September 18, 2025 • 23 mins
Raider Nick at Night – Finals Bounce Back with Bradley Clyde
In this special episode, Raider Nick sits down with Raiders legend Bradley Clyde to talk about the Green Machine’s mindset after their tough week 1 finals loss. BC shares his own experience of bouncing back from finals defeats during his playing career and how the Raiders always found a way to regroup when the stakes were high.
We dive into how the current squad has responded, who impressed him the most in the first week, and why he believes the boys are ready to fire this weekend. BC also reflects on how he embraced the Canberra community during challenging finals periods, and what it means to him to be honoured as this week’s Viking Ambassador.
It’s a powerful mix of insight, nostalgia, and inspiration – perfect for any Raiders fan looking to believe ahead of the big clash.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
He's not here for the clickbait all the count side critics.
It's weel and full of deep and meaningfuls with the
Raiders in a circle from laughs to hard truth.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Still tell you.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Ditch the negative noise and get behind the boys.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is raider Nick, Well, great chat this one. I'm
going to catch up with the great man. Bradley Clyde
of course, played in the glory is of the eighties
and the nineties and involved in the premierships. Has been
seen around with the media affair with Maddie John's the
other the other week, the big article and the Telegraph
as well about a thing back in the day in
(00:39):
the Super League. And he's blowing the Viking horn on
Saturday for the Big One and he's joining me now BC.
Good to talk to you.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Likewise, Nick, thanks to the invitation.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Mate on the Telly the other week. Look like you
still play mate? What do you do with yourself? What's
the regime? Look like? What are you eating? Because where
can I begin?
Speaker 4 (00:58):
I'm mindful of what I put it into my stomach,
but I don't really concentrate on it too much. I
exercise with three or four times a week and still
really enjoy it, and it's probably a little bit more
enjoyable not having someone to tell you what to do
and how hard to do it.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Those days are behind me.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
No Sean mccrazy, no Bomba m craze or Brian Hyder
is kicking in the backside. So you didn't steer away
from post career, didn't steer away from being active and keeping.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Fit, then one of the same.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
It's still your your life, and I think it's a
key part of having some balance in your life.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
I still have a.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
Good time and eat pretty much what I want, but
just small portions, and I lead a pretty healthy lifestyle
and enjoy that part of my life.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
That's awesome, Brad, how you enjoyed Ricky's boys at the moment.
They've been a great year Minor Premiers. Must have been
a great time hanging back there on your lounge watching
this team run around.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
I'm so proud of the team all year. They've really
performed well and deservedly earned the respect of the rest
of the competition by becoming Minor Premiers. You know, they've
only lost a few games all year, so they've put
their shoulder to the wheel every game, and some of
(02:26):
those games have been required a clutch play, and you
know you've got Ko Weeks and Ethan Stranger really jumped
up Savage. There's a handful of those young guys that
could score a try from anywhere on the field, and
that's real luxury I think to have in this modern game.
(02:48):
But I think back to our ninety four side, it
was exactly the same. We had a lot of young
players learning from the older players. And I said that
experience with Papali and Tarpne up front steering the ship
with Foget, he's been fantastic for us all years. So
(03:08):
it's been a good year. The Finals is a whole
nother competition in itself, and we've got to dust ourselves
off from last week's incredible game. It was a wonderful contest,
but dust ourselves off, reset and have another crack.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
What do you make of it?
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Brad?
Speaker 2 (03:27):
That experience the boys had last week, it was kind
of like in the as you know yourself being a
Camber and growing up here, knowing that the whole town
really got behind the team. I was seeing organizations and
people that never really associated themselves with the Raiders. We're
in Green all jumping on the wagon. This huge, big
(03:47):
balloon that was blown up, and then all of a
sudden it just kind of got popped on Sunday night.
A little bit of a collapse energetically, if you will.
What do you make of it?
