August 6, 2024 • 9 mins
New Zealand Rugby League CEO Greg Peters joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to discuss the retirement of Shaun Johnson.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News Talk z'd be.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Well john on Sports Talk Now by CEO of n
z L, mister Greg Peters. Greg, welcome to the show.
I trust you will and happy as a clan.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Thank you very much, Darcy. It's always good to chat
to you and you so m and I hope you
are too, mate.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I know I have to be during winter mate, You've
got to keep smiling. Although the news that came out
around Sean Johnson retiring, I can't say a grin from
air to air, but in retrospect, it's like, what a
career this bloke has had. He is going out on
his own terms. You've got to give him that credit
shortly after what he's done for the game of rugby league.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Oh, he's been amazing. He's an amazing ambassador for the game.
And you know, lots of little kids running around trying
to emulate him side steeping and kicking and everything else,
all this array of skills that he has. So you know,
good on him for going out at a time of
his choosing and in a way where he can he
can have the last four games, you know, marking those
(01:07):
and playing for the club and one final one at
home at the end there which would be which would
be fantastic for him.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
I'm sure it would be pretty emotional when you look
back at his creen you touched on it before. How
important is it for the game of rugby league from
that grassroots arena up to the dizzying heights of KIWI
representation to have an aspirational character like Sean Johnson being there,
being so available and definitely being the essence of Kiwi.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Well, you often get coaches talking about then not willing
to put players above any other player, but there's a
group of players like that, like Sewan, that you kind
of just have to do that, and it's the right thing.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
You know.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
We need people to look up to, we need to
feel good about ourselves, and we need heroes in our
lives and Sean's one of those in a raugby league.
And of course he came up through the touch touch code,
not so much as much grassroots raby league has says
some of the other boys did. But you know the
skills that he's got through playing different codes and ways
(02:05):
growing with a gar and the way he stuck at it.
You know, how good was it for him to come
back from Australia and have another another crack at the Warriors,
you know, and play like he did last year and
take them through to the finals.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Pretty much encouragement for kids to play the game just
based on having a hero like that.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Absolutely, we need those heroes, we need to build them up.
And he's one of those guys that's just an all
round good guy. He's one of the first guys when
I came into the job that a group of senior
Kiwis that were around at that time that I engaged with.
And he's always been engaging and willing to offer a
review and a constructive viewer around the game and around where.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
The Kiwis are going.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
So those sort of players are really important for us
to so we you know, we can be put on
the right track in terms of how we should be
going with the Kiwis and but also for the game
in a wider sense. He cares about the game, he
cares about people, and he cares about where.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
The game's going in New Zealand, which is really important
to us.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
He can be a lightning rod because he is so
incredibly talented. People love him when it's going well. When
it's not going well, they all turn on him pretty fast.
He's almost your typical tall poppy when it comes to Kiev.
He sports people. Isn't he fair or unfair?
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Yeah, he's copped a lot of really unfair stuff over
over the time. And you know that's that's unfair. We've
got a grap as a as a New Zealand sporting
fans and public to to XE say well, look, look, look,
look look at the amazing career this buck's head. And
let's support guys when they're you know, when they're PEPs
not having as good a time as they might at
other times.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Let's get behind them and encourage them.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
To be to get back to where they where they
can be, rather than trying to cut them down every
time they make a mistake. So he's one of those
guys that's copped up, but look look at how he's
come through. It's he's stood there, a family man, he's
got strong values and he's just been able to withstand
some of that crap that gets thrown at some of
our top athletes.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Unfortunately, never a character to pick up an NRL title,
but no warrior ever has been that won't be a
black mark against his name. But you look at the
highlights of his career, where would they sit for you,
gree if you look at a time as a Kiwi
or a Warrior. We went check dad out, what would
it be the golden boot of what twenty fourteen?
