capability I’d be watching him closely!

The low-point of a generally all-action starting round was in Townsville, where the Cowboys, playing the Titans, turned in their worst performance ever. For them there was only one positive: Johnathan Thurston’s red headgear was used as an auction fund-raiser for the Daniel Morcombe Foundation. I hope it raises a lot of money, because there was not one other piece of good news for the home team, which must have gone close to breaking the record for finding ways to lose the football. A disappointed Thurston made the point afterwards that people are prepared to travel a long way to see the team play. Well, yes, but they won’t for much longer, unless things improve!

The Titans played a good game, which was just as well — their home district badly needs a top year from them. The Gold Coast is struggling big time: soccer is a shit fight, the AFL ordinary and in the sporting sense it’s looking like a ghost town. The Titans’ battle will be tough but there are a lot of good kids in that territory, so they’ve got to keep working at it.

The men of the Tigers and the Sharks did their bit to make it a great afternoon at Leichhardt. Whoever controls the weather chipped in, too, and the vista was great: a sunny afternoon (a bit too warm for the players, considering they had to survive an extra-time add-on); a green field; and a wonderful tribal atmosphere. The only downer was that the refs grabbed all the ink (as they say). In the aftermath, referee Jared Maxwell and touch judge Jason Walsh were dropped for an incident in which the Sharks were incorrectly penalised following a charge-down.

Darren Lockyer prepares for his new life as a commentator.

Further controversy followed when a try by Cronulla’s Colin Best was disallowed. I thought that call (by Maxwell) was right — that Best stopped and then restarted. The refs’ community generally agreed with that view, although the match-day video referee Steve Clarke said he would have signalled a try if the call had ‘gone upstairs’. The refereeing furore dominated the media for days. A touch of overkill, perhaps, as suggested by Courier-Mail journo Robert Craddock, who pointed out that the match-winning Tigers missed 33 tackles and made 20 errors. Maxwell made one listed error and was hung, drawn and quartered. All that apart (or included), it was a terrific afternoon and the men most in the spotlight — Benji Marshall, who delivered the final blow, a field goal, to win the match; and Todd Carney — competed well. Beau Ryan’s two tries for the Tigers were outstanding. It was nothing less than a great afternoon’s football.

Anthony minichiello is flocked by Roosters after his match against the Rabbitohs. (Courtesy action Photographics)

‘Roosters pull rabbit out of hat’

The Australian

To finish the parade, a crowd of 18,000 at the ground as well as a big Monday night TV audience saw rugby league’s equivalent of a miracle. Frogs did not rain from the heavens or the earth open up, but the Roosters get-out-of-gaol effort against the Rabbits was extraordinary, continuing a long tradition of incredible battles between the neighbouring teams. With three minutes to play, Souths were winning 20–12 and bulldozing their way towards victory. Some fans surely headed for the exits at that point. But as baseball legend Yogi Berra said many years ago: ‘It ain’t over till it’s over.’ Suddenly big Jared Waerea-Hargreaves had muscled his way across, putting the Roosters in touch. Then there was another Roosters surge and young second-rower Boyd Cordner fired off an attacking kick after a midfield run. Swooping from the back came Anthony ‘Mini’ Minichiello, a man in his 32nd year. He tucked the ball rather precariously under his left arm, raised his right in a premature cavalier gesture and dived over in Matt King’s tackle. The Roosters had won!

Thinking it over, I have no doubt that the source of the Roosters’ miracle can be found in the late weeks of season 2011. Almost unnoticed then, they won seven of their last nine games, finishing their season off resolutely when others were faltering. At early training sessions I attended this season they seemed a happy and contented team who were enjoying what they were doing. And late on Monday night when they shouldn’t have been in it, with Souths playing strongly and generally looking the better side (Luke Burgess had a first-class game), the Roosters kept playing football to the very end, moving the ball and asking questions of the defence. The tries that snatched them the most unlikely of victories came because they played all game.

So, Sydney Roosters 24, South Sydney 20. Round 1 2012 ended spectacularly. The season was underway and if you’ll forgive an old player a tired cliché (I promise I won’t use it again), rugby league was the winner!

Moments to Remember

Darren Lockyer made his debut as a commentator and passed with flying colours. Let’s be honest, though: we were in Brisbane, where the raspy tones of King Locky can do no wrong.

Michael Gordon’s injury could affect the Penrith Panthers long-term. So often during the previous few seasons he’s been the source of spark for the Mountain Men. His goal kicking will also be thoroughly missed.

Seeing a double rainbow is a rare occurrence that should celebrated, but having the opportunity to enjoy a pair of golden points in one weekend of football is also quite a sight to behold! How lucky are we and it’s only Round 1! I wonder whether it’s an indication that we’re set for the most closely contested season yet?

The Magnificent Six

here, for the year ahead, are my magnificent Six, young guns who give every indication they can set the playing fields alight. They share a quality: these are tough young fellas, whether with the ball in their hands charging into the teeth of the defence or rippingin to do their defensive work. There is no sense of self-preservation about any one of them, although they will eventually acquire that, as they must. I commend them to you. Watch them go! Collectively and individually they have what it takes to make a big impression in 2012.