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Now?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
I talk about the teams you're involved in. I mean,
unfortunately you missed the GFN nineteen ninety but week one
and we played Penrith again extra time, they skip away
to go around the long route, knock off the Bronx
to play Penrith again ninety four. Similar And when we
beat Norse in that first week but played the dogs
who came first in that prelim, they knocked us off
(04:16):
again an extra time, you know, ninety minute game, did
the hard way. What do you make of it? And
how do you mentally kind of reset? And especially with
this young young mob you mentioned back in your time
there was a good crop of young mob and an
older you know, an older brigade. It's a similar kind
of team this year as well, so similar kind of characteristics.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
I think the young players are really fortunate to have
so much experience to draw from because they've got a
coach who's lived and breed raiders and a ton of
experience with high pressure football, and then you've got the
senior players within the team that have played representative football,
(05:00):
played at all sorts of the highest levels, so that wisdom.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
But it is another just another.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
Game, albeit it's going to be more intense and there's
no second chances, so I think, although you can say
that it's just another game, but it isn't.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
You've really got to step.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
Up, and some players do that better than others. We've
right through the year, we've really performed well with those
clutch moments where Ethan Strange has done it the number
of times throughout the year. The Foggty stepped up the
KO weeks has been incredible with scoring tries right at
(05:49):
the death to win games. I think to be able
to draw on such a wonderful year, all of that
experience and.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Bring it, you leave nothing in the bag.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
It's eighty minutes of a full contest and those little
one percent of.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Applying yourself on every play. Yeah, it's so important.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Being in the moment, staying in the moment, Yeah, really important,
and I think the boys had a lesson there in
regards to the intensity of finals football. It's a different
to a regular season game. As an eighty minutes intensity
up twenty eight twelve, I mean, more work to do,
but you know, we probably could have really skipped away,
but with that intensity of finals, it was just a
bit of a harder cookie to crack there, can you
(06:39):
this is this is probably testing the memory. Can you
remember what maybe sheens Y and Evan mal kind of
got around after like a semi final loss, Just so
the Bulldogs game in ninety four, because you guys, we
were just flying at the end of the season. There's
so much in form and then I think we won
like nine straight and like beating teams by thirty or forty,
(07:00):
and then we hit We even took care of the
Bears who were to finish second, kind of beat them comfortably,
and then the Dogs really put up a fight. Can
you remember what sheens He said kind of in the
aftermath of that. I'm just trying to put it forward
in regards of maybe Ricky's mindset with the boys this week.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
You know, Nick, the preparation doesn't just happen at finals time.
Every year, Tim would increase our training load six weeks
prior to the semi finals, and that would mean, you know,
physically and mentally you'd be prepared for.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
A tougher.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
A tougher range of football, more intensity, and so that
if those games do go for ninety minutes as or an.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Eighty nine Grand Final or.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Whatever, that looks like you're equipped and you're prepared. You've
been prepared for the last six weeks that you know,
whatever the game throws at you, you're you're ready.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Now. Having said that as well, I always think, and again,
I know you weren't involved in the ninety ninety series,
but obviously ninety four series, losing Week one and kind
of using up that credit, but getting a second chance,
it's almost like, okay, now we know what can happen.
We want to get we want to really get this right.
And then you know, you faced up against the Bulldogs
(08:34):
in that Grand Final and I mean the rest is
history there. You've beat them quite comfortably, good solid win
against penalthy nineteen ninety. Could it be like a little
if you take a blessing out of that, a necessary
blessing out of that in disguise you know, a negative,
turning a positive from a negative? Is it something that
you might want to there might be an extra carrot
now saying okay, we've got to get this right and
then hopefully, hopefully, if the regular league gods shine on us,
(08:56):
we meet maybe the Bronchos again in the Grand Final.
The boys will be read more than.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Ever spot on.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
I think it's an absolute blessing that we get another
crack at a semi finals game after losing in the finals.
There's the blessing. But you've done all the hard work
during the season. You've come first as Minor Premiers, which
is a wonderful achievement.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
I don't think anyone would have picked that.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
And then but to lose in the first week of
the finals, you've got to reset and you've got to
continue the belief that when you step onto that field,
you've done the work. You know whatever the game throws
at you, you know what to do, you know the
(09:46):
game plan, you know your own role, what you have
to do to win this football game.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
And even then you'll be challenged.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
And then I think individual the players that might and
I mean athletes do this everywhere, not just on the
foot football field, that might think maybe they didn't have
their best or maybe they made a few mistakes. They
go in next week thinking car on a really big
spot on here and be really as tidy as I
can and really give that extra level, and all of
a sudden you've got a team who's maybe lost Week one,
(10:19):
with another chance like us can really buckle down into
trenches now, and even that could make us Closerally.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
I have no doubt if you're a betting person, you
wouldn't be betting against the Raiders after the loss from
last week. They'll be so determined and they've got the firepower. Look,
our right side got exposed last week. Quite a lot
of points got scored down that right side, So I
think Ricky would have addressed that with some at training
(10:53):
and make sure that the players are prepared so some
of those things that happened don't happen again. So yeah,
I have no doubt that they would have addressed anything
that needed to be Any of those gaps that sort
of appeared last week don't happen again. But in terms
(11:15):
of determination, the loss could well be a good thing.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Yeah, I'm kind of feeling that as well, and yourself, Brad,
it must be an honor to be up there blowing
the horn, being the Viking ambassador. I mean where it
all started for yourself, and we know that it ended
in a way where you and you and Sticky left
us and went to the dogs, and I say, this
is Sticky all the time. One of the weirdest things
we saw was you guys running out in the Bulldog's jersey.