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Yeah? Yeah, I mean he would have to be in
the top. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
I haven't given a lot of thought to exactly the
pecking order, but you know, five or six best Kiwis ever,
you know, in many ways played thirty two tests. I
think it is for the Kiwis, so a big chunk,
and you think there's not many people in rugby league
that play more than fifty tests for example. So he's
up there in a kind of seasoned campaigner for the
(04:51):
Kiwis level. And he's and he's been fantastic, as I said,
as a guy within the camp, a leader within the group,
and just an all round good guy to be around.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
He shot a lot of people when he left the
Warriors and able to pay Cranulla, and I think he
shocked just as many when he decided to come home again.
So he's not played by the rule books. He's played
very much by how he feels it's going to be
best for him and you'd say that has moved to Canulla. Well,
it paid off last year. It was an extraordinary form.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Yeah. At the time.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
Unfortunately the time he heard he was going to be
leaving the Warriors, he's on tour with us in the
UK with the Kiwis and back into twenty eighteen and
his dad was here with him, which was really good
because he was able to offer quite a bit of
support to Sean at the time. But to his credit,
he just knuckled down and got on with that, didn't he,
(05:47):
you know, And he made it. He tried his best
in Australia and then welcome back with open arms into
Warriors and the rest history. And what a way to
finish when he started all those years ago with the
Warriors and you finished with the club that you was
a boy held dream for him and many other people
look up to him and say, well, that's my dream too,
I'd love to be playing for the Warriors.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Done what he did in the Kiwis as well.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
You talk about and you mentioned maybe the top five
players that have played for the Kiwi or the top
five league players in New Zealand history, something about halfbacks
a himself and Stacy Jones, proving that even the little
fellas can actually bring the game to an absolute head.
So again that reason for people to play the game
that aren't blessed with the physical size that expect of
(06:30):
a lot of leagues.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
Yeah, well you look at Benji and Stacey and Sew
and they've got to be in that conversation for the
top Kiwis and top top Ravy League New Zealand re
League players that we've ever produced. So yeah, does the
sizes and everything. It's commitment and you desire to win
and desire to improve and.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Stick with the game. And look at his career, as
you said, it's an amazing record, and he is going
to go out.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
You'd expect in four games or something like this, enough
to stick a lightning bolt up the Warriors for then
to thrash the next four opposition and somehow squeak stairway
into the eighth. Well, there's any way of encouraging them,
surely it's this right.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Oh absolutely, I think I think it's a great motivational move.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
I'm very sorry to see him go, but I'm sure
that the boys will be boys, will be playing for
him for the last four games, and they want to
send them out on a real high note, and he'll
want to go out in a high note, so he'll
be fully committed, and you know, and then who knows
what the future holds from He's certainly got a marketing
bent and some conversation I'd like to have with him
(07:35):
at some stage about what the future does hold for him,
because he's got many ideas and really good thoughts about
the game, as I said before, and I'm sure he's
going to be a messive contributor in whatever way he
chooses to be post to actually retirement.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
How important is it for the game in he's ill
and to be able to retain the services of Sean
Johnson in some way, shape or form. I mean, you
don't want to be desperate Green Peters, but I'm presuming
having him around some way would be great for the club,
great for the game.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Great for the game.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
And I mean we've got that with the Kiwis now,
you know, this year, we've got you know, stack for
former Kiwis and the coaching coaching frame led by led
by Stacy. And if that is Seawn's chosen path, I'm
sure there's a path there for him to go forward
with that as well, if that's what he chooses to do.
But he, as I said before, he's probably got a
(08:29):
few options. If you look at the guy, you know, media, marketing, player, coaching, whatever,
you know, he might be something completely away from the game.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
He's he's that kind of guy, right.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
I'm looking over my shoulder.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
Watch out, we're go to sharpen up your Friday DRESSA.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Yeah, I thank you, agree Peters, but I don't have
to because here's no money in broadcasting, so he ain't
going anywhere this job. Hey Greek Peters, thanks so much
for your time. Mate, You look after yourself well. Talking
again soon. Thanks for your words.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Thanks us. What is Pleaser?
