The first episode of
SJ's podcast has now dropped, some quotes here-
Re: Injury
Matua Mark (Producer of the show, MC at Mount Smart):
"How does that take place that conversation, is it you going to management and saying guys you know what I have been going through time to take a knee here or is them saying hey dude we've got promising halves pairing who have won in the past, how did that happen?"
Shaun:
"Well to be fair they were probably going to drop my ass anyway. After I toss that up they probably, bro, this bloke is out"
"It was at a point where I knew- The relationship I have with
Andrew Webster our coach is one like I've never had, like with any of the coaches. One of pure trust, transparency and supreme confidence that he has got my back."
"After the Titans game it was as simple as I went to him and I said to him 'I cannot do this anymore' and he looked at me and nodded the head [sic] in agreeance because he knew exactly what I was feeling and also he's got games of football to win, and at that point in time Im not the best option, at that level I am playing at, and that's a tough pill to swallow because In my mind I know what I can do but when you can't back in up physically it's so tough to swallow, and after that game, it was a rock bottom snap where it's like, bro, you are kidding yourself if you think you belong in this arena right now, you are letting you teammates down, you are letting yourself down. I actually approached the coaching staff, but it was met with agreeance. it wasn't met with anything like they aren't trying to convince me to keep going it was like yep 100%, and we will do whatever we can to make sure you can get on top of this"
Also said the decision was with him going out on the Achilles early in the first place, and the injury got to the point where he was having difficulty getting around his house/going up and down the stairs.
Re: Webby
"In terms of character, and that's the real sign of it, a great coach, that is why I said it last year, you believe in the systems you put in place are so strong that no individual is bigger than that system. and he has been tested time and time. he got tested, in the scheme of things [sic], pretty lightly last year, you know we had a really good year, things were clicking we were all healthy, we were loving it, boom that flowed. This year, the way he has rolled with the punches but upheld what he believes wins us football games and driven them even harder in those times is probably, to me, just cements what I already thought of the guy.
"You know he is going to have a long, successful coaching career, One, he is a great person; Two, he is very firm and very clear on what wins football games, sometimes in a long season of NRL you can sometimes lose sight or take maybe things for granted, and maybe it takes a few losses or a performance you didn't see coming like getting beat by 60 to really just bring you back and dive in and circle in on what you know wins footy games. So he has handled this period tremendously, I think, you know, the way he has rallied the troops and backed up those senior players, the likes of
Mitch Barnett,
Dylan Walker,
Te Maire Martin coming in and just playing out of his skin, doing his job, then Chanel, just people stepping up, and that's what we are about"
Re: Halves pairing and being a teammate
Shaun:
"It will always be nothing but support and love for any of my teammates and in a space where I hope, how do I say this right, I hope that they feel that, because I have been in environments where senior players have been on the out or have had an injury and I guess have not been included in a lot of things-"
Brooke Ruscoe (Co-Host, Former Tall Black and Mai FM Host):
"You can feel the energy."
Shaun:
"The energy shifts dramatically, the impact it can have on younger players coming through. It can become really toxic, really quick, so I have had some good examples of what it shouldn't look like. And I just want to be the best possible teammate for them, like always an open book if they have got questions, now Te Maire is playing better than I have all year so he ain't asking me shit, I mean he ain't asking me nothing, you know like I'm going to have to to the bro, say hey can you come help me out.
"It has to be that open door, and we work like- in preseason, we all work together, and we play scenarios out 'Shaun you are out, T you are middle service' [sic], 'Chanel you're left edge', Chanel you're middle service, T you are on the right-"
Brooke:
"You forget about Luke Met as well"
"Luke, you're on ball, you know, like we have a system, we all work to better each other but to understand how the team is best going to play as one, that's still the messaging. Just because I am out injured, I still want to be there as best I can and help where I can without sort of overstepping and trying to make it about me when it's not- Step back and let the boys get to work"
Mark:
"Let's make this about you Shaun, just for a moment. Have you always been that type of person, or has this come with a fine wine, of age, that you see the importance of being able to share knowledge and have you had to learn that, or is that something you have always been"
Shaun:
"I'm probably not the right person to ask whether that has always been me but I have found through other leaders I have had in the past, the type of leader I have always wanted to be, I have had some really good examples, and I have had some poor examples, and I think to best answer that question ultimately I think as a person, so forget me as an athlete, I remember Butch saying to me when I first came into first grade, the greatest gift you can give someone is your time, and I will never, ever forget that, and I think regardless of whether I am in the Warriors building, or if I am out, I just think that is probably my nature, just to give people time.
"I often get asked if a kid comes up and asks for a photo of me if you're out at dinner and someone comes to ask. There is a manner to ask, don't get me wrong, but does that ever get annoying? I have never found that annoying; I have found it a privilege. I've always been like; I remember when the shoe was on the other foot, and the difference and the impact something like this could make on would've made on me, and could potentially make on the little kid or even the dad who's pretending the photo is for his daughter, its probably all I can say on that Matua, I can't say it has always been me, but what has always been me is being open and giving people my time, and in the building, in where I work and what I do every day when I'm a senior player, and I do have runs on the board and knowledge I have accumulated over a career of work if someone wants to know, I will answer it but I will never force it or blurt it onto someone."
Re: Retirement/Extending
I can't keep transcribing this entire thing, so listen to the podcast for full details haha
The gist of it is that he is as torn as he has ever been, he feels uneasy about not knowing what will happen next year, but there are conversations ongoing. Paraphrasing, while he doesn't want to come off as arrogant, he still thinks he is the best option for the Warriors at 7 when he is healthy, and until that changes then he is going to keep being torn on it. Winning a prem with us is the only thing he needs to tick off, but at the same time, he enjoys not being in pain moving around his house, playing with his kids, etc.
He also confirms the Roosters offered him a deal, but doubles down for the millionth time that it is the Warriors or retirement.