September 11, 2024 • 14 mins
Christian Cullen, nicknamed the Paikakariki Express, was considered to be one of the most potent running fullbacks rugby has ever seen. With 46 tries scored in 58 Tests, he is the 9th highest try-scorer in international rugby.
He was also a star of the NZ Sevens Team and won a Gold Medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpar.
He’s now taken on the challenge of Celebrity Treasure Island, competing against 15 other well known kiwis to secure 100-thousand dollars for his chosen charity Brain Tumour Support.
It’s on Mon to Wed 7.30pm on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+.
Christian Cullen joined Simon Barnett and James Daniels for Six and a Song.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Simon Barnett and James Daniels Afternoons
podcast from Newstalks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
News Talks EDB. Christian Cullen, nicknamed the Pi Kakadiki Express,
was considered to be one of the most potent running
fullbacks rugby has ever seen. Forty six tries scored fifty
eight tests. He's the ninth highest try score on international rugby.
Who's also a star of the New Zealand sevens team,
won a gold medal no Less at the nineteen ninety
eight Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpa. He's now taken on
(00:33):
the challenge of Celebrity Treasure Island, competing against fifteen other
well known kiwis to secure one hundred thousand dollars for
his chosen charity, Brain Tumor Support. It's on Mondays to
Wednesdays seven thirty PMTV and Z two and TV and
Z Plus. It's a real pleasure to welcome Christian Cullen
on for six in a song good a mate, good
a mate.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
There you going guys?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Yeah great? So who wins? Yeah yeah, will give you
five bucks? No, really lovely to have you on it.
It's exciting for James and I to talk to you.
Can I just ask because it's a charity very dear
to my heart. Why brain tumor support?
Speaker 3 (01:08):
I mean, yeah, that was one of the probably the
main reason that I went on. We lost my wife's brother,
my brother in law, probably about over a year and
a half ago now to a brain turmor so he
was sort of just knocking on forty years old, so
we young, living his best life and Aussie and come
back and yeah, so pretty sad. So that was one
of the main reasons. And yeah, I mean, jeez, if
(01:31):
you can win one hundred thousand or just awareness, that's
pretty much what it was all about for me.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Really, well, good on you. That's I mean that there's
just no cure and it's the most brutal, brutal disease.
It's incredibly demanding of caregivers. So honor you for that
great choice.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
Hey, let's find the back or the clock back. Christian,
tell us about your early life. Where did you grow
up and how did you first get involved in rugby.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
You're brought up in a place called park Cockriki, so
probably about forty minutes forty minutes out of Wellington, probably
about twenty hour new transmission Gully. Yeah, so pretty small
community and I pretty much played Rouge because my brother
and sister, who are a couple of years older, were
playing it. So you always played sort of in a
(02:19):
grade or two above what I was. So yeah, there's
plenty of tears. Yeah, got not I say beaten up,
but just playing bigger kids. So there's plenty of magic water.
And you got thrown in the front row at a
pretty young age because apparently there was the safest place
to be.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Do you remember Groth? Do you remember getting your first
test jersey? Who gave it to you and what it
was like. Can you recall when you ran out for
the very first time as an all back?
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:48):
Absolutely. I mean there was a napier against Sarma, so yeah,
I mean that's always a special, special moment. I mean
we always remember sort of waking up in the early
mornings and Dad with the cheese on toaster, Milo were
watching overseas, So I mean that's always a dream. I
mean when we're young, I mean, Jesus they all blacks
was the ultimate. So to get your first test jersey
(03:11):
and in napier against Summers, it's pretty special. I can't
remember it must have been you know, I mean John
Hard or Mike Banks that the manager that used to
hand the jerseys out in those days. But it's pretty
cool to get it the sort of night before the
Test match and then go back to your room and
my room. He was in Zambrook, so just pretty experienced.
But yeah, you sort of chuck on your bed and
(03:31):
you look at it and yeah, it's a pretty cool feeling.
So yeah, just finally to chuck it on and then
run out in front of a pretty cool crowd was
pretty special.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Crazy. Do you still have that jersey? The first one?