(11:41):
And I know, respectfully you ended up having a nice
career there and working in there, working with the club
as well and whatnot. But good to see you well
back at home and up there on the big stage
and blowing the horn for the Green.
Speaker 4 (11:54):
Yeah, a huge honor and nice recognition for the club
to ask me and to be involved. So looking forward
to it, even though I reside in Sydney now well
and truly call myself a proud can Baran and love
watching the Green machine run around. And this year has
(12:16):
been really special. We've had so much to tier about,
so that has been really nice. And so you know,
looking at next year and the following years, I think
Ricky has built a culture where there really is something
to tear all the camera people you mentioned moments ago,
(12:41):
where the whole town is really behind that team. Continue
the rage and continue the support and the excitement around
the team, and I have no doubt that the team
will perform on the back of the increased interest and
the excitement.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Funny story is, you know Laso I catch up with
Lazo a Bid and he talks about growing up. You
know he grew was a Queen min boy. But growing
up in those early years of the Raiders, it's seaf
and oval. On one side of the field, it'd be
the lazarus Is watching there with their pine coke, watching
what was soon to be. You'd have the Stewarts and
the Ferners in the other side of the in the
crowd there or bunked in watching you know, the football
(13:21):
out our local team going up against a paramatter or something.
And then we had the clients jumping off the bus
from bell Connon making their way to see if it
Oval all you guys were just scattered around. That's so
Canberra for you. What was it like for you to
grow up that way? From the beginning so raw, supporting
this new team called the Camber Raiders, being graded through
the ranks, bringing home the first premiership, but then feeling
(13:43):
the bars and how important was the buzz around town,
the green sausages, all that kind of buying in Did
you feel that was that like an extra leg that
grew on you guys?
Speaker 3 (13:52):
It sure was it. It made.
Speaker 4 (13:56):
Firstly from my own point of view, it was a pathway.
Suddenly my pathway was tangible. I had I could connect
with playing first grade rugby league in my own home backyard,
and I could still live at home and live off
mums cooking. But we would jump on the bus every
(14:20):
week every home game and head over to Queenbean at
Seaford Oval and watch the Raiders. And you know some
of those memorable wins. I remember we beat Paramatta for
the first time. I think our first ever win in
eighty two was was against Newtown. But then we beat
(14:44):
Paramatta when they had a super hot side and that
was massive, and all those memorable moments.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
It was that time.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
I was playing AFL at the time as well and
really enjoyed that. But the moment the Raiders coming into
the competition, I chose rugby league as my preferred sport
because I had something tangible that I could just represent
my hometown and still play rugby league at the highest level.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
And that just would have been great. From going on
the bus to the games and eventually making grade and
then yourself going all the way through. There was obviously
that article and to tell you a long article. I've
heard that story many many times from Jr. Deep inside
the Queen of the Legs club trenches over a beer
over the years. Yes, and that just showed you could
(15:38):
have easily gone and that was huge money, especially back
in that day as almost they compared to more common
times thirty years ago. Was it hard for you to
say no to that?
Speaker 4 (15:49):
No, it wasn't. That's the funny thing. I wanted to
play rugby league with my mates. We were winning football
games at that stage, so it was quite a simple
decision for me to make, even though there was a
lot of money being thrown around for me. I certainly
(16:11):
understood the value and I was really honored to be
put into that position of choice from the Roosters. But
at the same time I never really considered it at all.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
I was a Canberra and I wanted to be a
one club player.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
And you know, the year before we'd won the Grand Final,
and in ninety five we were tracking that way as well.
I think we only lost about two games or a year.