Speaker 1 (09:04):
For more from sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it Be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News Talk z'd be.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Well john on Sports Talk Now by CEO of n
z L, mister Greg Peters. Greg, welcome to the show.
I trust you will and happy as a clan.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Thank you very much, Darcy. It's always good to chat
to you and you so m and I hope you
are too, mate.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I know I have to be during winter mate, You've
got to keep smiling. Although the news that came out
around Sean Johnson retiring, I can't say a grin from
air to air, but in retrospect, it's like, what a
career this bloke has had. He is going out on
his own terms. You've got to give him that credit
shortly after what he's done for the game of rugby league.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Oh, he's been amazing. He's an amazing ambassador for the game.
And you know, lots of little kids running around trying
to emulate him side steeping and kicking and everything else,
all this array of skills that he has. So you know,
good on him for going out at a time of
his choosing and in a way where he can he
can have the last four games, you know, marking those
(01:07):
and playing for the club and one final one at
home at the end there which would be which would
be fantastic for him.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
I'm sure it would be pretty emotional when you look
back at his creen you touched on it before. How
important is it for the game of rugby league from
that grassroots arena up to the dizzying heights of KIWI
representation to have an aspirational character like Sean Johnson being there,
being so available and definitely being the essence of Kiwi.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Well, you often get coaches talking about then not willing
to put players above any other player, but there's a
group of players like that, like Sewan, that you kind
of just have to do that, and it's the right thing.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
You know.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
We need people to look up to, we need to
feel good about ourselves, and we need heroes in our
lives and Sean's one of those in a raugby league.
And of course he came up through the touch touch code,
not so much as much grassroots raby league has says
some of the other boys did. But you know the
skills that he's got through playing different codes and ways
(02:05):
growing with a gar and the way he stuck at it.
You know, how good was it for him to come
back from Australia and have another another crack at the Warriors,
you know, and play like he did last year and
take them through to the finals.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Pretty much encouragement for kids to play the game just
based on having a hero like that.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Absolutely, we need those heroes, we need to build them up.
And he's one of those guys that's just an all
round good guy. He's one of the first guys when
I came into the job that a group of senior
Kiwis that were around at that time that I engaged with.
And he's always been engaging and willing to offer a
review and a constructive viewer around the game and around where.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
The Kiwis are going.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
So those sort of players are really important for us
to so we you know, we can be put on
the right track in terms of how we should be
going with the Kiwis and but also for the game
in a wider sense. He cares about the game, he
cares about people, and he cares about where.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
The game's going in New Zealand, which is really important
to us.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
He can be a lightning rod because he is so
incredibly talented. People love him when it's going well. When
it's not going well, they all turn on him pretty fast.
He's almost your typical tall poppy when it comes to Kiev.
He sports people. Isn't he fair or unfair?
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Yeah, he's copped a lot of really unfair stuff over
over the time. And you know that's that's unfair. We've
got a grap as a as a New Zealand sporting
fans and public to to XE say well, look, look, look,
look look at the amazing career this buck's head. And
let's support guys when they're you know, when they're PEPs
not having as good a time as they might at
other times.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Let's get behind them and encourage them.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
To be to get back to where they where they
can be, rather than trying to cut them down every
time they make a mistake. So he's one of those
guys that's copped up, but look look at how he's
come through. It's he's stood there, a family man, he's
got strong values and he's just been able to withstand
some of that crap that gets thrown at some of
our top athletes.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Unfortunately, never a character to pick up an NRL title,
but no warrior ever has been that won't be a
black mark against his name. But you look at the
highlights of his career, where would they sit for you,
gree if you look at a time as a Kiwi
or a Warrior. We went check dad out, what would
it be the golden boot of what twenty fourteen?
