The Muster- Morgan Mitchell: Life After Rugby

Southland Stags legend Morgan Mitchell looks at life after rugby after recently announcing his retirement from provincial rugby.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
Welcome back to the muster, Morgan Mitchell. I'm fair to
say he's the Stags legend, and he's decided over the
past week or so that the time has come to
hang up his boots after eighty two games for the
Stags a couple of years over in Japan. He's still
going for the barber's mind, Joe, and that's why it's
going to be for the foreseeable future, Morgie. Great to
catch up once again.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Hey, thanks for having me on and looking forward to
hiving a good convo with you.

Speaker 1 (00:29):
Yeah. Look, you've achieved a lot over your career. It
goes back quite a while now to when you make
your Stags debut in twenty fourteen. I suppose when you
look back and you just you're in that reflective state
of your career at the moment, and you've achieved quite
a bit, to be fair.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
Yeah, Simmons, I've announced that I was going to retire
or actually yeah, thought thought a lot what I've done
past of my career, never actually done that before, and yeah,
some amazing memories and lifelong friends and people. Yeah, I'm

(01:06):
very proud what I've achieved and what I've done. Yeah, No, regrets.
It's been a hell of a chapter. Just another chapter
on the book. So yeah, we're grateful for self and
everyone really who has helped me. You.

Speaker 1 (01:24):
Yeah, so no regrets on the Stags jersey. Nothing if
you could go back and change anything.

Speaker 2 (01:29):
Oh yeah, a lot to win more games when that
tough period was. But nah, I thought we did self
and proud just keep wearing that for that jersey with pride,
so that's all you could ask for. It was tough,
but yeah, I wouldn't have I wouldn't change the jersey.

Speaker 1 (01:48):
Yeah, that lane, that lane run. It was a few games.
Was it hard to stay motivated?

Speaker 2 (01:55):
I think we just got caught and that losing stroke
and we were just couldn't get the monkey off our back.
And yeah, it was just going through that cycle of
rugby Southland. Yeah, nothing was really coming through. But they're
in a great place now. Got some young talent comes through,
got some guys saying on and we've got some older

(02:18):
guys still there. So that's what sort of helps the
wheels turning. You know, the young ones coming through put
the pressure on the older guys. You can't beat that.

Speaker 1 (02:26):
Well, that's one thing that Southland has going for it
and a lot of us to be feared as down
to boys high in their systems going through and all
these likes of making more the AENA for example, these
younger players coming through the ranks and there's.

Speaker 2 (02:38):
Some real talent. Yeah, he's definitely one of them, and
here's there's a few more others too. So I'm actually
looking forward to watching them on TV and see how
they go. So it'll be quite cool.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
No, you'll be on the terrace, won't you.

Speaker 2 (02:51):
Ye bloody, So we'll be having a space.

Speaker 1 (02:56):
I haven't no other way because you look back in
your career straight away and the thing I think of
as likes of they're pretty shield last year that comes
to mind, right, I mean that must all for Infinity's sake,
for like yourself and the team, and you'll think of
everything anything and everything that comes up with that. You've
got the tea year anniversaries and the likes to look
forward to.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
Ohaps. Yeah, they just really topped off everything just what
we've been through with Selflon just more for the appearance
what they've been through. It's more of a thank you
for the m for everyone fans and everything. So yeah,
it was a very much highlight of a career. I

(03:40):
never knew how big it was until you want it.
So yeah, it was pretty special, to be honest.

Speaker 1 (03:45):
Were you involved with the team when they came close?
I think it was twenty fourteen they drew a Hawk's
bay Is that right?

Speaker 2 (03:51):
Yes? I was there but never got on. But yeah, no, Yeah,
I've been involved quite a few of them, but never
quite corrected until that last one. So I guess that
last one counts when it met us, So absolutely, yeah.

Speaker 1 (04:04):
So how would you describe the Stags fans?

Speaker 2 (04:08):
Probably the best in New Zealand. That's we can ask for.
They just turn up, we can weak out no matter
what the weather or who are we playing. Yeah, it's
pretty special, pretty special prominence Southland's got.

Speaker 1 (04:23):
Yeah, because I went to Real Sport before the Stag
Day last year and you couldn't get a Stag's jersey
at Rebel. They were all gone. And it's by the
sounds that you would have heard all this anyway. But
the amount of apparel that Southland sounds sounds our salves
around the country is second or none.

