# 274: Greg Inglis (Part A)

An episode of [The Howie Games](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1146329262), 28 Jul 2026, 53 min.

Audio: https://enrichment.soundstack.com/4vjqq8/episode.flightcast.com/n71nrxqnvfn264idbcgtazls.mp3

GI is an absolute Champion! He is one of rugby league's greatest-ever players, but this is a raw, funny and deeply honest conversation about the moments that shaped his remarkable life and career. There have been ups, and downs and he goes through it ALL in admirable fashion. And for that, we are so thankful! From premierships, Origin dominance and unforgettable highlights, to the pressure of elite sport, life after football and the people who kept him grounded, GI opens up like never before. We also shine a light on Greg's incredible work through the Goanna Academy and its Stick With It campaign, helping bring vital mental health education and support to communities across Australia. Donate or get your merchandise TODAY! One of the game's all-time greats. One unforgettable conversation. Thanks GI! *** Follow the Howie Games on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehowiegamespod/ Follow the Howie Games on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehowiegames See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

## Transcript

[0:02] A listener production.
[0:04] Okay, are you recording?
[0:10] Welcome team to episode 274 of the Howie Games Part A featuring rugby league legend Greg Inglis.
[0:18] Gives it to Smith.
[0:19] Play is stacked to his left hand side.
[0:22] One of them was Inglis who took the intercept and he will run away to score an intercept drive.
[0:29] Slater's up over the 30.
[0:30] Billy's got support.
[0:31] Look who it is.
[0:32] It's Inglis.
[0:34] It's Inglis.
[0:35] He is flying.
[0:36] Inside ball.
[0:38] He is a reflection of perfection, Greg Inglis.
[0:43] Now, in his playing days, whether it be for the Melbourne Storm, the Rabbitohs, Queensland, the Kangaroos, Greg Inglis, he was a phenomenal athlete, a huge, powerful, hulking figure that also had speed and style and grace.
[0:57] He was unstoppable, really, and so approved.
[1:00] So you search and try to find But you don't know where to go So many thoughts flood through your mind You confuse and want to know Mystery, what is to be So much more than meets the eye Listen to me, time is your key You will find out by and by
[1:22] Greg comes to us courtesy of his Goanna Foundation, Australia's first Indigenous-owned preventative mental health education provider and suicide prevention organisation.
[1:33] Its mission is to break mental health stigma through lived experience, storytelling and culturally informed education.
[1:40] Running currently, the Goanna Foundation's Stick With It campaign encourages young people to stay connected to sport, to school, community and positive routines through life's challenges while opening up conversations around resilience, mental wellbeing and asking for help when it's needed.
[1:54] Now, you can check out goannaacademy.org.au.
[1:58] That's goannaacademy.org.au.
[2:01] Or click on the link in the show notes to see how you can help.
[2:03] Greg is doing a wonderful, wonderful amount of work in this space alongside his team.
[2:08] Thanks to the legend Tim Ashworth for making this episode happen.
[2:12] Enjoy the story of Gregory Paul Inglis.
[2:16] Doing good.
[2:16] Here's a little chip from Benny Barber, tidied up beautifully by Inglis, and he gets around one, two, three, four, Greg Inglis, and he's still going.
[2:25] This mighty full-back for the South Sydney Rabbit O's, Willie.
[2:40] So when you search and then you find And know just where to go And thoughts that once used to cloud your mind You see clearly and now you know Mystery, what is to be revealed in King Selassie Come on children, trod with me We want to reach Mount Zionist
[3:03] Well, this man, I'm no rugby league expert, but watching this man just power against defences for the Melbourne Storm, for Queensland and for the Kangaroos is one of the great sights in Australian sport.
[3:16] He's heavily involved in some tremendous causes now, but it's a great privilege for me to welcome to the Howie Games just a beast, a beast of an athlete, Greg Inglis.
[3:25] Greg, I've never met you before.
[3:27] In the past, I've thought about trying to get you on the show, and it's happening around the Go Out Academy, which we'll get to.
[3:33] Mate, it's a great privilege as someone that follows the Melbourne Storm to sit beside you, mate.
[3:38] How are you going?
[3:39] Mate, I'm going really well.
[3:41] Can I just say it's a privilege for me to sit beside of you as well.
[3:45] I admire your work in commentary all over Australian sport, so I really do appreciate it, mate.
[3:51] Thanks, mate.
[3:52] You're still in pretty good, Nick.
[3:53] I'm doing my best.
[3:54] I'm going to show you some highlights when you're a freaking beast, but you're still in pretty good shape with a big smile on your face, mate.
[3:59] Oh, man, I'm doing my best.
[4:00] You know, I'm in a really good headspace.
[4:02] Yeah, I'm feeling really good.
[4:04] And plus, probably got this smile on my face because I'm back in Melbourne.
[4:07] Well, that's it, which is, mate, we were just talking about it.
[4:11] We didn't get to the NRL, right?
[4:12] It's a new $5.5 billion deal.
[4:14] But talk of the Melbourne Storm being partly sold for $160 million.
[4:19] So is that you?
[4:20] Have you come to hell and launch a big bit on the Storm?
[4:23] No, that's not me.
[4:24] That's not me.
[4:25] I think that's, I read that in the paper as well.
[4:28] towards the end of, I think it was over the weekend.
[4:30] Yeah, it was.
[4:31] So it would be interesting to see what they do.
[4:34] If they do sell it off or parts of it anyway, or they just keep it all in-house and keep it unique to Melbourne.
[4:40] We were just having a chat about it before we got rolling, and I said to you, it fascinated me.
[4:45] Craig Bellamy, who we'll talk about, is such a massive part of that.
[4:50] And obviously his future, who knows how much longer he'll be involved in the Melbourne Storm, but the value of him and the price he's put and the value he's developed with the Melbourne Storm, it's an extraordinary performance in Australian sport as far as the coach goes.
[5:04] It most definitely is.
[5:05] I think out of his 22 years that he's been part of Melbourne or thereabouts, I think he's only missed out on the finals once, and that was a 2010 mishap that happened.
[5:18] But you can't put a price on it.
[5:20] It would be interesting to see if a business was to pick him up as of now or even in his prime, how much he would actually be worth.
[5:29] How much would you be willing to pay for that?
[5:30] Well, that's right, mate.
[5:31] If you're buying the Melbourne Storm eight years ago and you know you've got Craig Bellamy for another eight years, I think you're putting $20 million to $30 million on a bid as opposed to now when there's obviously uncertainty just because of his track record.
[5:46] And as you say, he just puts teams in finals.
[5:48] Mate, when we was down here, he was living in St Kilda and Brighton and we always just give it to him.
[5:54] It was like, mate, you're already on a million dollars.
[5:58] And then back then it was a lot of money for a coach.
[6:01] It was like we used to sit around in meetings and that, and I played practical jokes on him and come in like all blinged up and say, oh, just Craig Bellamy today.
[6:09] But that's the beauty about Craig.
[6:10] He knows when to have a laugh.
[6:11] He knows when to have a, you know, but when it's serious, it's serious.
[6:15] Well, while we're talking about him, what do you reckon –
[6:18] You know, he took the teams you were involved in to so much success, your first NRL coach.
[6:23] If you had to say one thing, why he's had so much success?