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
I do.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Always always sort of had a thing in the years
that I always keep your first jersey of the of
the year for a Test match because you don't know
it's going to be your last one. So yeah, sometimes
when guys come to swap swap jersey with here you go,
mate's the first one. I'm going to keep this one.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Lovely story enough, Hey, when you were playing for the Hurricanes,
the rumor is that you could beat the big boys
and the bench press you could lift more than them.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Is that's true too?
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Oh that's a good room array.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Did you start it? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Well, one of my good mates started that. Yeah, it
was probably more the body the body of weight ratio,
so it was probably not going eighty five six kg's
and doing I don't know, one fifty one sixteen. But
some of these other the prop forwards, mate, were sort
of one hundred and thirty hundred and twenty kids and
they were doing a lot more, but they had bigger
chests and smaller arms, mate, so.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Out of proportion. Yeah, yeah, what was it? What was
your favorite All Black Test match ever that you recall
playing in? Oh?
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Gee, probably I mean the one in two thousand over
and I think they called it the game of the
century at the time. That was. Yeah, we went like
twenty four mil up and Jesus Australia was in seven
minutes or something, and then it was twenty four after
night I remember that, and then Jonah scored. We we
sort of went down there. Jona scored the winning try
in the last sort of minute. So I mean, I
(05:09):
mean that sticks out. But do you know what, every
Test is pretty special. It's first one is great, but
that one's probably, yeah, obviously one that sticks out just
of all the way how the game went like a
chopped and change momentum swings and all that sort of
stuff and a massive crowd as well.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
It's lovely, you know, you even mentioning the name of
Jonah because you've played with some of the greats. You
are one of the greats. But I would say the
story I read recently saying of all the All Blacks
have ever played the game, Jonah's international reputation was second
to none. He really sort of owned the game, really,
And what was he like when when he got the ball,
did you, as a player on the ground, go, oh,
(05:45):
holy crap, this is going to be good.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Yeah, it's better when he was on your side too.
We're very lucky with the Wellington boys. We only played
I only played Jonah once. That was, you know, that
first game of Super Rugby when he was playing for
the Blues and then he decided to come to Wellington.
So I was like, yeah, thank god for that. He
was special. And yeah, I mean, hey, I scored a
lot of tries on the back of Jonah. And you
(06:08):
just knew when he got the ball. You just had
to find a support line because you knew that he
was going to be three or four players. And I mean, yeah,
as you said, like outside of rugby, He was the
first global sort of rugby superstar, and I can't imagine
how we got noticed when you walked around. But Jonah
was on a different level just I mean, his presence,
(06:29):
of size, just everything about him was you know, so
every went people would know him. That was in New Zealand,
that was in Australia, that was in Hong Kong, that
was everywhere. So I can't imagine how hard that would
have been. But I mean he took it.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
In astride, he grew into it today.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, generous. Everything about him was perfect.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Yeah, lovely.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
Now you obviously Jonah's one of the, if not the
best player that you've played with. But apart from all blacks,
who was your favorite player to play with? It could
have been a club clubby or a provincial player.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Oh yeah, I mean, look, I played a lot of
rugby of Tanna, so yeah, yeah, I just did the
wording and we had a pretty good understanding. He sort
of knew that I didn't talk much, and we had
just had a good understanding of how each other played.
And I roomed with him a lot because he was
a massive snorer, so I was a pretty good sleeper,
so I could sleep anyway. So I got stuck with
(07:23):
tone of quite a here, but until he become captain
and he's got his own room, lucky for everybody else.
So I mean along there. You know, I went through
a lot of a lot of teams in Haifan, and
there's a lot of good players and for whatever reason,
never sort of went on. And but you know, junior grades,
there's some good players floating around, and I think that
it's just rugby.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I want you to name one though, I just want
you to name one, anyone.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
To play with the guy and any because I always
tell the story he's to play with a guy a
man or two called buff and his and hopefully hearing
because he's one of those guys when you're never wear
any undies when you had a sugar and rugby shorts
and he was the front rower. So you can you
imagine that.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
I love the name too. Is gorgeous? Hey, just one thing?