We had zero injuries going into the finals and unfortunately
we come up against a hot Bulldogs team that kicked
(16:46):
us out of the finals. But yeah, so from then on,
I was happy playing with the Raiders and then unfortunately
things didn't work out there and.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
I had to move.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
And then things happened for a reason. You know that
the game provides ups and downs and a challengers in life,
and this is just one example.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
It was just a bit and I'm only saying this
as back then I was just a younger bloke and
I was a fan and it was I mean, the
educated Ravers fan back in the day would have seen
the whole timeline as well. Yourself and Ricky juring that
Super League areas were kind of chased hard. You could
have very easily gone to Sydney and for bigger money.
You stayed loyal and then unfortunately a year, not even
a year later or two, you're kind of forced to
(17:35):
pack up. And that was a really sad way to end.
I mean, that was the game back then as well.
I know Ricky's obviously sweetened now and he gets he's
come back and he's still around playing football, but all sorry,
he's still supporting the Green Machine with their football. It's
a great story and it's good to see as well.
Just quickly moving on, you know, you were really part
of those the Kangaroota of nineteen ninety four, which was great,
(17:59):
and then it's of being brought back as well, and
there's going to be a three game test series at
the end of the evening, dashes his back, Cloutie.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
How good.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
It's nothing better than beating the Poms at anything, let
alone standing victorious after a game of rugby league to
throw on that greening gold jersey. For me, I'm hugely patriotic.
It was so special, so I'm so happy to see
that part of our games start to be recognized. Mal
(18:32):
did a wonderful job in introducing the pride into that
jersey once again, and this tour gives the players. It'll
give the players some insight into how it used to
be and the pride that they that's available in wearing
(18:53):
the green and gold.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
You and Laws were very fortunate to be picked early.
I mean it was very warranted. The form he played
in the New South Wales, especially the rep program in
the Aussie too, was very at an early age. Obviously,
Ethan Strange is being like tattered. There was someone wrote
in the paper yesterday as a possible lineup due to
a few injuries in the centers, he might be picked
(19:15):
in the centers. Would that be a world win for
young Ethan On the back of the season he's had
to jump on a plane with those players from Penrith
and the Storm who have dominated the league to go
over there to even if he doesn't play in the
three tests, just to train with them, to live with them.
He'd come back twenty twenty six will be so bright
for that young kid, right, Yeah, I.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
Have no doubt that he's going to get picked.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
And if I'm Kevin Walders, I'd be thinking about his
utility value as well. So because he's strong and fast,
it'd have no problem sticking in to as a backup
for as Ieo or even in the back row, but
anywhere in that back line because he's fast enough, he's strong,
(20:03):
so utility they you, I think for Ethan, I have
no doubt they're going to pick him because and he's
a quality player, so and the growth that he.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
Will have.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Just watching the other players how they prepare at that level,
be enormous for he's two twenty sixth season.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
How validating is it, Claudie when you get picked as
at a young age at a REP, because that's kind
of like the validation saying that you're here, you know,
And I've spoken to players the great Steve Jackson Big
jack HA always talks about when he got picked for Queensland.
It took him weeks to really understand and feeling comfortable
with thought, I don't belong here, I'm not good enough.
And then obviously you find your feet in there, you
(20:48):
find your you know, the approval. How validating is it
when you play red football, especially at an early age,
and how does it turn your career andly shape your
career to the next level.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Well, yeah, I think two things.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
I look at what the Raiders did this year, and
they obviously won the minor premiership, but I think they
a lot more than that. They deserve the respect that
they're now getting and the other players the other teams
have witnessed the Raiders really have a crack this year
and really compete. Most other clubs would understand that they've
(21:24):
got something good going on here.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
The So.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
There's that validation then, and from when I was playing,
to understand that my peers respected me as a player,
that's all I wanted. Now, that's something when and from here,
I think individually for an Ethan stranger or even a
(21:58):
Ko weeks to be recognized the representative jersey. At an
individual level, you just go, well, this is what it's
all about, winning grand finals and playing representative football.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
Is those fulfilling moments.
Speaker 4 (22:17):
Is why you put on a jersey and pull on
your footy boots and train so hard and commit to
everything and continue to grow and learn about the game
of rugby league. Mind you, it's a very simple game,
complicated by coaches, but at the same time.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
It's so enjoyable.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
I couldn't believe that they used to pay us to
play rugby league.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
You know this game.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
I would have been doing it for nothing, no matter
what level I was playing. And you're hanging out twenty
four to seven with your mates and having a large
and getting paid for it. I thought it was something
pretty special.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Good times and it continues to continues to be good times. BC.
We could talk about this all day, especially the glory
glory days of the Raiders, but thank you for a chat.