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Yeah? Yeah, I mean he would have to be in
the top. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
I haven't given a lot of thought to exactly the
pecking order, but you know, five or six best Kiwis ever,
you know, in many ways played thirty two tests. I
think it is for the Kiwis, so a big chunk,
and you think there's not many people in rugby league
that play more than fifty tests for example. So he's
up there in a kind of seasoned campaigner for the
(04:51):
Kiwis level. And he's and he's been fantastic, as I said,
as a guy within the camp, a leader within the group,
and just an all round good guy to be around.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
He shot a lot of people when he left the
Warriors and able to pay Cranulla, and I think he
shocked just as many when he decided to come home again.
So he's not played by the rule books. He's played
very much by how he feels it's going to be
best for him and you'd say that has moved to Canulla. Well,
it paid off last year. It was an extraordinary form.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Yeah. At the time.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
Unfortunately the time he heard he was going to be
leaving the Warriors, he's on tour with us in the
UK with the Kiwis and back into twenty eighteen and
his dad was here with him, which was really good
because he was able to offer quite a bit of
support to Sean at the time. But to his credit,
he just knuckled down and got on with that, didn't he,
(05:47):
you know, And he made it. He tried his best
in Australia and then welcome back with open arms into
Warriors and the rest history. And what a way to
finish when he started all those years ago with the
Warriors and you finished with the club that you was
a boy held dream for him and many other people
look up to him and say, well, that's my dream too,
I'd love to be playing for the Warriors.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Done what he did in the Kiwis as well.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
You talk about and you mentioned maybe the top five
players that have played for the Kiwi or the top
five league players in New Zealand history, something about halfbacks
a himself and Stacy Jones, proving that even the little
fellas can actually bring the game to an absolute head.
So again that reason for people to play the game
that aren't blessed with the physical size that expect of
(06:30):
a lot of leagues.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
Yeah, well you look at Benji and Stacey and Sew
and they've got to be in that conversation for the
top Kiwis and top top Ravy League New Zealand re
League players that we've ever produced. So yeah, does the
sizes and everything. It's commitment and you desire to win
and desire to improve and.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Stick with the game. And look at his career, as
you said, it's an amazing record, and he is going
to go out.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
You'd expect in four games or something like this, enough
to stick a lightning bolt up the Warriors for then
to thrash the next four opposition and somehow squeak stairway
into the eighth. Well, there's any way of encouraging them,
surely it's this right.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Oh absolutely, I think I think it's a great motivational move.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
I'm very sorry to see him go, but I'm sure
that the boys will be boys, will be playing for
him for the last four games, and they want to
send them out on a real high note, and he'll
want to go out in a high note, so he'll
be fully committed, and you know, and then who knows
what the future holds from He's certainly got a marketing
bent and some conversation I'd like to have with him
(07:35):
at some stage about what the future does hold for him,
because he's got many ideas and really good thoughts about
the game, as I said before, and I'm sure he's
going to be a messive contributor in whatever way he
chooses to be post to actually retirement.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
How important is it for the game in he's ill
and to be able to retain the services of Sean
Johnson in some way, shape or form. I mean, you
don't want to be desperate Green Peters, but I'm presuming
having him around some way would be great for the club,
great for the game.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Great for the game.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
And I mean we've got that with the Kiwis now,
you know, this year, we've got you know, stack for
former Kiwis and the coaching coaching frame led by led
by Stacy. And if that is Seawn's chosen path, I'm
sure there's a path there for him to go forward
with that as well, if that's what he chooses to do.
But he, as I said before, he's probably got a
(08:29):
few options. If you look at the guy, you know, media, marketing, player, coaching, whatever,
you know, he might be something completely away from the game.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
He's he's that kind of guy, right.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
I'm looking over my shoulder.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
Watch out, we're go to sharpen up your Friday DRESSA.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Yeah, I thank you, agree Peters, but I don't have
to because here's no money in broadcasting, so he ain't
going anywhere this job. Hey Greek Peters, thanks so much
for your time. Mate, You look after yourself well. Talking
again soon. Thanks for your words.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Thanks us. What is Pleaser?
Speaker 1 (09:04):
For more from sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it Be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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