January 28, 2026 • 10 mins
Today on the pod we're going to give you one of the best sports chats you'll ever hear!
We're talking to Brad Thorn, who's just released his new book "Champions Do Extra" (out on January 30!).
Does he still think he could play at the top level?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Jerian and iahag the radio show from six twelteen weekdays
and The.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Hierarchy Breakfast Breathorn Welcome to the Hierarchy Breakfast. Firstly, there'll
be a lot of people who are listening who would
like to know what you're up to at the moment.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Oh, thanks for having me, guys. Yeah, I'm I actually
coached first fifteen rugby in Brisbane. That's for one of
the lead private schools over there, and it's been a
tone down from me, I guess coaching at super abbie level.
It's been a really enjoyable couple of years, to be honest,
and you know a few other things along with it.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
So what's the biggest difference with coach in the first fifteen?
Can't swear it them, I suppose.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Do you know? Do you know what? It's really cool?
You know the kids that I haven't learned any bad
haven't yet, you know, at the end of twelve years
of study, so they're really open to learning, and you know,
it's been really enjoyable, you know, really enjoyed it.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Has it been successful? Has the team been successful? Because
I'm just looking at pretty much every team you ever
played for one, so are these guys winning as well.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Well, I actually got a wooden spoons usually keep that secret.
The the that they've got they've gone a k yeah,
which sort of like mid mid table. So yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
So the on the front of the book it says
lessons learned and footy and life to build a winning mindset.
There's a lot of quotes in there from other people
about you know, your winning. As Jerry just mentioned there,
I feel like some people are just born wheners. Do
you feel like some people are born losers as well?
Like for example, this show here, we've been struggling. What
(01:52):
is it that we don't understand about the winning mindset?
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Do you know what? Mate? People remember Wayne Bennett when
I left the Broncos, he introduced me on the stage
and I was going to get through the Crusaders for
the second time, and he just said, Brad's you a winner?
And I got my chance to say a few words,
and I told him, I told the crowd and that
(02:18):
that you know, I learned about winning by losing. I
lost for the first fifteen years of my life because
I was in a highly competitive family with her father
and a brother. He's six foot eight, I'm six five,
so he towers over me, and he was two years older,
and they basically kicked my butt for fifteen years. So
maybe for you guys, you know, as losers, you're going
(02:42):
to you know, you're going to learn about what it
takes to win, and I see a bright future.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
I want to know how much of a role you're
talking about, you know, growing up with a father and
a larger older brother. How much of a role did
growing up mosgew Winter's play and your mental and physical resilience?
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Yeah, big time, Yeah, but it was more. I moved
to a place called bannet Burn in their town called
Cromwell in central Otago, and you speak as we ran
on the field with the fast and we were just rugged,
and yeah, it's a great upbringing.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
Yep, freezing part of it. Bankburn on the rail trail.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Yeah, it goes up past Alex. I think all the
way to Queenstown. Something I want to do one day.
But when I get some time.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Play professional sport until you're forty one, that's quite intense
because it wasn't like you were hanging out on the
wing or anything. Do you miss you obviously enjoyed getting smashed.
Do you miss getting smashed?
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Sometimes? I walk down the street and they'll be at
the traffic lights and people were gathering on the other
side of the road going to walk, and I see
a pile of them. I want to smash them. And
you know, I'm like that old the old soldier that
has PTSD And you know then I'm going to remind myself, no, Brad,
(04:13):
just walk nicely.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Yeah, that's one of the funniest things I've ever heard
anyone in my life. It's so honest.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
He sees bowling pins.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Well, what was the toughest physical encounter you ever played?
And you must remember it.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
When I was younger coming through as lighter Lena, as
a nineteen year old play in an URL. They were
tough games because I was throwing myself about and you know,
I was just a young guy developing, So they were
the toughest games. But Origin is a brutal spring box
at you know, altitude in Africa, just a heavyweight title
(04:55):
fight that they were good competitions as well.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Gerrian and I joined the complaint so I'd ack you
breakfast discussion group on Facebook for more.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
I've a lot said in your book about the training
side of it. Obviously that was a big part of
it to you. I have worked with Beaver before in
the past, and he told me his story or a
rumor that allegedly you used to make him and Conrad
Smith do bench press competitions to find out who the
weakest all Black was. Is that true?