Can't wait to see you out there on Saturday night
with blowing the Viking and bassettor horn and give it
a good tooth mate, because the boys need it. But
they think Canberra are all getting around him and We
can't wait to take care of the sharks and to
(23:26):
get into the prelim against the storm.
Speaker 3 (23:29):
Yeah. Good to speak within, Nick, thanks very much.
He's not here for the clickbait all the count side critics.
It's weel and full of deep and meaningfuls with the
Raiders in a circle from laughs to hard truth.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Still tell you.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Ditch the negative noise and get behind the boys.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is raider Nick, Well, great chat this one. I'm
going to catch up with the great man. Bradley Clyde
of course, played in the glory is of the eighties
and the nineties and involved in the premierships. Has been
seen around with the media affair with Maddie John's the
other the other week, the big article and the Telegraph
as well about a thing back in the day in
(00:39):
the Super League. And he's blowing the Viking horn on
Saturday for the Big One and he's joining me now BC.
Good to talk to you.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Likewise, Nick, thanks to the invitation.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Mate on the Telly the other week. Look like you
still play mate? What do you do with yourself? What's
the regime? Look like? What are you eating? Because where
can I begin?
Speaker 4 (00:58):
I'm mindful of what I put it into my stomach,
but I don't really concentrate on it too much. I
exercise with three or four times a week and still
really enjoy it, and it's probably a little bit more
enjoyable not having someone to tell you what to do
and how hard to do it.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Those days are behind me.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
No Sean mccrazy, no Bomba m craze or Brian Hyder
is kicking in the backside. So you didn't steer away
from post career, didn't steer away from being active and keeping.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Fit, then one of the same.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
It's still your your life, and I think it's a
key part of having some balance in your life.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
I still have a.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
Good time and eat pretty much what I want, but
just small portions, and I lead a pretty healthy lifestyle
and enjoy that part of my life.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
That's awesome, Brad, how you enjoyed Ricky's boys at the moment.
They've been a great year Minor Premiers. Must have been
a great time hanging back there on your lounge watching
this team run around.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
I'm so proud of the team all year. They've really
performed well and deservedly earned the respect of the rest
of the competition by becoming Minor Premiers. You know, they've
only lost a few games all year, so they've put
their shoulder to the wheel every game, and some of
(02:26):
those games have been required a clutch play, and you
know you've got Ko Weeks and Ethan Stranger really jumped
up Savage. There's a handful of those young guys that
could score a try from anywhere on the field, and
that's real luxury I think to have in this modern game.
(02:48):
But I think back to our ninety four side, it
was exactly the same. We had a lot of young
players learning from the older players. And I said that
experience with Papali and Tarpne up front steering the ship
with Foget, he's been fantastic for us all years. So
(03:08):
it's been a good year. The Finals is a whole
nother competition in itself, and we've got to dust ourselves
off from last week's incredible game. It was a wonderful contest,
but dust ourselves off, reset and have another crack.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
What do you make of it?
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Brad?
Speaker 2 (03:27):
That experience the boys had last week, it was kind
of like in the as you know yourself being a
Camber and growing up here, knowing that the whole town
really got behind the team. I was seeing organizations and
people that never really associated themselves with the Raiders. We're
in Green all jumping on the wagon. This huge, big
(03:47):
balloon that was blown up, and then all of a
sudden it just kind of got popped on Sunday night.
A little bit of a collapse energetically, if you will.
What do you make of it?