[6:26] And, Mike, Greg, this could be a four-hour conversation, but what is it about Craig that you reckon has generated such an extraordinary amount of success?
[6:33] His care factor.
[6:34] His care factor for his players, but it's not only his players.
[6:37] He gets to know his partner, get to know the kids, so he builds a really good family environment.
[6:42] You know, I was down here a few weeks ago for the Melbourne Storm Old Boys.
[6:47] Yeah.
[6:47] And over that course of that weekend, from Thursday to Sunday, there was 70 old boys.
[6:53] And I'm talking about from number one, Robbie Ross, number one, all the way through their current retirees as of late.
[6:59] So that speaks volumes of a man, because when some news broke out...
[7:04] everyone just got on our chats and said, we're coming down, book us in.
[7:07] So over that course of the weekend, there was about 70 odd players.
[7:12] Some boys did a quick fly in, fly out on the day, but this shows how much care and how much love we have for Craig.
[7:19] And he's given me and the rest of the boys that he's been involved in the same amount of attention.
[7:26] I love that.
[7:27] And it's none of our business what health situation he's going through.
[7:31] That's obviously to Craig and his family and those he cares to share it with.
[7:34] But you personally, how do you approach a bloke that's been such a big part of your life that you know is going through some health issues?
[7:43] What do you say to him?
[7:45] I treat him like a dad, to be honest, because he became my dad when I was away from home.
[7:50] So I look up to him as my father figure.
[7:54] And I started with Melbourne Storm at 14.
[7:58] And I came down here at 16, did a two-week preseason, and there's three things you don't do.
[8:02] You don't pull out, you don't make excuses, and you don't walk.
[8:06] And I did all three things.
[8:07] Yeah.
[8:08] I did all three things in one thing, in one training session.
[8:11] And, mate, the conversation, or it wasn't even a conversation, it was just a blunt response that he gave me.
[8:17] What did he say?
[8:18] I won't repeat exactly the words.
[8:20] Right.
[8:20] But he was like, what's the point of you being downy?
[8:24] Really?
[8:24] Yeah.
[8:26] But those two weeks, I only trained in five days, those two weeks, it showed me where my career could be.
[8:33] It showed me the love.
[8:34] It showed me the support.
[8:35] Not only him, but the club itself.
[8:37] And I don't know if you hear about the Melbourne Storm and how good of an environment it is and how they created it.
[8:44] And that's what I felt.
[8:45] So I went back up to Brizzy, done my homework, just really done, really understood what it took to be an NRL player.
[8:54] But more importantly, he taught me how to be a man and how to be humbled and how to stay grounded.
[9:00] I love that.
[9:01] We'll get to rugby league, but one of the reasons you're down here in Melbourne, and people watching us on YouTube, you've obviously got your Go Out Academy shirt on.
[9:10] You talked about Craig being a father figure to you.
[9:12] I guess you've come the full circle now where you're playing that role for a lot of people.
[9:17] Tell us about the Go Out Academy, what it means to you and what you're hoping to achieve, mate.
[9:21] Yeah, so the Go Out Academy started six years ago, and it just started from my own personal struggles.
[9:27] Yeah.
[9:29] When I retired, I've been coached by some of the greats.
[9:32] I've been coached by Ricky Stewart, the first Australian coach, Mal Meninga, my origin coach, Craig Bellamy, still have a really good relationship with him, and Wayne Bennett.
[9:43] So I've been coached by really good coaches along the way.
[9:47] And when I retired, I retired because I fell in love with the game.
[9:51] And this is what I'll go around and talk about.
[9:52] There's no point just turning up, just get a paycheck if you hate the job.
[9:56] Do something you love because you get more enjoyment out of it.
[9:59] And when I retired, I went and seen Wayne Burnett because he was coaching me at the time.
[10:06] And he just said, Greg, when you retire, you're a long way from retired.
[10:09] And when you're doing something for so long, you need to keep some kind of normality, some kind of routine.
[10:17] And I didn't understand any of that.
[10:19] So I fell into a trap, fell into a dark place.
[10:22] There's five days of my life where I don't remember.
[10:25] And that's what was a big turning point for me.
[10:27] I went back home to Maxwell in my sister's house, two weeks detoxed.
[10:35] And, you know, I've played rugby league.
[10:37] I've had ACL injuries, shoulders, surgeries.
[10:40] Been through the worst.
[10:43] But this detox was by far the worst thing I've been through.
[10:47] You know, emotionally, physical, just pain.
[10:51] It was just, yeah, it wasn't in a good way.
[10:54] From there, I came down to Melbourne, to Sydney, and sat around home really thinking about what I needed to do.
[11:03] Went and checked myself in the rehab.
[11:04] Came out of rehab.
[11:06] Three months later, went back home to Maxwell for about a month or a bit, and sat around friends, campfire, river, and came up with this idea.
[11:17] How do I bring this to light?
[11:19] Went back to Sydney then.
[11:21] My psych turned around and said, Greg, your story can help change a life and save a life.
[11:25] And that's what got me on this journey.
[11:26] Change a life and save a life.
[11:27] Yeah.
[11:28] So what, I think we might talk rugby league and we'll talk about the mental health battle that you've faced, but change a life, save a life.
[11:40] Whose life are you trying to change with the academy and whose lives are you trying to save with the academy?
[11:45] So...
[11:47] If I can impact one person, they can impact another person.
[11:51] It's like impacting them directly and indirectly at the same time.
[11:56] So that's my whole approach to it.
[11:58] I'll just give them tools to manage what goes on between there before so they can get to a clinician, health service.
[12:08] So, yeah, just if I can help one person...
[12:13] in any group that I talk to, I know I'm doing the right thing.
[12:16] And obviously yours is a broad church, so to speak.
[12:20] You're helping all sorts of people from all sorts of backgrounds, but the mental health and the Indigenous population and the rate of suicide is higher than the... One suicide is obviously too much, but the rate of suicide amongst the Indigenous population is higher than the general population.
[12:36] Yeah, correct.
[12:37] Why?
[12:37] It's always the biggest question.
[12:41] What have you seen?
[12:43] It's just not getting a service.
[12:45] But one thing is that males especially don't admit that they're not doing okay.
[12:53] For generations, we've been told that we are all, as part of our DNA, that we are warriors.
[13:00] Like in your family home, you're a warrior.
[13:02] You bring in food, make sure your family's safe.
[13:06] If your wife turned around and asked you, are you okay,
[13:10] like 10 years ago, what would you say?
[13:11] Yeah, no worries.
[13:12] Yeah.
[13:12] No worries.
[13:13] Yeah.
[13:13] So bringing this- As my father would have.
[13:15] Yeah.
[13:15] Hopefully my son wouldn't.
[13:16] Yeah.
[13:17] So I was just breaking that chain.
[13:19] making sure, I want to make sure that males feel safe in a safe environment where they can actually go to their home for kids' asks, wife asks, partner asks, are you okay?
[13:32] It's like, actually, I'm not doing so great that this has happened.
[13:36] Not just, yeah, I'm good.
[13:39] It's an interesting one, Greg, like with, you've got kids?
[13:43] Yeah.
[13:43] How many kids you got?
[13:44] I got three.
[13:44] Three, how old are they?
[13:46] 12, 10, and three.
[13:48] Right.
[13:48] Put me on the spot there for a sec.