Speaker 3 (05:25):
That's true? It was. Yeah. I used to sit behind
Conrade on the bus and the poor guy he got
purpled by me for four years because I am I
am actually a past People probably won't realize that, but
I used to sit on his shoulder in the bus
and I'd say, you know, you're not fast, You're not strong,
(05:46):
You're not you're not that. How are you and this team?
And I used to just be bantering. But and then
along came Conrad's equal in Beaver, and that's why I said,
let's find out the battle of the most And I
think Beaver came out at the top of the bench
one one fifteen to so maybe one turn or something. Yeah.
(06:09):
But one thing I'll say about Conrad mate loves to
churn up, eating up forever.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
What was the biggest celebration you were ever involved in?
I mean, were you a big celebrator? I mean, or
by the end of your career, could you not be
asked celebrating because you won too much.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Yeah, I just love winning titles and winning and you know,
just to be fair, it's the whole journey of that. So, yeah,
all the work that goes in. And I grew up
with her saying from my primary school that my dad
loves which was reward for effort. And you know when
you put in all that effort, that reward, you know
(06:48):
you wanted better to just enjoy that. And then you know,
you sit up and you go again.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
You mentioned World Cups and State of Origins and you
know regularly championships you must have. You've played with some
of the most talented players across all the codes. Who's
the most talented player you ever played with?
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Out? It's just it's just so because you know, you've
got all your different positions. You know, a talented guy,
I can say Franks for as technique as a tight
ed prop you know, Tony Woodcock could say Dan Carlo
and you could say that Darren Lockyer. You know, ala,
all these guys. It's just too much, you know, just
(07:32):
just a lot, like you said, privileged to play with
so many great talents, but more importantly great man.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Was there any ever any one of those guys though,
who was just good at everything, because sometimes you know,
you might be playing golf with a dude or I've
heard Mitchell Santa, for example from the black Cats, basically
is good at every single sport that he ever plays
with its darts or pool or golf. Was there anyone
who was just kind of good at just everything?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Yeah, you know, there's a lot of guys like that,
and a lot of you go further back, you know,
everyone was playing every sport, you know, so so Ali
Lang was a great cricketer. You know, there's so many
guys created different sports. They're just they're athletes and you
know they're super talented.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
So yeah, ever been in a fight with a teammate
at practice.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Fight bush and show? You know, maybe you use someone's
face to get up with my with my with my name,
with my nigh. But I generally generally very tight with
my team and protective, you know. So it was more
always about my opposition. And my biggest thing was not
(08:52):
this is what Beaver used to do to me and Kahui.
They knew that my weakness was I found it hard
playing against people I liked. They would try and be
friendly to me and and again the chiefs versus Crust
done you. I'm like, get away from me, get away
from me and Richard. So that was my that was
(09:13):
my challenge.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
Trying to buddy up. I love that. I'm just having
a look at the contents. The forwards of the book
is written by a bunch of incredible coaches. Wayn't Bennett
Robbie Dean's Joe Schmidt? Who is going to be the
next Door Blacks coach? Do you think?
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Brad? Yeah? No idea very diplomatic, but yeah, I feel
for Rosa two years and you don't get to finish
that job. That's a tough one. What you sign up
for it could easily happen Ian Foster two years out
as well. So you know, whoever gets that role, you
know it's a tough job, but you know what an
(09:51):
honor and you know there's there's so much to do
for that team.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Brad Thorne, you probably watch a lot of sports still
if you're in the crowd, do you ever just think
at fifty one or fifty one next Tuesday, do you
ever think about just getting out there with the boats
and guns and smashing some seas?