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Now?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
I talk about the teams you're involved in. I mean,
unfortunately you missed the GFN nineteen ninety but week one
and we played Penrith again extra time, they skip away
to go around the long route, knock off the Bronx
to play Penrith again ninety four. Similar And when we
beat Norse in that first week but played the dogs
who came first in that prelim, they knocked us off
(04:16):
again an extra time, you know, ninety minute game, did
the hard way. What do you make of it? And
how do you mentally kind of reset? And especially with
this young young mob you mentioned back in your time
there was a good crop of young mob and an
older you know, an older brigade. It's a similar kind
of team this year as well, so similar kind of characteristics.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
I think the young players are really fortunate to have
so much experience to draw from because they've got a
coach who's lived and breed raiders and a ton of
experience with high pressure football, and then you've got the
senior players within the team that have played representative football,
(05:00):
played at all sorts of the highest levels, so that wisdom.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
But it is another just another.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
Game, albeit it's going to be more intense and there's
no second chances, so I think, although you can say
that it's just another game, but it isn't.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
You've really got to step.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
Up, and some players do that better than others. We've
right through the year, we've really performed well with those
clutch moments where Ethan Strange has done it the number
of times throughout the year. The Foggty stepped up the
KO weeks has been incredible with scoring tries right at
(05:49):
the death to win games. I think to be able
to draw on such a wonderful year, all of that
experience and.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Bring it, you leave nothing in the bag.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
It's eighty minutes of a full contest and those little
one percent of.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Applying yourself on every play. Yeah, it's so important.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Being in the moment, staying in the moment, Yeah, really important,
and I think the boys had a lesson there in
regards to the intensity of finals football. It's a different
to a regular season game. As an eighty minutes intensity
up twenty eight twelve, I mean, more work to do,
but you know, we probably could have really skipped away,
but with that intensity of finals, it was just a
bit of a harder cookie to crack there, can you
(06:39):
this is this is probably testing the memory. Can you
remember what maybe sheens Y and Evan mal kind of
got around after like a semi final loss, Just so
the Bulldogs game in ninety four, because you guys, we
were just flying at the end of the season. There's
so much in form and then I think we won
like nine straight and like beating teams by thirty or forty,
(07:00):
and then we hit We even took care of the
Bears who were to finish second, kind of beat them comfortably,
and then the Dogs really put up a fight. Can
you remember what sheens He said kind of in the
aftermath of that. I'm just trying to put it forward
in regards of maybe Ricky's mindset with the boys this week.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
You know, Nick, the preparation doesn't just happen at finals time.
Every year, Tim would increase our training load six weeks
prior to the semi finals, and that would mean, you know,
physically and mentally you'd be prepared for.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
A tougher.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
A tougher range of football, more intensity, and so that
if those games do go for ninety minutes as or an.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Eighty nine Grand Final or.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Whatever, that looks like you're equipped and you're prepared. You've
been prepared for the last six weeks that you know,
whatever the game throws at you, you're you're ready.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Now. Having said that as well, I always think, and again,
I know you weren't involved in the ninety ninety series,
but obviously ninety four series, losing Week one and kind
of using up that credit, but getting a second chance,
it's almost like, okay, now we know what can happen.
We want to get we want to really get this right.
And then you know, you faced up against the Bulldogs
(08:34):
in that Grand Final and I mean the rest is
history there. You've beat them quite comfortably, good solid win
against penalthy nineteen ninety. Could it be like a little
if you take a blessing out of that, a necessary
blessing out of that in disguise you know, a negative,
turning a positive from a negative? Is it something that
you might want to there might be an extra carrot
now saying okay, we've got to get this right and
then hopefully, hopefully, if the regular league gods shine on us,
(08:56):
we meet maybe the Bronchos again in the Grand Final.
The boys will be read more than.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Ever spot on.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
I think it's an absolute blessing that we get another
crack at a semi finals game after losing in the finals.
There's the blessing. But you've done all the hard work
during the season. You've come first as Minor Premiers, which
is a wonderful achievement.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
I don't think anyone would have picked that.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
And then but to lose in the first week of
the finals, you've got to reset and you've got to
continue the belief that when you step onto that field,
you've done the work. You know whatever the game throws
at you, you know what to do, you know the
(09:46):
game plan, you know your own role, what you have
to do to win this football game.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
And even then you'll be challenged.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
And then I think individual the players that might and
I mean athletes do this everywhere, not just on the
foot football field, that might think maybe they didn't have
their best or maybe they made a few mistakes. They
go in next week thinking car on a really big
spot on here and be really as tidy as I
can and really give that extra level, and all of
a sudden you've got a team who's maybe lost Week one,
(10:19):
with another chance like us can really buckle down into
trenches now, and even that could make us Closerally.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
I have no doubt if you're a betting person, you
wouldn't be betting against the Raiders after the loss from
last week. They'll be so determined and they've got the firepower. Look,
our right side got exposed last week. Quite a lot
of points got scored down that right side, So I
think Ricky would have addressed that with some at training
(10:53):
and make sure that the players are prepared so some
of those things that happened don't happen again. So yeah,
I have no doubt that they would have addressed anything
that needed to be Any of those gaps that sort
of appeared last week don't happen again. But in terms
(11:15):
of determination, the loss could well be a good thing.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Yeah, I'm kind of feeling that as well, and yourself, Brad,
it must be an honor to be up there blowing
the horn, being the Viking ambassador. I mean where it
all started for yourself, and we know that it ended
in a way where you and you and Sticky left
us and went to the dogs, and I say, this
is Sticky all the time. One of the weirdest things
we saw was you guys running out in the Bulldog's jersey.