You're looking good? Next? Still you even got fat? Like,
is it really hard when you're finished playing at that
level to sort of just maintain a normal kind of
lifestyle and if you're not training as much and doing
as much.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Yeah, I mean, I mean I still love I love
training mate, But I think I think when you retire
and you see some of the boys, you either go,
you go one or two ways. You're either pilot on
or you lose it.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Lucky for me, I'm a which way, did pretty weepo go?
I stop?
Speaker 3 (08:37):
The only place I put weight on is around my stomach.
That's my little bug bill. You know, you and I
don't need a lot. I still train, but yeah, if
I don't train, oh, I'd lose weight. So I need
to sort of keep on ticking away and doing weights
and get on the bike and sort of walk on
the treadmill sot uphill. That's sort of my and then
I'll play a lot of golf.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Good on you, Good on you, mate. Hey, we're loving
chatting with your Christian. Thank you for your time. So
why did you decide to do Treasure Island Christian?
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (09:06):
I guess A big part of it was the charity element.
I mean, look, I'll tell you the truth. I've been
on the island with people I don't know, living heart
and not eating much and all that sort of stuff.
There is not something that I would think I would
have done. But the charity and brain tremor support that
was a big reason.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Good on you, mate, and good luck. Hey.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
Now the quick fire questions, what's one of the nicest
compliments you've ever received?
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Oh? Well, people say that I'm reasonably, reasonably humble and
very loyal.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
That's good trade. Now you've got to be honest with
us here, no fudging, no lying, otherwise it will be
a big bolt of lightning that strikes you down. Have
you ever watched yourself back on screen playing footy in
the glory days?
Speaker 3 (09:54):
I try and show the kids because the kids don't
sometimes don't believe you. Well, actually I good play for you,
all black, so you listen to me.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
You've got to learn to kick with your left foot
as well. Okay, yeah, Now, if you had the power
to change one thing in your world, what would that be?
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Gee, in my world? I mean look, we just want
to be happy, have fun, enjoy life. I mean we know,
as I think we get older, things start to happen.
So that's a big thing, is Yeah, your life can
be taken away pretty quickly, so just enjoy every moment
and enjoy your kids and family. And you didn't have fun?
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Very well? Said, very well said? What's something Christian that
you thought when you were young, you thought, man, this
is so important. I've got to get this right. But
now as you've aged a bit to go, you know
that actually wasn't a big deal. I shouldn't have worried
about it.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Yeah, I mean, I guess the big thing and I
reckon it's harder to do it now and we're still
working on that day is for what people think its
are about you. I mean, it doesn't really matter. It's
just sort of your close group of people that are
around you that that matter the most. But that is
difficult getting difficult now with social media. And I would
I hate when we were coming through the ruged days
of social media was around, and you know you're trying
(11:07):
to recomment on what people say. So that's always the work.
I mate, that's I mean, you obviously you care what
people think, but you probably shouldn't that if you don't
know them.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
Yeah, you're obviously proud of your family, But apart from them,
what are you most proud of?
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Oh? Look, I mean I play for the Allbats, and
I say that now that I think big All Beats
been going since like the eighteen nineties or something like this.
It's a very small I think he's over a thousand
and something, so over one hundred plus years is a
small It's quite a cool group to be involved with. Yeah,
and I always say, like, I mean, obviously proud of
(11:45):
you know. I love being a dad, so yeah, it's
pretty cool that. Yeah, I think I'm a good dad.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
How many kids have you got? Christian four ages?
Speaker 3 (11:56):
We are twelve, thirteen, fourteen, sixteen.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Oh you're in the think of it. Yeah, show them
those videos for sure. That's that's brownie points there. What
what do you consider as your worst quality?
Speaker 3 (12:10):
I think my wife says, I internalize a lot. I
don't give too much out, so I'm not a big
talker and bottle things up, I guess.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
And yeah, okay, yeah, good on you for being honest.