Speaker 2 (04:39):
Oh. Look, even when you go away play away games,
sometimes we out numbered them, you know what I mean.
Just yeah, it's crazy how many Southland does are out
the province, but they still turn up with this day
Jersey on and they all I mean they don't know
each other, but all try and get into a group.

(05:01):
And so you can't beat that.

Speaker 1 (05:04):
Yeah, now you're working for a rural livestock you're a
stock agent. These days, it sounds like that's going pretty good.
So I mean, let's be honest, the industry is on
a high. But nonetheless, when you were going into the
last year, it would have been a new thing to do.

Speaker 2 (05:18):
Yeah, absolutely loving it. Yeah, it's a bit like a
bit of a rugby game. Every farmer thinks differently. It's
like another team, you know, we prep up and then
change technics and play play the team. So a farmer,
he farms differently, so got to work around him and

(05:40):
make the best best thing for them. So yeah, it's
very awesome, lovely people out there. Yeah, actually loved working
with farmers. Wanted to want to be a farmer, but yeah,
I can't beat this job. It's pretty pretty cool, pretty
cool to see people out there.

Speaker 1 (05:58):
And the thing about south wink you're not backwards and
being forwards either.

Speaker 2 (06:01):
You'll learn that, correct that they Yeah, no, that's they
are special people. Yeah, yes, yes, special people actually.

Speaker 1 (06:13):
So you're playing for the Barbers Eastern Northern Barbarians and
so that'll continue for the foreseeable future. You're still going
to be involved.

Speaker 2 (06:22):
Yeah, yeah, you know, I'll finish off this season. Hopefully
we'll finished off on a high and you we'll see
what happens. Yeah, we're want to focus on the job
and yeah it's just chapters closed and open up another chapter.
So yeah, looking forward to it. But still got four
more club games a go and then hopefully see me

(06:43):
some finals. But yeah, not counting the Ducks yet, so
we'll just take it week by a week.

Speaker 1 (06:49):
So it's a case of getting the gal rope would
really top things off. You you reackon, you could leave the
game on a high.

Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that will be very nice if we
do get it, just to sign off everything. Yeah, but
it'll be what it will be when we come to it. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (07:07):
Just finally, Morgie as well, because you've had issues with
your hearing of your career as well and basically deaf
and you've overcome that as well. What's that being like
for you?

Speaker 2 (07:19):
It was it was very tough at the start, but Yeah,
credit to my stubborness sometimes, but yeah I've overcome it. Yeah,
you just got to get over that first part and
then your way laughing. So that's what I put it down. Yeah,
it was tough, but here I am now loving life. Yeah,

(07:40):
can't beat it.

Speaker 1 (07:41):
So it worked out pretty well.

Speaker 2 (07:43):
Yeah that's it. Yeah, it's pretty special. What's the technologies
out there? So not only just me as people people
around New Zealand, around the world get to hear. So no,
it is pretty special to be one of those people too.
So yeah it is what it.

Speaker 1 (07:58):
Is, absolutely right mate. We'll leave it there. Thanks for
coming in on behalf of all Stags fans. Thank you
for what you've done for the Golden for the Golden
is on the tit left it and yeah you're going
to be You're going to go down and wrap yourself
on folklore for what you've achieved for the Jersey and
you've got a job to do for the barbers tomorrow.
So yeah, all the best for the rest of the season.

Speaker 2 (08:18):
Mate. Awesome, Thank you very much. No, thanks for the
people who help me. They know who they are, you know.
It's a mess of thanks everyone in you. Thanks for
havving me on and looking forward to what the future
brings in you. Thank you feel that.

Speaker 1 (08:36):
Way, Laugh out loud with ag proud because life on
the land can be a laughing matter. Brought to us
by sheer Well Data working to help the livestock farmer.
The worst thing about having a job at the unemployment
office is if you get fired, you still have to
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(08:59):
your work right. We'll leave it there for the afternoon
and for the week. Great to catch up with Morgi Mitchell,
wishing him all the best as well for the remainder
of the club season. Amany Muller. The Master is brought
to you by Peters genetis the best of The Master
of five AM tomorrow and the podcast for today going
up shortly up the Wars at the Bars. Enjoy your weekend.