Brad Drew, Aussie rugby player for the Huddersfield Giants, spared me some time in November to give an insight into life back home at the Galpharm, his ongoing injury saga and aims for the upcoming Super League season.
When you think of Rugby players, you imagine a big, bald man with broad shoulders and a rough accent, well as you can see Mr Drew fitted the bill perfectly. Brad isn’t the most well known player in the Rugby world, but his try in 2005 for the Giants against Wigan, where he ran over 80 metres before touching down will always live long in the memory at the Galpharm.
After walking into the physio room after a quick detour through the home dressing room, Drew was sat down, knee heavily bandaged and in the company of Leroy Cudjoe. I felt it was necessary to start on the subject of his injury. It wasn’t a serious one, but enough to have kept him out of pre-season and probably the first few matches, which coincidentally I felt privileged to deliver him the news that the Giants would face Bradford on the first day of the new season. I moved on to what the Giants were trying to achieve this season, after their most successful Super League season to date, Drew stated that they were determined to put “last year’s wrongs, right”. Referring to their defeat in the play-offs and Challenge Cup final loss to Warrington at Wembley. After spending three seasons at Wakefield Wildcats, Drew had missed Huddersfield’s recent breakthrough but knew all about losing a Cup final, after experiencing the same pain with the Wildcats back in 2006. When discussing the Super League, Brad said “It’s everyone’s dream to walk out at Old Trafford, it’s what we aim for at the start of the season, what we talk about and everyone is determined to make it happen.”
Moving onto individuals (I felt it was the time to be nosy), I asked what effect a player of the calibre of Brett Hodgson had had on the side. Hodgson, full Australian international joined the Giants last year and obviously had an instant impact. Drew: “Brett’s an awesome player, I wasn’t here last season but he obviously would have a great effect on the team, anyone with his experience would.” Brad was a new signing at the Galpharm this winter, but he was joined by local boy Lee Gilmour, who funnily enough lives around the corner from me. “The other new lads have settled in great, we’re very strong now, players like Lee only enhance that and I think we have a great chance this season.” Now for the question I didn’t quite know what reception I’d get to. Paul Whatuira had recently been involved in an affray case and had been seriously affected by the incident. But as I expected, when I questioned Drew on it he said the players didn’t discuss it, but they were all 100% behind Whatuira and it would only strengthen their team bond.
I decided to end on more generalized questions. Rugby League is a very northern sport, only the Catalan Dragons are from the south; well, further south than south to be honest. The French side joined a whole host of northern sides a few years ago and I guessed the rivalry must be very heated, when you imagine teams like Huddersfield, Leeds, Bradford, Hull, Wakefield and others going up against each other week in, week out. “The rivalry is intense sometimes, particularly at places like Castleford and Hull, the fans always make a great atmosphere and that’s one of the special things about Rugby League.” I finished off with a personal question to Brad himself, what had been his most memorable moment in his career. Unfortunately for him, the two he named were both defeats, but he insisted that playing infront of 80,000 at Wembley and over 90,000 in the NRL final over in Australia were moments that would live with him forever. Brad was a real nice guy, typical outgoing Aussie and a sense of humour to go with it.
Interview took place November 18th 2009
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