It is honest. That's honest.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
Now, last question, if you could invite any one person
still alive for dinner, who would that be.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
I'll tell you what. I'll watched a bit of a
bit of the Voice, and I love Tom Jones. He's
a I just think he's a beautiful man. And he
you know, he sings with the contestants and he just
seems like he's got a beautiful soul. So and I
love his voice.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
And he's also that's a great Actually, I also want
to ask, because there's some wonderful sports documentaries on the moment,
what's the best sports docko you've ever seen? Good question?
Speaker 3 (12:57):
Oh, Kuky Yeah, I've probably watched all of them as well.
I like the golf and I like the you with
the PGA one.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
The cast I think it's called someone like that, doesn't it?
Full swing? I think full swingers go through.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
I mean some of the players I don't. I'm not
really into, but some other players that are are sort
of doing it tough on the PGA. And yeah, really
good attitude. Denounce one was awesome as well.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Tony Fenales, what a lovely guy. A I've watched that too.
I love that Brooks Kipker Yeah, yeah, I'm with you.
He stop, he's a buffet, I reckon. We've got a
good friendship going here, Christian with Kendrick spirit mate. We've
really loved chatting with you all the very best. Of course,
you know, we don't who's going to win us? Little
(13:42):
bit treasure Rillance on Monday to Wednesday seven thirty TV
and Z two and TV and Z plus. Really great
to have you on. We'll finish with your choice of song.
What have you chosen the why? Please? Mate?
Speaker 3 (13:52):
Oh, we're going to Luke Holmb's fast Car. I love
a bit of country and he's an all black supporter
because I've seen him in the change room down Dneda
with the all Blacks and I was gut at that.
I was twenty years late, early early.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
What a great choice we could be, mate, Christian, I'm
telling you we could be. Are you a nerd? Shut up, James, Christian,
thank you very much of your time. We're going to
play your song all the very best and thanks for
yeching perfect Christian Callen. This is his song at news Talk,
said B. Do you get a fast car?
Speaker 4 (14:28):
I want to ticket to you anyway.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
Maybe we make a deal.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
Maybe together we can get.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Somewhere and it please is better start from zoo. Got
nothing to lose.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Maybe we will make something me myself, I got.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Nothing to prove
Speaker 1 (14:50):
For more from Simon Barnett and James Daniels afternoons, listen
live to News Talk, Said B, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Simon Barnett and James Daniels Afternoons
podcast from Newstalks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
News Talks EDB. Christian Cullen, nicknamed the Pi Kakadiki Express,
was considered to be one of the most potent running
fullbacks rugby has ever seen. Forty six tries scored fifty
eight tests. He's the ninth highest try score on international rugby.
Who's also a star of the New Zealand sevens team,
won a gold medal no Less at the nineteen ninety
eight Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpa. He's now taken on
(00:33):
the challenge of Celebrity Treasure Island, competing against fifteen other
well known kiwis to secure one hundred thousand dollars for
his chosen charity, Brain Tumor Support. It's on Mondays to
Wednesdays seven thirty PMTV and Z two and TV and
Z Plus. It's a real pleasure to welcome Christian Cullen
on for six in a song good a mate, good
a mate.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
There you going guys?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Yeah great? So who wins? Yeah yeah, will give you
five bucks? No, really lovely to have you on it.
It's exciting for James and I to talk to you.
Can I just ask because it's a charity very dear
to my heart. Why brain tumor support?
Speaker 3 (01:08):
I mean, yeah, that was one of the probably the
main reason that I went on. We lost my wife's brother,
my brother in law, probably about over a year and
a half ago now to a brain turmor so he
was sort of just knocking on forty years old, so
we young, living his best life and Aussie and come
back and yeah, so pretty sad. So that was one
of the main reasons. And yeah, I mean, jeez, if
(01:31):
you can win one hundred thousand or just awareness, that's
pretty much what it was all about for me.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Really, well, good on you. That's I mean that there's
just no cure and it's the most brutal, brutal disease.