[13:50] Nate, Quinn, and Lily.
[13:51] Right.
[13:52] So Nate, he's the oldest, yeah?
[13:55] So he's 12.
[13:56] I've got a young bloke, 14, and a daughter who's 16, and was just saying he would just spent a couple of weeks away.
[14:00] And I think as the last five years, I've started to probably understand the significance of
[14:09] Of the role of a father really for the first time.
[14:12] It's different from a son or from a daughter.
[14:13] But, yeah, trying to have those conversations with your son at 12 and 13, whether he's open to it or not, about the fact, mate, you know, if things aren't right, have a chat to people.
[14:28] But probably at his age, if something's bugging you, come tell mum and dad about it.
[14:32] Yeah.
[14:34] But it is against the grain in a way, isn't it, for blokes of our generation?
[14:37] You also need to make sure that they're in a safe place where they can actually, but, you know, may only take that little holiday and you ask him if he's all right.
[14:47] Yeah.
[14:47] May take another six, ten conversations for him to actually, it's just showing up and showing that you care.
[14:53] Yeah.
[14:53] You know?
[14:54] You're right.
[14:54] It's not an immediate response.
[14:55] No, it never will be.
[14:57] With younger people.
[14:57] So that's your experience that you may initiate a conversation and the fruit of the conversation doesn't bear till –
[15:06] A day, a week, a month, a year down the track?
[15:08] It's like they're processing.
[15:09] Right.
[15:09] Like they're processing.
[15:10] Yeah.
[15:11] See, what we do is we don't come in and just do a one program.
[15:15] We go in and do multiple visits.
[15:17] So showing up, showing face.
[15:19] Right.
[15:19] You know, we do four or five visits over the course of like two terms of school.
[15:23] And you're visiting all around the country?
[15:25] All over Australia.
[15:25] Right.
[15:26] All over Australia.
[15:26] Right.
[15:27] So I'll head back home.
[15:29] Which is where?
[15:30] To Glenswood Hills, which is in southwest Sydney.
[15:33] Yeah.
[15:33] Yeah.
[15:34] Stayed there for the weekend.
[15:35] Then I'm in Cairns and then drove there to Yarraba.
[15:38] Where's that?
[15:39] Which is about 40 minutes south of Cairns.
[15:41] Right.
[15:42] What's life like out there?
[15:44] I've never been.
[15:44] Right.
[15:44] Just the beauty about it.
[15:45] You've seen some of the country.
[15:46] I've seen the country that most people dream of.
[15:50] And it's beautiful.
[15:51] When you go out, I'll get back to the academy in a sec, but when you go out, as I said, when you walked in here, my memories of you were just this phenomenal athlete.
[16:02] When you go out to country towns, how's Greg Inglis received?
[16:08] I'm still relevant.
[16:09] Boy, that's good, mate.
[16:10] That's good.
[16:12] That's good.
[16:12] But I still show them a bit of highlights.
[16:14] Right, because the kids.
[16:15] Yeah.
[16:16] But they're parents.
[16:17] Yeah, they're parents and that.
[16:18] And it's, you know, after a while, like I'll go into town.
[16:23] Before we go into town, we do...
[16:27] We make sure what we're delivering is needed for that community because this community is different to another community.
[16:33] You know, I just said Cairns is different to Yarrabah.
[16:36] It's only 40 minutes south, but it's totally different.
[16:39] So we designed programs around making sure...
[16:43] what's needed in that community gets delivered and the talking points stay on point.
[16:47] Okay.
[16:49] But, yeah, it's all right going up there because they're footy fanatics.
[16:53] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[16:54] But, yeah, I'm heading down around Mildura, Robbenvale, going around the places down in Victoria soon towards the end of the year, so more AFL dominant.
[17:04] But, yeah, we play a little highlights package for them, just say, hey, this is what I used to do.
[17:09] Okay.
[17:09] This is what I'm doing now.
[17:10] Right.
[17:14] They've actually been pretty good.
[17:15] They've actually been really respectful.
[17:18] But an organization like yours, obviously, it needs funds.
[17:22] It needs investment.
[17:22] Yeah.
[17:23] So you're involved with the NRL with a round coming up.
[17:25] Explain that.
[17:26] And I love the idea of the tape.
[17:28] Yeah.
[17:28] I was reading and looking at the tape.
[17:29] It was cool.
[17:29] So explain that.
[17:30] Yeah, so the tape's about, you know, the idea came around.
[17:35] We was doing a brainstorming, a whiteboard session with, you know, Fox Sports people in the room, Channel 9 people in the room, and people that's part of marketing.
[17:45] And this was about two and a half years ago.
[17:47] And they just say, oh, I want to bring something to light around, you know, not a theme round, but just want to make it a round of conversational round.
[17:56] And we came up with some really, really out there ideas.
[17:59] Yeah.
[18:00] But then it's come back to it.
[18:01] It's like, oh, Greg, you used to wear tape on your wrist.
[18:03] You can visibly see it.
[18:04] We know mental health, you can't see it.
[18:06] Yeah.
[18:06] You know, you can probably see facials and that, but you can't really tell.
[18:10] Maybe they're just having a bad day and getting through it.
[18:12] But they see the sign of tape is...
[18:15] You know, you're showing up for your mate, you're sticking with it, and it's called stick with it.
[18:19] So you're going through a tough time, they're going through a tough time, stick with it.
[18:23] And the message is simple.
[18:25] Stick by your mate, stick with yourself.
[18:27] And if you're going through it or you know someone who is,
[18:33] Know that your life is worth it and you are worth living.
[18:36] So, you know, it's, yeah, turning up, showing up, and a simple piece of tape symbolises that, starts a conversation.
[18:45] And if people would like to have the opportunity at their school or their organisation or their footy club, for you and the Goanna Academy coming along, we'll put all the details in the show notes, but how do people get the opportunity to come and hear from you?
[18:58] Yeah, so they, well, for this year, a simple piece of, you know, this round and showing that you buy and taste, we can actually track where they're actually coming from, the donations.
[19:08] And then at the end of this round, it's round 22 for NRL, round 5 for NRLW and the magic rounds in Wagga this year.
[19:15] So I'm all about regional places, all about communities, and I'm happy to see the NRLW taking it out there.
[19:23] And that round during the week, this round, I'll be saying a few locations that we get to travel.
[19:31] Okay.
[19:32] So simple piece of donation, simple tape, means more communities, more outreach, more people in need of services of the Goa Academy.
[19:41] We'll put all the details, how you can get involved and where you can get the merch and the stick with it.
[19:47] Speaking of merch, I've got something.
[19:49] What do you got?
[19:50] What do you, oh, I always like a bit of merch.
[19:51] Yeah, I've got a little gift box for you.
[19:53] What have we got here?
[19:54] So in there you've got.
[19:55] Thank you, mate.
[19:56] This is what you can purchase online.
[19:58] Oh, so good.
[19:59] Yep.
[20:00] So you've got the hat and the tape.
[20:02] And the stickers in there.
[20:03] So.
[20:04] I'll wear the, I don't know whether it'll have an effect if Bailey Smith wearing it, but I've got the cats.
[20:09] Right.
[20:09] So I'll wear some at Thursday night footy.
[20:12] I'll try and get one of the Geelong boys to whack it on.
[20:14] Oh, mate, that's unreal.