They are:

• Blake austin (Panthers)

• Boyd Cordner (Roosters)

• Jack De Belin (Dragons)

• Konrad hurrell (Warriors)

• alex mcKinnon (Knights)

• Jason Taumalolo (Cowboys)

In Des We Trust

No coach supports his players better than Bulldogs coach Des Hasler. To put it bluntly, Des doesn’t give a shit what people think. he sticks with his men, and his absolute trust is repaid in kind on the playing field. after round 1, he didn’t flinch from backing Frank Pritchard’s shoulder crunch of Penrith’s David Simmons, despite the screams of protest. as a matter of fact, I think the only time coach hasler hasn’t backed his players was when, following misdemeanour after misdemeanour after misdemeanour, he offered a single, terse opinion of anthony Watmough. It worked — Watmough subsequently changed his ways! Des has his men behind him, all right, and they ride in to battle together, ‘us against them’, with swords raised in the air.

Ban the Bans!

There’s no place in todays’ game for media bans like the one that Rabbitohs coach michael maguire slapped on young halfback adam Reynolds before round 1. It was old-school and not in tune with the times. Coach maguire, a new chum in the NRL but a bloke with something of an ‘old edge’ to his coaching, defended the move, explaining that it was adam himself who asked for the ban to help him ease into the season. however, if the league wants to promote the game to the peak of its potential, and if the vast media connections of today are to get the best bang for their buck, the days of player media bans are over. Sure, Reynolds was a newcomer, stepping into big boots at a famous club. The media were very interested in him for that reason. he could and should have been given the opportunity to meet the press in a controlled environment to tell his story. after all, he’s going to have to do plenty of that if he stays in the big league.

Souths’ unchecked stance contrasted with the NFL approach before the recent Super Bowl. New York Giants defensive end Osi u menyiora was fined $20,000 for missing a scheduled media session, and every player from the two teams was required to attend a giant media day session and be available for interview by a huge media pack. I hope the aRL Commission took note of both Souths’ actions and the NFL’s approach to working with the media.

For all that, young kids hitting the big time of the NRL need expert media guidance and some protection. a good example of how NOT to do this was the way young Daniel mortimer was massively overused (abused, more like it) at Parramatta in 2009. a fine young bloke, he was everywhere in the media, and the over-cooking probably contributed to his subsequent hitting the wall. The reasonable expectation in big-time sport today is that every player must be available, but in a balanced way that suits the player, the club and the media.

While we’re talking about media, it seems to me that these days there is more tweeting going on in rugby league than you’d find in the Taronga Park aviary. many players are thoroughly engaged with the new social media, as they should be, and a lot of it looks like fun. I’d just sound a warning, though: players should take care not to get too involved and to be aware of the potential pitfalls. We’ve all seen how some flippant remark comes out the wrong way and goes viral in the blink of an eye. The players have heavy programs and heavy responsibilities as professional sportsmen, and they move in a media environment the likes of which the game has never seen. There is so much cross-pollination: the rugby league media need the current stars and today just about everyone is a journalist. Players need to tread carefully through the minefield, and avoid getting too distracted. The game is the thing. I admit to being a bit old-fashioned in regard to the media. Give me the written word any day for serious commentary. It carries so much more weight than any other form.

and then there was Wayne Bennett’s plaintive cry: ‘I’m not a rock star–I’m a football coach and football coaches get out on the oval and spend a lot of time with the players. all of this [the media hoopla surrounding Benny] is a distraction!’

ROUND 2

(9 – 12 March)

In the Trenches with Des

The Scores

Sea Eagles 22, Wests Tigers 18; Bulldogs 30, Dragons 4; Storm 24, Rabbitohs 10; Cowboys 28, Broncos 26; Knights 18, Sharks 6; Raiders 24, Titans 12; Panthers 18, Roosters 0; Warriors 36, Eels 20

Freddy’s Players of the Round

Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles): 3

Nate Myles (Titans): 2

Josh Morris (Bulldogs): 1

Try of the Round

James Maloney (Warriors)

Blooper of the Round

Cronulla murdering a handful of prime try-scoring chances

‘We’re conscious of our obligations to comply with rules of the game, but we are also mindful that rugby league is a contact sport. Fine line!’

Todd Greenberg@Todd_Greenberg

manly’s Steve matai and Glenn Stewart in the casualty ward.

Tony ‘T-Rex’ Williams leaves Tigers in his wake. (Photo by Grant Trouville)

Both Manly and the Tigers showed the effects of the short five-day turnaround when they met at Bluetongue Stadium on the Friday night of round 2. Still, it was a perfect footballing evening, and a good game all the same, won by the better side after the Tigers had crept ahead following a try created by a Benji Marshall pass that Adam Blair hit at just the right angle. The change came not long before halftime, when Kieran Foran stole the ball from Gareth Ellis. Two minutes later, Jamie Lyon booted a goal (for 8–2) and Manly went into the halftime break with a spring in their step. Young aces Foran and Daly Cherry-Evans were giggling like schoolboys as they came off the field!

In the second half, Manly hit with a double-strike stemming from halfback Cherry-Evans. It was a try to Jason King, and then a dazzling double-dummy try masterpiece from Cherry-Evans himself. The quickness and decisiveness of the play was stunning — Cherry-Evans away and gone, and Tigers defenders left clutching at ghosts. The last to fall was Tigers stand-in fullback Tom Humble, who, conned into hesitating by the Manly half’s skill, took the wrong option. It seems to me that some of today’s fullbacks are like rabbits caught in the headlights when a ball carrier charges at them, men in support. Three players who don’t act like bunnies are Matt Bowen, Darius Boyd and Billy Slater. They have the skill to create uncertainty in the ball carrier and are especially good at luring the attacker to take a particular option and then snuffing out the attack with a saving tackle.

T. Rex’s try gave Manly the space they needed, 54-tackle