It's incredibly demanding of caregivers. So honor you for that
great choice.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
Hey, let's find the back or the clock back. Christian,
tell us about your early life. Where did you grow
up and how did you first get involved in rugby.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
You're brought up in a place called park Cockriki, so
probably about forty minutes forty minutes out of Wellington, probably
about twenty hour new transmission Gully. Yeah, so pretty small
community and I pretty much played Rouge because my brother
and sister, who are a couple of years older, were
playing it. So you always played sort of in a
(02:19):
grade or two above what I was. So yeah, there's
plenty of tears. Yeah, got not I say beaten up,
but just playing bigger kids. So there's plenty of magic water.
And you got thrown in the front row at a
pretty young age because apparently there was the safest place
to be.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Do you remember Groth? Do you remember getting your first
test jersey? Who gave it to you and what it
was like. Can you recall when you ran out for
the very first time as an all back?
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:48):
Absolutely. I mean there was a napier against Sarma, so yeah,
I mean that's always a special, special moment. I mean
we always remember sort of waking up in the early
mornings and Dad with the cheese on toaster, Milo were
watching overseas, So I mean that's always a dream. I
mean when we're young, I mean, Jesus they all blacks
was the ultimate. So to get your first test jersey
(03:11):
and in napier against Summers, it's pretty special. I can't
remember it must have been you know, I mean John
Hard or Mike Banks that the manager that used to
hand the jerseys out in those days. But it's pretty
cool to get it the sort of night before the
Test match and then go back to your room and
my room. He was in Zambrook, so just pretty experienced.
But yeah, you sort of chuck on your bed and
(03:31):
you look at it and yeah, it's a pretty cool feeling.
So yeah, just finally to chuck it on and then
run out in front of a pretty cool crowd was
pretty special.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Crazy. Do you still have that jersey? The first one?
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
I do.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Always always sort of had a thing in the years
that I always keep your first jersey of the of
the year for a Test match because you don't know
it's going to be your last one. So yeah, sometimes
when guys come to swap swap jersey with here you go,
mate's the first one. I'm going to keep this one.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Lovely story enough, Hey, when you were playing for the Hurricanes,
the rumor is that you could beat the big boys
and the bench press you could lift more than them.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Is that's true too?
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Oh that's a good room array.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Did you start it? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Well, one of my good mates started that. Yeah, it
was probably more the body the body of weight ratio,
so it was probably not going eighty five six kg's
and doing I don't know, one fifty one sixteen. But
some of these other the prop forwards, mate, were sort
of one hundred and thirty hundred and twenty kids and
they were doing a lot more, but they had bigger
chests and smaller arms, mate, so.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Out of proportion. Yeah, yeah, what was it? What was
your favorite All Black Test match ever that you recall
playing in? Oh?
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Gee, probably I mean the one in two thousand over
and I think they called it the game of the
century at the time. That was. Yeah, we went like
twenty four mil up and Jesus Australia was in seven
minutes or something, and then it was twenty four after
night I remember that, and then Jonah scored. We we
sort of went down there. Jona scored the winning try
in the last sort of minute. So I mean, I
(05:09):
mean that sticks out. But do you know what, every
Test is pretty special. It's first one is great, but
that one's probably, yeah, obviously one that sticks out just
of all the way how the game went like a
chopped and change momentum swings and all that sort of
stuff and a massive crowd as well.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
It's lovely, you know, you even mentioning the name of
Jonah because you've played with some of the greats. You
are one of the greats. But I would say the
story I read recently saying of all the All Blacks
have ever played the game, Jonah's international reputation was second
to none. He really sort of owned the game, really,
And what was he like when when he got the ball,
did you, as a player on the ground, go, oh,
(05:45):
holy crap, this is going to be good.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Yeah, it's better when he was on your side too.
We're very lucky with the Wellington boys. We only played
I only played Jonah once. That was, you know, that
first game of Super Rugby when he was playing for
the Blues and then he decided to come to Wellington.