[20:15] Mate, I appreciate that.
[20:16] No, no, more than welcome.
[20:17] Stick with it.
[20:18] It's always good to have a little bit of gifts.
[20:20] Yeah, mate.
[20:20] Yeah, makes it well go around.
[20:22] Makes it well go around.
[20:23] Right, mate.
[20:23] Your rugby league.
[20:24] Yeah.
[20:24] Your rugby league in life.
[20:25] But before we get to that, your family, what's your history of the Inglis people?
[20:30] Where are you from?
[20:31] So I'm a Dungati Gamilaroi man.
[20:34] My mum was previously married to an English.
[20:37] I'm a Blair.
[20:38] My father was a Blair.
[20:39] He's a Gamilaroi connection.
[20:41] Born in Tamworth, grew up around Inverell.
[20:43] Moved his way over to Maxwell, which is where I'm from.
[20:46] My mum's born in Kempsey.
[20:48] She's a Dungati inside of it.
[20:50] And I've been actually fortunate and lucky enough that I'll get three totems.
[20:53] So our totems are spirit animals.
[20:54] That's what we connect to.
[20:56] And Dungati's praying mantis.
[20:59] Gamilaroi's black hawk or two.
[21:01] And I went over, silly enough, I came out of retirement.
[21:04] Yeah, I'm aware.
[21:05] I went over Warrington to play.
[21:06] Yeah.
[21:07] I loved it over there.
[21:08] You got an injury recently.
[21:09] I got two.
[21:10] I got two.
[21:10] Two hamstrings.
[21:11] Never done them before.
[21:12] It's just so.
[21:13] It's probably cold over there, mate.
[21:14] Blame it on the popular weather.
[21:15] I was just speaking, before we actually come on, I was speaking to our good mate Tim Ashworth about it.
[21:21] because he just recently done his hamstring.
[21:23] Sorry to throw you on the bus to me.
[21:24] Right.
[21:25] He's not quite the athlete you are, to be fair either.
[21:28] Anyway, done my two hamstrings over there, and then I came back, went back home to my country, Dunguddy on Southwest Rocks, went out there, rang up my godmother.
[21:37] My godmother.
[21:38] who's an elder out there and she does ceremonies in my godfather.
[21:44] So we got there and we went for a ceremony down south of Shrox and I got the sand goanna.
[21:49] So I got three totals, which I'm very fortunate enough.
[21:53] But that's where...
[21:54] My roots are, that's where I'm from, and I'm pretty much connected to a fair few people.
[22:02] At Southwest Rocks, I've spent a bit of time surfing in Southwest Rocks and around the areas.
[22:09] I didn't know that's where you and your people were from.
[22:13] I don't want to use the wrong word, but there's...
[22:16] I would say there's something to the place.
[22:18] Oh, yeah.
[22:18] When you spend some time there surfing, you're out and about in the bush.
[22:22] Something about South Wales.
[22:24] It's a powerful place.
[22:25] It's magical because there's a lot of marine life.
[22:27] Yeah.
[22:27] So you know the break wall over the jail?
[22:29] Yeah, I'm being concerned about the marine life when I've been out there as well.
[22:33] So around the jail part, you've got the break wall.
[22:35] Yeah.
[22:36] And on the other side is obviously the massive ocean.
[22:39] Yeah.
[22:39] Whales come up about 10 metres off that break wall.
[22:43] and that's where turtles nesting goes on, stingrays on this side of the boat ramp or the break wall.
[22:48] But then you're speaking about a big concern about it.
[22:51] Yeah.
[22:52] When the stingrays and that hatch or they're going through the nesting, big hammerheads come in all the way in the shore.
[22:59] This is what I was concerned about, mate.
[23:02] So there's a lot of marine life.
[23:03] It's unbelievable.
[23:05] They're just starting to track koalas because there's been a big breeding of koalas up there over the last two years, which is awesome to see.
[23:13] But there's a mountain up there.
[23:15] It's in Narrakun.
[23:16] It's called Dreamtime Mountain.
[23:17] That's where our stories are.
[23:19] That's pretty much the heart.
[23:22] the heart of Dunguddy country, Selfish Rock.
[23:24] So, yeah, it is magical.
[23:26] I remember when I was a kid, I used to fight with mum and dad because I wanted to stay down with my grandparents, my godparents every weekend.
[23:34] Yeah, yeah.
[23:35] And back then, the way it was back then, it was just black sand where now it's built up.
[23:40] And I just had come, I remember coming home, snotty nose, black sand everywhere.
[23:45] Mum was like, what have you done?
[23:47] I said, I'm just living.
[23:51] Back to Greg in a tick.
[23:52] Now, next up on the show, a name NFL fans will definitely know, but a name you may not know.
[23:57] But if you have any interest at all in sports television, you are going to love this episode featuring the host of the hugely popular NFL Red Zone, Scott Hanson, a man that is truly elite in the media.
[24:12] The producer is mostly making the calls as to, okay, we're on the Dallas game right now.
[24:17] If they don't get a first down here, they're going to punt.
[24:20] So we're going to get away from that game.
[24:21] We'll go up to Seattle.
[24:23] They're just outside the red zone, but keep in mind, green Bay's in a commercial break right now.
[24:27] They're first and goal from the five.
[24:28] If they come out of commercial break, we got to go to green Bay.
[24:31] Okay.
[24:31] So that's like, that's like in the NFL, you know, the coach calls plays into the quarterback's ear and he might call three plays into the quarterback's ear.
[24:40] Then the quarterback goes up to the line of scrimmage and looks over the defense.
[24:44] And based on what the defense is, he knows, okay, we got to run play number two out of that.
[24:49] So in that scenario that I just gave you, my producer just got in my ear.
[24:52] I'll be like, okay, Dallas Cowboys third and 10 from the 50-yard line.
[24:55] Oh, incomplete pass.
[24:56] They're going to punt.
[24:57] Let's go up to Seattle right now.
[24:58] They're just outside the red zone.
[25:00] Oh, oh, oh.
[25:00] Green Bay just came out of commercial break.
[25:02] They're first and goal from the five.
[25:03] They need a touchdown to take the lead.
[25:05] Let's see if Jordan Love and company can punch it in.
[25:06] Yeah.
[25:07] And we roll like that.
[25:09] But Tommy's looking at me.
[25:11] He's like, so I work on Thursday night footy that you were at the other day as a draw.
[25:14] Yeah, yeah.
[25:15] And Tommy produces that.
[25:16] So Tommy, easy my ears.
[25:17] Respect Tommy.
[25:18] We thought we were going, okay, until we heard this, Tommy.
[25:21] And we're in the minor of minor leagues compared to what our man Scotty and his team had on.
[25:25] Well, but again, it's muscles.
[25:26] And once you exercise those muscles a lot, you get into a rhythm.
[25:30] If you have the ability to focus, though, for seven straight hours.
[25:34] Yeah, it's a long time.
[25:34] That is the thing.
[25:35] Because...
[25:36] A lot of people can do stuff in short bursts.
[25:39] To be able to do it over that long course is like you've got a headache at the end of the day, let me tell you.
[25:45] That is Scott Hanson next up on the show.
[25:52] Let's get back to GI.
[25:54] So where does rugby league end to your life?
[25:57] Early ages, you know, I was, like I say, born in Kempsey.