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Yeah, definitely, definitely. I still think I've got it in
my own head and the reality is I don't so
but yeah, you got You know, you've got to let
yourself be that old man that still thinks, you know,
I can put the boots on. So yeah, I'm still
still got that little, you know, part of me that
thinks that.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Bred Thorne, thank you so much for talking to us today.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Yeah, awesome. Thanks for your Tom. Guys appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Jeremie Wells and the Nice Stuart find them on Instagram
at Hodaky Breakfast
Jerian and iahag the radio show from six twelteen weekdays
and The.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Hierarchy Breakfast Breathorn Welcome to the Hierarchy Breakfast. Firstly, there'll
be a lot of people who are listening who would
like to know what you're up to at the moment.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Oh, thanks for having me, guys. Yeah, I'm I actually
coached first fifteen rugby in Brisbane. That's for one of
the lead private schools over there, and it's been a
tone down from me, I guess coaching at super abbie level.
It's been a really enjoyable couple of years, to be honest,
and you know a few other things along with it.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
So what's the biggest difference with coach in the first fifteen?
Can't swear it them, I suppose.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Do you know? Do you know what? It's really cool?
You know the kids that I haven't learned any bad
haven't yet, you know, at the end of twelve years
of study, so they're really open to learning, and you know,
it's been really enjoyable, you know, really enjoyed it.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Has it been successful? Has the team been successful? Because
I'm just looking at pretty much every team you ever
played for one, so are these guys winning as well.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Well, I actually got a wooden spoons usually keep that secret.
The the that they've got they've gone a k yeah,
which sort of like mid mid table. So yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
So the on the front of the book it says
lessons learned and footy and life to build a winning mindset.
There's a lot of quotes in there from other people
about you know, your winning. As Jerry just mentioned there,
I feel like some people are just born wheners. Do
you feel like some people are born losers as well?
Like for example, this show here, we've been struggling. What
(01:52):
is it that we don't understand about the winning mindset?
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Do you know what? Mate? People remember Wayne Bennett when
I left the Broncos, he introduced me on the stage
and I was going to get through the Crusaders for
the second time, and he just said, Brad's you a winner?
And I got my chance to say a few words,
and I told him, I told the crowd and that
(02:18):
that you know, I learned about winning by losing. I
lost for the first fifteen years of my life because
I was in a highly competitive family with her father
and a brother. He's six foot eight, I'm six five,
so he towers over me, and he was two years older,
and they basically kicked my butt for fifteen years. So
maybe for you guys, you know, as losers, you're going
(02:42):
to you know, you're going to learn about what it
takes to win, and I see a bright future.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
I want to know how much of a role you're
talking about, you know, growing up with a father and
a larger older brother. How much of a role did
growing up mosgew Winter's play and your mental and physical resilience?
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Yeah, big time, Yeah, but it was more. I moved
to a place called bannet Burn in their town called
Cromwell in central Otago, and you speak as we ran
on the field with the fast and we were just rugged,
and yeah, it's a great upbringing.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
Yep, freezing part of it. Bankburn on the rail trail.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Yeah, it goes up past Alex. I think all the
way to Queenstown. Something I want to do one day.
But when I get some time.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Play professional sport until you're forty one, that's quite intense
because it wasn't like you were hanging out on the
wing or anything. Do you miss you obviously enjoyed getting smashed.
Do you miss getting smashed?
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Sometimes? I walk down the street and they'll be at
the traffic lights and people were gathering on the other
side of the road going to walk, and I see
a pile of them. I want to smash them. And
you know, I'm like that old the old soldier that
has PTSD And you know then I'm going to remind myself, no, Brad,
(04:13):
just walk nicely.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Yeah, that's one of the funniest things I've ever heard
anyone in my life. It's so honest.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
He sees bowling pins.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Well, what was the toughest physical encounter you ever played?
And you must remember it.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
When I was younger coming through as lighter Lena, as
a nineteen year old play in an URL. They were
tough games because I was throwing myself about and you know,
I was just a young guy developing, So they were
the toughest games. But Origin is a brutal spring box
at you know, altitude in Africa, just a heavyweight title
(04:55):
fight that they were good competitions as well.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Gerrian and I joined the complaint so I'd ack you
breakfast discussion group on Facebook for more.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
I've a lot said in your book about the training
side of it. Obviously that was a big part of
it to you. I have worked with Beaver before in
the past, and he told me his story or a
rumor that allegedly you used to make him and Conrad
Smith do bench press competitions to find out who the
weakest all Black was. Is that true?