(11:41):
And I know, respectfully you ended up having a nice
career there and working in there, working with the club
as well and whatnot. But good to see you well
back at home and up there on the big stage
and blowing the horn for the Green.
Speaker 4 (11:54):
Yeah, a huge honor and nice recognition for the club
to ask me and to be involved. So looking forward
to it, even though I reside in Sydney now well
and truly call myself a proud can Baran and love
watching the Green machine run around. And this year has
(12:16):
been really special. We've had so much to tier about,
so that has been really nice. And so you know,
looking at next year and the following years, I think
Ricky has built a culture where there really is something
to tear all the camera people you mentioned moments ago,
(12:41):
where the whole town is really behind that team. Continue
the rage and continue the support and the excitement around
the team, and I have no doubt that the team
will perform on the back of the increased interest and
the excitement.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Funny story is, you know Laso I catch up with
Lazo a Bid and he talks about growing up. You
know he grew was a Queen min boy. But growing
up in those early years of the Raiders, it's seaf
and oval. On one side of the field, it'd be
the lazarus Is watching there with their pine coke, watching
what was soon to be. You'd have the Stewarts and
the Ferners in the other side of the in the
crowd there or bunked in watching you know, the football
(13:21):
out our local team going up against a paramatter or something.
And then we had the clients jumping off the bus
from bell Connon making their way to see if it
Oval all you guys were just scattered around. That's so
Canberra for you. What was it like for you to
grow up that way? From the beginning so raw, supporting
this new team called the Camber Raiders, being graded through
the ranks, bringing home the first premiership, but then feeling
(13:43):
the bars and how important was the buzz around town,
the green sausages, all that kind of buying in Did
you feel that was that like an extra leg that
grew on you guys?
Speaker 3 (13:52):
It sure was it. It made.
Speaker 4 (13:56):
Firstly from my own point of view, it was a pathway.
Suddenly my pathway was tangible. I had I could connect
with playing first grade rugby league in my own home backyard,
and I could still live at home and live off
mums cooking. But we would jump on the bus every
(14:20):
week every home game and head over to Queenbean at
Seaford Oval and watch the Raiders. And you know some
of those memorable wins. I remember we beat Paramatta for
the first time. I think our first ever win in
eighty two was was against Newtown. But then we beat
(14:44):
Paramatta when they had a super hot side and that
was massive, and all those memorable moments.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
It was that time.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
I was playing AFL at the time as well and
really enjoyed that. But the moment the Raiders coming into
the competition, I chose rugby league as my preferred sport
because I had something tangible that I could just represent
my hometown and still play rugby league at the highest level.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
And that just would have been great. From going on
the bus to the games and eventually making grade and
then yourself going all the way through. There was obviously
that article and to tell you a long article. I've
heard that story many many times from Jr. Deep inside
the Queen of the Legs club trenches over a beer
over the years. Yes, and that just showed you could
(15:38):
have easily gone and that was huge money, especially back
in that day as almost they compared to more common
times thirty years ago. Was it hard for you to
say no to that?
Speaker 4 (15:49):
No, it wasn't. That's the funny thing. I wanted to
play rugby league with my mates. We were winning football
games at that stage, so it was quite a simple
decision for me to make, even though there was a
lot of money being thrown around for me. I certainly
(16:11):
understood the value and I was really honored to be
put into that position of choice from the Roosters. But
at the same time I never really considered it at all.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
I was a Canberra and I wanted to be a
one club player.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
And you know, the year before we'd won the Grand Final,
and in ninety five we were tracking that way as well.
I think we only lost about two games or a year.
We had zero injuries going into the finals and unfortunately
we come up against a hot Bulldogs team that kicked
(16:46):
us out of the finals. But yeah, so from then on,
I was happy playing with the Raiders and then unfortunately
things didn't work out there and.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
I had to move.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
And then things happened for a reason. You know that
the game provides ups and downs and a challengers in life,
and this is just one example.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
It was just a bit and I'm only saying this
as back then I was just a younger bloke and
I was a fan and it was I mean, the
educated Ravers fan back in the day would have seen
the whole timeline as well. Yourself and Ricky juring that
Super League areas were kind of chased hard. You could
have very easily gone to Sydney and for bigger money.