[26:01] We moved to Barrerville for a little bit and then moved from Barrerville into town.
[26:06] But I played for Barrerville Junior Rugby League.
[26:08] I was four years old when I first started.
[26:10] You were still five?
[26:11] Yeah, I had to fight with mum and dad.
[26:13] In the under what?
[26:15] In under sevens.
[26:16] I had to wear all the protective gear though, mouth guard.
[26:20] I used to love Steve Menzies and Steve Reddell.
[26:23] And I used to wear a helmet.
[26:24] He used to wear a helmet, didn't he?
[26:26] Yeah, the headgear.
[26:26] He used to love wearing that.
[26:28] And I loved the Chief as well.
[26:30] He used to love the Chief.
[26:30] I'd be quite arrogant.
[26:31] So I never had the big shoulder pads.
[26:34] Yeah, he was looking back.
[26:36] I found a photo actually a few months ago.
[26:39] I went back home and was sitting around.
[26:41] I was like, oh, there's a photo album there.
[26:44] I walked out and I was like, oh, God, that's embarrassing.
[26:47] Mum might put that for my 40.
[26:50] But, yeah, so played for that junior club all the way to under 15s.
[26:54] Were you, people that have known the show over 10 years, I always ask this question at this point, were you –
[27:04] A standout as a junior rugby league player.
[27:06] It's no time for modesty.
[27:08] And, mate, I always use the same square off.
[27:13] I always say, were you the standout, like Ricky Ponting, who's been on the show, who was always going to play for Australia, or were you the Justin Langer who was talented, who had to work his ass off to do what he did?
[27:26] I know.
[27:26] I think there's only one answer to this question.
[27:27] I think you're too humble to say it.
[27:29] Mate, I always ask the question.
[27:31] I still do.
[27:32] It's like, why me?
[27:33] Yep.
[27:33] You know?
[27:34] So you had talent.
[27:35] I was fortunate enough.
[27:36] Yep.
[27:37] I was fortunate enough and I was lucky enough to live out my dream.
[27:40] So what are you saying?
[27:41] He's the Ricky Popping.
[27:42] He's what GI's trying to say here.
[27:43] No, I didn't say that.
[27:44] But physically, I don't know how you were at 10 or 12 or 15.
[27:48] Mate, I was skinny.
[27:49] Right.
[27:50] Skinny.
[27:50] Okay.
[27:51] Fast?
[27:52] Yeah, I was pretty quick.
[27:54] I couldn't.
[27:55] I couldn't even lift a barbell in a gym.
[27:57] Could you not?
[27:58] No.
[27:58] Welcome to my world, big bar.
[27:59] Man, I came down here and we did gym session and I couldn't lift it.
[28:02] Right.
[28:03] I was weak.
[28:04] I never got educated around nutrition or any of that.
[28:06] Okay.
[28:07] Yeah, they started off.
[28:09] They said, oh, we'll put 60 on there.
[28:11] Couldn't get off the rack.
[28:12] Right.
[28:14] Why the confusion?
[28:15] And you talked about you came down here as you've signed up to Storm as a 14-year-old.
[28:19] I'll ask you about that.
[28:21] Well, get to Queensland State of Origin where you are a legend and you were involved in the legendary Queensland teams that won, was it eight in a row?
[28:29] Eight in a row.
[28:31] But reading about it, there was confusion in the press as to whether you'd be playing.
[28:36] And this needs to be sorted out because people from New South Wales say, if we'd had bloody English.
[28:41] So why was there confusion about whether you were going to be a Queenslander or a Blue?
[28:47] Well, back then it was where you first played your A grade, not under 18s.
[28:51] So A grade as in men's.
[28:52] Men's.
[28:53] Men's.
[28:53] Where now it's where you spent most of your time as juniors from under 7s to 13s.
[28:59] Okay.
[29:01] Back then it was where you first played A grade.
[29:03] Which was where for you?
[29:04] So I was 15, like I said, playing for Barreville, and then I'll back up and play under-18s on the Sunday.
[29:09] Yeah.
[29:10] The reason I wanted to play for that club for Maxwell Seniors was because my dad played for them, my brothers, cousins.
[29:16] So this is in New South Wales?
[29:17] Yeah, in New South Wales.
[29:18] And this is where the confusion goes because under-18s, they thought considered as a senior game.
[29:25] But it was A grade, which was the men's.
[29:27] And I didn't play A grade until I was in Brisbane.
[29:31] I'll ask you a question now.
[29:32] How empowered are you or do you feel when you belong to something?
[29:39] Makes all the difference.
[29:40] Makes all the difference.
[29:41] I felt like that when I was in Brisbane.
[29:43] So you felt a Queenslander?
[29:45] I felt, I started barricading for Queensland at an early age, started with my family and that.
[29:52] But...
[29:53] Like I just asked you, you feel more empowered, you just do anything or you feel at home?
[29:58] Yeah.
[29:59] I was living with a Coolwell family up there at the time.
[30:02] And they made me feel at home.
[30:06] They made me feel part of a family.
[30:08] And I sort of got lost in a way at 16.
[30:13] But yeah, I was 17.
[30:14] I was up there.
[30:15] What was lost in a way at 16, mate?
[30:17] Oh, I just didn't know where I belonged, to be honest.
[30:20] Didn't know where I belonged.
[30:21] I was living in Newcastle.
[30:23] I'm only three hours south from where I grew up.
[30:26] But I just feel a disconnection.
[30:28] Like I just didn't know.
[30:29] Didn't know where to fit in.
[30:30] And I went up there and lived with this family and they gave me a home away from home.
[30:37] So I felt connected.
[30:39] I felt more at home with them.
[30:42] And then I was playing 17s, under-19s Colts.
[30:45] And then that year I played A grade for the North Devils.
[30:49] So that's the link.
[30:49] That's the link.
[30:50] How many people over the years from New South Wales have come and said, hey, gee, I wish you'd played for the Bears.
[30:55] A lot of people.
[30:56] A lot of people.
[30:57] A lot of people.
[30:57] Question without notice.
[30:58] You talk about Maxville.
[30:59] Yep.
[31:00] big banana growing area for people that know it in New South Wales.
[31:04] My knowledge of Maxfield comes to Phil Hughes because that's where he was born.
[31:09] So you'd be a similar age to Phil, yeah?
[31:11] Yeah.
[31:11] So he's my sister's age, which is two years younger than me.
[31:15] Right.
[31:15] So you used to- So where we grew up, we grew up in Wall Street.
[31:18] Yep.
[31:19] And just right around the corner, they lived in West Street, was the Hughes' house.
[31:23] I was in the same grade as Jase.
[31:25] So you knew Philip?
[31:25] Jase, yes.
[31:26] Yep.
[31:26] We grew up together.
[31:27] Right.
[31:28] He played for the same junior.
[31:29] And he was talking about talent.
[31:31] He was a talented footy player too.
[31:33] League player, was he?
[31:34] He could have went AFL.
[31:35] He could have.
[31:36] He was just one of those players.
[31:37] Right.
[31:37] That could have done anything if he wanted to.
[31:40] Such a tragic situation.
[31:40] You know.
[31:41] Yeah.
[31:41] Terrible.
[31:42] Absolutely.
[31:43] I was rock by it.
[31:43] I was living in Coogee at the time.