So I was like, yeah, thank god for that. He
was special. And yeah, I mean, hey, I scored a
lot of tries on the back of Jonah. And you
(06:08):
just knew when he got the ball. You just had
to find a support line because you knew that he
was going to be three or four players. And I mean, yeah,
as you said, like outside of rugby, He was the
first global sort of rugby superstar, and I can't imagine
how we got noticed when you walked around. But Jonah
was on a different level just I mean, his presence,
(06:29):
of size, just everything about him was you know, so
every went people would know him. That was in New Zealand,
that was in Australia, that was in Hong Kong, that
was everywhere. So I can't imagine how hard that would
have been. But I mean he took it.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
In astride, he grew into it today.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, generous. Everything about him was perfect.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Yeah, lovely.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
Now you obviously Jonah's one of the, if not the
best player that you've played with. But apart from all blacks,
who was your favorite player to play with? It could
have been a club clubby or a provincial player.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Oh yeah, I mean, look, I played a lot of
rugby of Tanna, so yeah, yeah, I just did the
wording and we had a pretty good understanding. He sort
of knew that I didn't talk much, and we had
just had a good understanding of how each other played.
And I roomed with him a lot because he was
a massive snorer, so I was a pretty good sleeper,
so I could sleep anyway. So I got stuck with
(07:23):
tone of quite a here, but until he become captain
and he's got his own room, lucky for everybody else.
So I mean along there. You know, I went through
a lot of a lot of teams in Haifan, and
there's a lot of good players and for whatever reason,
never sort of went on. And but you know, junior grades,
there's some good players floating around, and I think that
it's just rugby.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I want you to name one though, I just want
you to name one, anyone.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
To play with the guy and any because I always
tell the story he's to play with a guy a
man or two called buff and his and hopefully hearing
because he's one of those guys when you're never wear
any undies when you had a sugar and rugby shorts
and he was the front rower. So you can you
imagine that.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
I love the name too. Is gorgeous? Hey, just one thing?
You're looking good? Next? Still you even got fat? Like,
is it really hard when you're finished playing at that
level to sort of just maintain a normal kind of
lifestyle and if you're not training as much and doing
as much.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Yeah, I mean, I mean I still love I love
training mate, But I think I think when you retire
and you see some of the boys, you either go,
you go one or two ways. You're either pilot on
or you lose it.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Lucky for me, I'm a which way, did pretty weepo go?
I stop?
Speaker 3 (08:37):
The only place I put weight on is around my stomach.
That's my little bug bill. You know, you and I
don't need a lot. I still train, but yeah, if
I don't train, oh, I'd lose weight. So I need
to sort of keep on ticking away and doing weights
and get on the bike and sort of walk on
the treadmill sot uphill. That's sort of my and then
I'll play a lot of golf.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Good on you, Good on you, mate. Hey, we're loving
chatting with your Christian. Thank you for your time. So
why did you decide to do Treasure Island Christian?
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (09:06):
I guess A big part of it was the charity element.
I mean, look, I'll tell you the truth. I've been
on the island with people I don't know, living heart
and not eating much and all that sort of stuff.
There is not something that I would think I would
have done. But the charity and brain tremor support that
was a big reason.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Good on you, mate, and good luck. Hey.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
Now the quick fire questions, what's one of the nicest
compliments you've ever received?
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Oh? Well, people say that I'm reasonably, reasonably humble and
very loyal.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
That's good trade. Now you've got to be honest with
us here, no fudging, no lying, otherwise it will be
a big bolt of lightning that strikes you down. Have
you ever watched yourself back on screen playing footy in
the glory days?
Speaker 3 (09:54):
I try and show the kids because the kids don't
sometimes don't believe you. Well, actually I good play for you,
all black, so you listen to me.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
You've got to learn to kick with your left foot
as well. Okay, yeah, Now, if you had the power
to change one thing in your world, what would that be?
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Gee, in my world? I mean look, we just want
to be happy, have fun, enjoy life. I mean we know,
as I think we get older, things start to happen.
So that's a big thing, is Yeah, your life can
be taken away pretty quickly, so just enjoy every moment
and enjoy your kids and family. And you didn't have fun?