Speaker 3 (05:25):
That's true? It was. Yeah. I used to sit behind
Conrade on the bus and the poor guy he got
purpled by me for four years because I am I
am actually a past People probably won't realize that, but
I used to sit on his shoulder in the bus
and I'd say, you know, you're not fast, You're not strong,
(05:46):
You're not you're not that. How are you and this team?
And I used to just be bantering. But and then
along came Conrad's equal in Beaver, and that's why I said,
let's find out the battle of the most And I
think Beaver came out at the top of the bench
one one fifteen to so maybe one turn or something. Yeah.
(06:09):
But one thing I'll say about Conrad mate loves to
churn up, eating up forever.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
What was the biggest celebration you were ever involved in?
I mean, were you a big celebrator? I mean, or
by the end of your career, could you not be
asked celebrating because you won too much.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Yeah, I just love winning titles and winning and you know,
just to be fair, it's the whole journey of that. So, yeah,
all the work that goes in. And I grew up
with her saying from my primary school that my dad
loves which was reward for effort. And you know when
you put in all that effort, that reward, you know
(06:48):
you wanted better to just enjoy that. And then you know,
you sit up and you go again.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
You mentioned World Cups and State of Origins and you
know regularly championships you must have. You've played with some
of the most talented players across all the codes. Who's
the most talented player you ever played with?
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Out? It's just it's just so because you know, you've
got all your different positions. You know, a talented guy,
I can say Franks for as technique as a tight
ed prop you know, Tony Woodcock could say Dan Carlo
and you could say that Darren Lockyer. You know, ala,
all these guys. It's just too much, you know, just
(07:32):
just a lot, like you said, privileged to play with
so many great talents, but more importantly great man.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Was there any ever any one of those guys though,
who was just good at everything, because sometimes you know,
you might be playing golf with a dude or I've
heard Mitchell Santa, for example from the black Cats, basically
is good at every single sport that he ever plays
with its darts or pool or golf. Was there anyone
who was just kind of good at just everything?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Yeah, you know, there's a lot of guys like that,
and a lot of you go further back, you know,
everyone was playing every sport, you know, so so Ali
Lang was a great cricketer. You know, there's so many
guys created different sports. They're just they're athletes and you
know they're super talented.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
So yeah, ever been in a fight with a teammate
at practice.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Fight bush and show? You know, maybe you use someone's
face to get up with my with my with my name,
with my nigh. But I generally generally very tight with
my team and protective, you know. So it was more
always about my opposition. And my biggest thing was not
(08:52):
this is what Beaver used to do to me and Kahui.
They knew that my weakness was I found it hard
playing against people I liked. They would try and be
friendly to me and and again the chiefs versus Crust
done you. I'm like, get away from me, get away
from me and Richard. So that was my that was
(09:13):
my challenge.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
Trying to buddy up. I love that. I'm just having
a look at the contents. The forwards of the book
is written by a bunch of incredible coaches. Wayn't Bennett
Robbie Dean's Joe Schmidt? Who is going to be the
next Door Blacks coach? Do you think?
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Brad? Yeah? No idea very diplomatic, but yeah, I feel
for Rosa two years and you don't get to finish
that job. That's a tough one. What you sign up
for it could easily happen Ian Foster two years out
as well. So you know, whoever gets that role, you
know it's a tough job, but you know what an
(09:51):
honor and you know there's there's so much to do
for that team.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Brad Thorne, you probably watch a lot of sports still
if you're in the crowd, do you ever just think
at fifty one or fifty one next Tuesday, do you
ever think about just getting out there with the boats
and guns and smashing some seas?
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Yeah, definitely, definitely. I still think I've got it in
my own head and the reality is I don't so
but yeah, you got You know, you've got to let
yourself be that old man that still thinks, you know,
I can put the boots on. So yeah, I'm still
still got that little, you know, part of me that
thinks that.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Bred Thorne, thank you so much for talking to us today.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Yeah, awesome. Thanks for your Tom. Guys appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Jeremie Wells and the Nice Stuart find them on Instagram
at Hodaky Breakfast
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