[31:45] Were you?
[31:45] Yeah.
[31:46] And just, you know.
[31:47] He's down the road from the SCG.
[31:48] Coogee.
[31:48] Yeah.
[31:49] Yeah.
[31:50] And then, yeah, I remember sitting at home and just seeing the news come across.
[31:56] So, yeah, it was very tragic.
[32:00] We got his mule up at home.
[32:02] He's got the few years cricket oval just around the corner from his house where he grew up.
[32:06] So, yeah, it's unfortunate and, you know, I think he's...
[32:14] Yeah, he was one of those talented players, even his brother Jason.
[32:19] So he was... Real spark to him as well.
[32:22] I didn't get to meet him.
[32:23] Great kid.
[32:23] I interviewed him a few times and he was just...
[32:25] When I say kid, he's only two years younger than me.
[32:27] Yeah, just had a cheek to him.
[32:29] So...
[32:32] How does it work that you get signed to Melbourne Storm at 14?
[32:35] What does that mean?
[32:36] So I was playing at an under-15s comp over in Port Macquarie.
[32:42] And it was just one of those rep games that you go play.
[32:46] I can't remember who it was before.
[32:47] I think it was to make the local rep side.
[32:52] I can't remember.
[32:53] But then there was a guy named Peter O'Sullivan.
[32:55] He was our recruitment officer at Melbourne Storm at the time.
[32:58] And after the game, you know, I'm just...
[33:00] just laxy-daisy, just watching games, just whatever, sitting there next to me, Dad.
[33:04] And this guy comes over and starts talking to Dad, and I thought it was just one of Dad's mates.
[33:10] I'm oblivious to it, just didn't know.
[33:13] I was like, oh, yeah, just looked over and just kept watching the games that was after.
[33:17] And as he walked away, Dad had his cheeky grin on his face, and we played it cool.
[33:22] He just slipped me his business card, and I looked at him and I was like, what, Melvin Storm?
[33:27] You mean like...
[33:29] Tareem Nekau, Robbie Ross, you talking about them guys?
[33:31] He's like, yeah, yeah, yeah.
[33:32] It was like Robbie Kearns, Matt Gaia.
[33:34] Yeah.
[33:34] I was like, oh, shit.
[33:36] All right.
[33:38] It's going to be fun.
[33:38] Wow.
[33:39] I was like, oh, but why?
[33:41] But why me?
[33:42] It's like anybody out there.
[33:45] That's in regional situations or communities, remote.
[33:50] You never know who's watching.
[33:51] No.
[33:52] Like you just don't know.
[33:54] You just, yeah, put your best foot forward when you go to these comps, all these games, these matches, because you never know who's watching.
[34:01] So when you talked about coming down here for a short stint, how old are you when you come down here full time?
[34:07] 17.
[34:09] So your first couple of weeks of training under Bellamy, what's it like?
[34:13] My...
[34:14] Yeah, it wasn't great.
[34:16] It wasn't great.
[34:17] It wasn't great.
[34:18] It was not great.
[34:19] I wasn't the best trainer, but I wasn't the worst.
[34:21] Right, right.
[34:22] I wasn't the worst and I wasn't the best.
[34:23] But, yeah, it's intense.
[34:29] What you see on TV, we've been blowing up.
[34:31] If you do something wrong...
[34:33] during the game, and then you walk in and do video session and it's up there and all you do is look for your name.
[34:40] Where are you at?
[34:43] Oh, crap, I'm up there about five times.
[34:44] So what have I done?
[34:45] You just play on your mind.
[34:47] But he's a guy that, you know, he'll blow you up, like in front of the group.
[34:52] But that's accountability.
[34:54] You've got to be accountable for your own thing because what he does and what Melbourne Storm do is repetition over and over and over again.
[35:02] You know, we'll tell you a quick story.
[35:04] Yeah, take your time, mate.
[35:05] Take your time.
[35:06] I played a practical joke on him.
[35:08] It was our Carlton Princess Parker this time.
[35:11] Yeah.
[35:13] Craig Bellamy used to come in and do weights with no shoes on, like do leg work with no shoes on.
[35:19] And it had happened for about, I don't know, two or three weeks.
[35:23] Anyway, the older boys was like, gee, and that was so... Because we used to go into his office and take stuff and just put it, misplace it.
[35:29] Anyway, he was blowing up, blowing up, and we all thought it was funny.
[35:33] So this particular session, I went and took his shoes and I hit him up on top of a locker.
[35:43] He comes in and he goes, if I don't have my effing shoes by the time this effing training starts, give me effing getting it.
[35:51] And we all thought there, it was like, yep, nah, we'll call his bluff.
[35:57] We're not going to give you shoes back.
[35:59] Yeah.
[36:00] Anyway, I was a bit scared.
[36:01] I was only young.
[36:02] I was scared and I was like, oh, no, I've got to go give it back, give it back to him.
[36:07] He wasn't in his office.
[36:08] I put him in his office and I just read.
[36:10] And he goes, after the session, he goes, all right, all your backs that was in that gym session, get on a trial line.
[36:19] and he just flogged us he smashed you mate we sat there and we was like no not doing it not doing it and then he did see him just just working himself up we was like oh ken smith and cooper matt guy matt king um smitty was in our group for some reason that was like no no we're not doing it we're not doing it you can see him just just boiling it was like oh we'll get on the line
[36:44] I'd in his shoes again.
[36:45] Didn't touch him.
[36:48] So you come down.
[36:50] Obviously, a small country town.
[36:52] Yep.
[36:53] Reasonably pretty good climate up there, northern New South Wales, Queensland.
[36:57] You come to Melbourne.
[36:57] It's the middle of winter.
[36:59] You don't have family around you.
[37:00] Was it difficult?
[37:01] Was it difficult to come to a foreign cold city or did you?
[37:05] It was at first.
[37:06] I guess I can only – the other feeling that I had about that –
[37:13] When I first came down here is when I went to England.
[37:15] Right.
[37:16] I struggled for the first three months.
[37:18] You know, I left Australia at 26, 28 degrees and I'm landing in the UK at three degrees.
[37:25] You know, just – and probably that's the best way I could describe coming from, you know, a coastal town, busy, moved down here full time, struggled for the first two months.
[37:36] But what made it even better –
[37:39] I keep talking about the family environment that Melbourne created.
[37:42] Yep.
[37:43] It was that.
[37:45] They look after you.
[37:48] They make you feel welcome.
[37:50] They make you feel wanted by the club.
[37:55] So it was hard first couple of months, two months.
[38:00] But then I ended up living with...
[38:03] Jake Webstar in Richmond, then we moved to Nalbert Street in East Melbourne, and then ended up buying a house over in Point Cook, in Otonus.
[38:12] Yeah.
[38:14] Back then couldn't afford Williamstown.
[38:16] No, no, no.
[38:17] Or couldn't afford living around here.
[38:20] Is it the coast?
[38:21] Does Craig tell you?
[38:22] Who tells you you're going to make you an RLW?
[38:23] Yeah.
[38:25] Craig came up, so it was a weird one.
[38:27] It was a funny one because I've been, at 17, when I was living, I was, yeah, it was a bit of a funny one because I kept being put as,
[38:39] as 18th man, 19th man, I don't know, about four or five times.
[38:43] And looking back on it now, I think that was a way of him showing how to prepare for a game in case something happens.