You stayed loyal and then unfortunately a year, not even
a year later or two, you're kind of forced to
(17:35):
pack up. And that was a really sad way to end.
I mean, that was the game back then as well.
I know Ricky's obviously sweetened now and he gets he's
come back and he's still around playing football, but all sorry,
he's still supporting the Green Machine with their football. It's
a great story and it's good to see as well.
Just quickly moving on, you know, you were really part
of those the Kangaroota of nineteen ninety four, which was great,
(17:59):
and then it's of being brought back as well, and
there's going to be a three game test series at
the end of the evening, dashes his back, Cloutie.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
How good.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
It's nothing better than beating the Poms at anything, let
alone standing victorious after a game of rugby league to
throw on that greening gold jersey. For me, I'm hugely patriotic.
It was so special, so I'm so happy to see
that part of our games start to be recognized. Mal
(18:32):
did a wonderful job in introducing the pride into that
jersey once again, and this tour gives the players. It'll
give the players some insight into how it used to
be and the pride that they that's available in wearing
(18:53):
the green and gold.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
You and Laws were very fortunate to be picked early.
I mean it was very warranted. The form he played
in the New South Wales, especially the rep program in
the Aussie too, was very at an early age. Obviously,
Ethan Strange is being like tattered. There was someone wrote
in the paper yesterday as a possible lineup due to
a few injuries in the centers, he might be picked
(19:15):
in the centers. Would that be a world win for
young Ethan On the back of the season he's had
to jump on a plane with those players from Penrith
and the Storm who have dominated the league to go
over there to even if he doesn't play in the
three tests, just to train with them, to live with them.
He'd come back twenty twenty six will be so bright
for that young kid, right, Yeah, I.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
Have no doubt that he's going to get picked.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
And if I'm Kevin Walders, I'd be thinking about his
utility value as well. So because he's strong and fast,
it'd have no problem sticking in to as a backup
for as Ieo or even in the back row, but
anywhere in that back line because he's fast enough, he's strong,
(20:03):
so utility they you, I think for Ethan, I have
no doubt they're going to pick him because and he's
a quality player, so and the growth that he.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
Will have.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Just watching the other players how they prepare at that level,
be enormous for he's two twenty sixth season.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
How validating is it, Claudie when you get picked as
at a young age at a REP, because that's kind
of like the validation saying that you're here, you know,
And I've spoken to players the great Steve Jackson Big
jack HA always talks about when he got picked for Queensland.
It took him weeks to really understand and feeling comfortable
with thought, I don't belong here, I'm not good enough.
And then obviously you find your feet in there, you
(20:48):
find your you know, the approval. How validating is it
when you play red football, especially at an early age,
and how does it turn your career andly shape your
career to the next level.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Well, yeah, I think two things.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
I look at what the Raiders did this year, and
they obviously won the minor premiership, but I think they
a lot more than that. They deserve the respect that
they're now getting and the other players the other teams
have witnessed the Raiders really have a crack this year
and really compete. Most other clubs would understand that they've
(21:24):
got something good going on here.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
The So.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
There's that validation then, and from when I was playing,
to understand that my peers respected me as a player,
that's all I wanted. Now, that's something when and from here,
I think individually for an Ethan stranger or even a
(21:58):
Ko weeks to be recognized the representative jersey. At an
individual level, you just go, well, this is what it's
all about, winning grand finals and playing representative football.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
Is those fulfilling moments.
Speaker 4 (22:17):
Is why you put on a jersey and pull on
your footy boots and train so hard and commit to
everything and continue to grow and learn about the game
of rugby league. Mind you, it's a very simple game,
complicated by coaches, but at the same time.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
It's so enjoyable.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
I couldn't believe that they used to pay us to
play rugby league.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
You know this game.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
I would have been doing it for nothing, no matter
what level I was playing. And you're hanging out twenty
four to seven with your mates and having a large
and getting paid for it. I thought it was something
pretty special.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Good times and it continues to continues to be good times. BC.
We could talk about this all day, especially the glory
glory days of the Raiders, but thank you for a chat.
Can't wait to see you out there on Saturday night
with blowing the Viking and bassettor horn and give it
a good tooth mate, because the boys need it. But
they think Canberra are all getting around him and We
can't wait to take care of the sharks and to
(23:26):
get into the prelim against the storm.
Speaker 3 (23:29):
Yeah. Good to speak within, Nick, thanks very much.
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