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Very well? Said, very well said? What's something Christian that
you thought when you were young, you thought, man, this
is so important. I've got to get this right. But
now as you've aged a bit to go, you know
that actually wasn't a big deal. I shouldn't have worried
about it.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Yeah, I mean, I guess the big thing and I
reckon it's harder to do it now and we're still
working on that day is for what people think its
are about you. I mean, it doesn't really matter. It's
just sort of your close group of people that are
around you that that matter the most. But that is
difficult getting difficult now with social media. And I would
I hate when we were coming through the ruged days
of social media was around, and you know you're trying
(11:07):
to recomment on what people say. So that's always the work.
I mate, that's I mean, you obviously you care what
people think, but you probably shouldn't that if you don't
know them.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
Yeah, you're obviously proud of your family, But apart from them,
what are you most proud of?
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Oh? Look, I mean I play for the Allbats, and
I say that now that I think big All Beats
been going since like the eighteen nineties or something like this.
It's a very small I think he's over a thousand
and something, so over one hundred plus years is a
small It's quite a cool group to be involved with. Yeah,
and I always say, like, I mean, obviously proud of
(11:45):
you know. I love being a dad, so yeah, it's
pretty cool that. Yeah, I think I'm a good dad.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
How many kids have you got? Christian four ages?
Speaker 3 (11:56):
We are twelve, thirteen, fourteen, sixteen.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Oh you're in the think of it. Yeah, show them
those videos for sure. That's that's brownie points there. What
what do you consider as your worst quality?
Speaker 3 (12:10):
I think my wife says, I internalize a lot. I
don't give too much out, so I'm not a big
talker and bottle things up, I guess.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
And yeah, okay, yeah, good on you for being honest.
It is honest. That's honest.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
Now, last question, if you could invite any one person
still alive for dinner, who would that be.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
I'll tell you what. I'll watched a bit of a
bit of the Voice, and I love Tom Jones. He's
a I just think he's a beautiful man. And he
you know, he sings with the contestants and he just
seems like he's got a beautiful soul. So and I
love his voice.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
And he's also that's a great Actually, I also want
to ask, because there's some wonderful sports documentaries on the moment,
what's the best sports docko you've ever seen? Good question?
Speaker 3 (12:57):
Oh, Kuky Yeah, I've probably watched all of them as well.
I like the golf and I like the you with
the PGA one.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
The cast I think it's called someone like that, doesn't it?
Full swing? I think full swingers go through.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
I mean some of the players I don't. I'm not
really into, but some other players that are are sort
of doing it tough on the PGA. And yeah, really
good attitude. Denounce one was awesome as well.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Tony Fenales, what a lovely guy. A I've watched that too.
I love that Brooks Kipker Yeah, yeah, I'm with you.
He stop, he's a buffet, I reckon. We've got a
good friendship going here, Christian with Kendrick spirit mate. We've
really loved chatting with you all the very best. Of course,
you know, we don't who's going to win us? Little
(13:42):
bit treasure Rillance on Monday to Wednesday seven thirty TV
and Z two and TV and Z plus. Really great
to have you on. We'll finish with your choice of song.
What have you chosen the why? Please? Mate?
Speaker 3 (13:52):
Oh, we're going to Luke Holmb's fast Car. I love
a bit of country and he's an all black supporter
because I've seen him in the change room down Dneda
with the all Blacks and I was gut at that.
I was twenty years late, early early.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
What a great choice we could be, mate, Christian, I'm
telling you we could be. Are you a nerd? Shut up, James, Christian,
thank you very much of your time. We're going to
play your song all the very best and thanks for
yeching perfect Christian Callen. This is his song at news Talk,
said B. Do you get a fast car?
Speaker 4 (14:28):
I want to ticket to you anyway.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
Maybe we make a deal.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
Maybe together we can get.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Somewhere and it please is better start from zoo. Got
nothing to lose.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Maybe we will make something me myself, I got.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Nothing to prove
Speaker 1 (14:50):
For more from Simon Barnett and James Daniels afternoons, listen
live to News Talk, Said B, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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