[38:50] Anyway, the following year, round five, my birthday's in January, so I'll turn 18 and it was round five a few months later.
[38:58] And Jake Webster...
[39:00] rolled his ankle at a captain's run.
[39:02] And then after that there, he was like, all right.
[39:06] They used to call me Kid or Tiger.
[39:10] It's like, all right, Kid, you're in.
[39:12] That was it?
[39:12] That was it.
[39:14] It's like, yeah, you're playing tomorrow.
[39:15] I was like, oh, shit.
[39:16] And then what the club do really good is they bring your family down.
[39:20] So I had my younger brother there, my pop and my dad, they flew down because my mum hates flying.
[39:26] My dad didn't want to fly, you know.
[39:28] But they came down.
[39:30] I think they were more shocked about the cold weather because of the old Olympic Park.
[39:34] Oh, yeah.
[39:34] Well, they've got some vision.
[39:36] here, Tommy's out there, of your first game for the Melbourne Storms, so you're 18.
[39:43] So this is the first of many tries for the Melbourne Storm.
[39:47] We'll just have a look and listen, and then we'll talk about it.
[39:53] An opportunity on the left.
[39:55] Melbourne come to the right through Scott Hill.
[39:58] Ball out in front.
[39:59] Plenty of options.
[40:00] Back to David Kidwell.
[40:02] Pops it to Cameron Smith.
[40:03] This is try time on debut.
[40:05] Greg Inglis will collect the ball.
[40:08] Don't ask me about those frosted tips because I don't know.
[40:12] I've got two questions for you, G.I.
[40:14] One, what was going on with your hair?
[40:16] And two, like you said, you're a pretty skinny type of operator.
[40:19] Mate, I think I made my debut there around 86 kilos.
[40:23] 86.
[40:23] What were you at in your prime?
[40:26] I always played at 105 between 1 and 108.
[40:30] So that's where I always found me better.
[40:32] Okay, that's the weight.
[40:34] What was going on with the hair?
[40:35] I don't know.
[40:36] I've got no idea.
[40:37] It's a bit of a difference.
[40:37] I just went to a barber and I was like, I'll just do something with it.
[40:41] Give you a bit of scissors.
[40:42] Clean shaven then too.
[40:42] Right.
[40:43] Yeah, you were.
[40:43] You were.
[40:44] Yeah, clean shaven.
[40:45] You were.
[40:47] Melbourne Storm had so much success.
[40:50] So much success.
[40:52] Like if you look at the run that the Melbourne Storm had, and I'll get to the obvious question, but...
[41:01] Like 2006, minor premiers, lose the grand final, 15-18 to Brisbane Broncos.
[41:06] Brisbane are the premiers.
[41:09] Brisbane are the premiers.
[41:12] They are the champions again.
[41:15] Six grand finals.
[41:17] They've won them all.
[41:20] So you lose your first grand final.
[41:22] Then 2007 Storm win the grand final 34-8 against the Manly Sea Eagles.
[41:26] Should we have a look at one of your tries?
[41:27] Should we have a look at one of your tries?
[41:29] Yeah, go on.
[41:30] Let's have a look.
[41:30] Let's have a look at a grand final try because this is peak English.
[41:35] So this is when you're on your way to winning your first premiership.
[41:37] Roll it, Tommy.
[41:38] I love this try.
[41:39] I'm looking at this this morning.
[41:40] Thursday morning, so hang on.
[41:41] Don't write me off yet.
[41:42] Don't write me off.
[41:43] He's been tremendous.
[41:44] He's been tremendous.
[41:47] We talked about Slater in the first half.
[41:49] Here they are making another break and they get the ball away to Inglis.
[41:52] Inglis is inside the 30.
[41:53] Swirks away from Robertson.
[41:54] Runs away from Robertson.
[41:55] Puts the ball down.
[41:56] Greg Inglis, superstar.
[42:02] What's it like to look at that?
[42:03] What do you think?
[42:04] Because I'll tell you what I think, but more importantly, what do you think when you look at that?
[42:07] Mate, it's good memories.
[42:10] Yeah, it's very cool, huh?
[42:11] It's good memories.
[42:12] You know, you think about that there.
[42:14] They showed Ben Cross there because he was in doubt.
[42:18] He was in doubt with a hairstream strain.
[42:21] Still played.
[42:21] You know, it's what you do from grand finals.
[42:24] But you didn't answer the question.
[42:25] What do you think of looking at yourself there?
[42:26] Yeah.
[42:27] I know you're a man.
[42:28] You tried to avoid the Ricky Ponding, Justin Langer question.
[42:31] Well, I've got to avoid this one too.
[42:33] Well, okay, I'll tell you what I think.
[42:34] Like looking at it from someone that's been privileged to get the opportunity to watch so many athletes in so many sports.
[42:42] It seems like a slow stride, yet you're running away from people.
[42:45] And then the bloke is going to push you across out of play on the sideline and you just put your hand up like we would say like Dusty Martin in the NFL and the bloke went flying.
[42:56] You had that rare...
[42:59] What can I say, Greg?
[43:00] You were incredibly graceful yet had this underlying power about you that even as a non-rugby league follower, I can watch that and think that's the way rugby league's meant to be played.
[43:12] Well, I'm glad I bought some joy in some people's houses.
[43:17] What I call it footy is bums on seats.
[43:19] So you're a bums on seats man.
[43:21] There's grace and power to you.
[43:23] Oh, thanks.
[43:24] Thanks, Alie.
[43:25] Well, it's – so you win another – 2008, you get smack 48.
[43:31] 40-0.
[43:32] 40-0, man.
[43:33] Yep.
[43:33] Jamie Lyon.
[43:34] He kicks it.
[43:35] It's 40-0.
[43:35] It's a record.
[43:37] It's a record.
[43:38] Never before has a team won a grand final by 40 points.
[43:42] My memory of that was I was in the MotoGP after Casey Stoner won.
[43:45] I was there with Channel 10.
[43:46] And by the time it took me to get out of the car park at Phillip Island, the whole grand final had been played and you'd been absolutely smashed.
[43:53] What's the coach say after something like that?
[43:55] Oh, you know, it's obviously disheartening.
[43:58] You know, you put all that effort throughout the year and, you know, you perform like that on the bigger stage.
[44:03] You know, it's...
[44:04] But does Craig tear strips or is he just...
[44:07] Nothing he can say.
[44:08] ...with disappointment or he just says, boys, you've had a good year, hasn't gone our way?
[44:11] Yeah, you know, he could have just, you know, just blew it.
[44:15] He could have blew it up.
[44:16] He could have blew up like he's... That was probably the...
[44:21] Easiest way to do it, but when you go down like that, you don't need to say anything.
[44:28] The players know what we delivered was not acceptable.
[44:32] It wasn't acceptable in a Melbourne Storm way anyway.
[44:36] It's like we just, yeah, still can't put our fingers on it.
[44:40] It's like we just wasn't there.
[44:43] Made up for it.
[44:44] Bounced back 2009, 23-16 over the Eels.
[44:46] English is in position.
[44:47] It is English.
[44:48] He sets it.
[44:48] He hits it.
[44:49] Referee, Tony Archer.
[44:52] They're jumping for Joy Melbourne.
[44:57] They've won the title, you would have to think.
[45:02] 23, play 16.
[45:03] The siren has sounded, I do believe.
[45:08] But Tony Archer...
[45:12] I don't know that he wants to acknowledge it.
[45:13] He hears it again.
[45:15] So the record books, I don't know what the record books show.
[45:21] To me, when you walk in here, I'm set to introduce you as Greg Inglis, three-time NRL champion.
[45:27] Two of the Melbourne Storm, one with South, which we'll get to.
[45:32] How do you view yourself?
[45:33] Yeah, we still believe that we won those premierships.
[45:38] You know, we...
[45:39] You don't go into an organization and ask what money you're on.
[45:43] You don't ask any of those questions.
[45:45] You've got no idea.
[45:46] That's why you've got agents for.
[45:47] That's why you've got people look after that list.
[45:50] All you're doing is turning up, training, and playing.
[45:54] You don't sit there and ask people what they're on.
[45:59] It just causes conflict within the group.
[46:01] It doesn't bring any good to it.
[46:04] So when we was going through it all, I remember I was the last person to sign those long-term deals because there was Cam, Bill and Cooper that I signed.
[46:18] And so I thought it was the right thing for me to go ask, Craig, can I leave the gate elsewhere?
[46:27] And that was...
[46:29] Out of all my toughest conversations to have, that was the hardest.
[46:32] What did you say to him?
[46:33] I said, I think it would be easier for me to leave to find another club.
[46:38] It would be easier for me to pick up somewhere else.
[46:41] Yep.
[46:42] I don't think you still sign those papers.
[46:45] Right.
[46:45] Yeah, it was always a hard one.
[46:48] And saying that there, though, my relationship with Craig and Melmestorm has never changed.
[46:55] So just to take it back a step from that, he came on this show, meant to mention it at the start, it was during COVID, so he had to do it remotely.
[47:04] And then he had to get the recording to me because we'd done it remotely.
[47:08] Yeah.
[47:09] And his lack of IT expertise.
[47:11] He had to get someone from the club to come round to his house.
[47:14] Was it Johnsey?
[47:15] It probably was to figure out how to do it on his phone, to send it to me.
[47:19] But when did you first find out?
[47:23] Did Craig tell the group that the premierships had been stripped?
[47:27] Your memory, how does it go back, those two Melbourne Storm premierships?
[47:30] Prince of Park?
[47:32] Yep.
[47:32] Boys were on the field.
[47:33] I was just inside, warming up on the bike on the...
[47:38] Watt bike back then.
[47:39] It wasn't any Watt bike.
[47:40] It was one of those old school resistance bikes.
[47:43] Yep.
[47:44] And I was in there just warming up just before I head back out.
[47:48] And before I even got, you know, three to 20 minutes to go join the team out in the park,
[47:56] They all come back in.
[47:57] They all come back in.
[47:58] It's like we're going back into our team meeting room.
[48:03] And then that's when he told us.
[48:04] Good evening.
[48:05] Rugby league and all Australian sport has been rocked tonight by the dramatic decision of the NRL to strip the Melbourne Storm of two of its premiership titles.
[48:17] The brutal punishment is over the club's brazen rorting of the salary cap, which has left league bosses shocked.
[48:25] Here are the full details.
[48:27] The club has had its premiership of last year and 2007 stripped from them.
[48:33] They've been forced to hand back $1 million in prize money.
[48:38] They've been fined $500,000.
[48:41] They've been stripped of the eight points they have this season already.
[48:45] but also have been banned from accruing any other points this year.
[48:50] With the bombshell delivered in private by the NRL, the Storm management tried to escape out a back door.
[48:59] And they were in no mood for talking.
[49:01] An hour later, it became clear why they were speechless.
[49:05] David Gallop, confronted with the biggest scandal to hit the game, shocked everyone with the punishment.
[49:11] The penalty will be the stripping of three minor premierships and two premierships.
[49:18] What do you say?
[49:19] He goes, look, we don't know what's going on.
[49:20] There's big news coming out that, you know, the salary cap.
[49:24] We didn't know what was, you know, the fallout was going to be.
[49:28] He goes, there's a big press conference that happened that was at Amy Park.
[49:33] So we just moved to Amy Park.
[49:34] There was a big press conference where he walks across the field with the whole squad.
[49:37] Yeah, which he talked about when he came on the show.
[49:40] The one thing, because I was going to, I thought that...
[49:44] It was up to me just to go out and make some sort of statement, you know, on behalf of the players.
[49:50] Not so much the club, but on behalf of the players.
[49:53] And when they found out, they said, well, we're going with you.
[49:58] You're not going out there to face them on your own.
[50:00] Because as you can imagine, it was fairly volatile, you know, in the press and whatever.
[50:08] And so they said, hey, you ain't going out there on your own, which was...
[50:13] thinking, you know, I'm not a little boy here, I can do this on my own.
[50:16] But they basically said, no, we're going with you.
[50:18] So, and those words just weren't mine either.
[50:24] There was some of, especially our leaders, our senior players, wanted to put some of those, some of the things I said in there.
[50:31] And, you know, obviously I had to agree to that because I was the one that was saying it.
[50:35] But the one thing that I suppose stood out to me, there was some fairly strong words,
[50:42] things that I said there about, you know, what we're going to do and, you know, how we're going to get through this.
[50:49] And for me being out there saying it, I reckon that, because I've always been a guy that, you know, actions speak louder than words, and I think we're all that.
[51:01] But after I said those things, you know, I thought to myself, I've got to live those things now too.
[51:07] This has been without doubt the toughest 48 hours of our sporting life.
[51:12] We have been gutted with what has transpired in recent days.
[51:17] Our greatest accomplishments and what we cherish most have been taken away from us by the harshest of penalties.
[51:26] I love this club.
[51:28] I love these players.
[51:31] These players love our club.
[51:34] This club is a great club.
[51:36] It's a strong club.
[51:37] It's a very proud club.
[51:40] It also has been a successful club.
[51:43] This is why we stand here today united.
[51:47] We are not going anywhere.
[51:48] We ain't going to surrender.
[51:50] Which we said, we're not going anywhere.
[51:53] We'll fight.
[51:56] We'll take it as it comes.
[51:57] But we'll stick together.
[51:59] And, you know, we still are.
[52:01] So as a player, were you... What was your emotion?
[52:06] I just couldn't believe it.
[52:07] I was in disbelief.
[52:09] You know, it was massive.
[52:11] You know, it was...
[52:13] As a player, you sit there and you just think about all the hard work that you put in, all the blood, sweat and tears, all the injuries that you go through.
[52:22] And then for that to happen, you know, you can... At the end of the day, we've done the wrong thing.
[52:28] You know, the club did the wrong thing.
[52:29] Yep.
[52:30] But again, at the end of the day, we're sticking together because we are Melbourne Storm.
[52:33] And then as a player at that time, you just sit there and you... Yeah, you're all in disbelief, massively in disbelief.
[52:41] And then when it said we're coming out...
[52:44] We're stripping, not playing for points, stripping the premierships.
[52:48] To us, you know, we won those.
[52:52] You know, still got the rings out, huh?
[52:54] Yep.
[52:55] So, yeah.
[52:57] That is the end of Greg Inglis Part A.
[52:59] In Part B, Greg opens up about his mental health journey, rehab and the road back to happiness.

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