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How Freddy Fittler Birthed a Dynasty while Drooling in the Trenches for NSWRL

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How Freddy Fittler Birthed a Dynasty while Drooling in the Trenches for NSWRL

by The Ghost Writer Dribbler

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Freddy Fittler is an enigma of a man.  Chinese whispers report him stating to punters and dribblers in sports bars around the state about the great game of Rugby League ‘I Just Bloody Loooove it’- the piece of saliva rolling down his chin emphasises this.

In 2014 Fittler and friend, the 8th Immortal, Andrew ‘Joey’ Johns travel to Fiji for their annual Fiji Odyssey. This trip has been made a permanent fixture to spread the great game of Rugby League and unearth local talent.  It is this curiosity and constant thirst for the game of Rugby League that will hold Fittler in good stead for the important job that is waiting in the pipeline for him in the years to come.

One year later, in 2015, Fittler was announced as the man to coach NSWRL’s best u/16’s, u/18/s and u/20’s (Unders Teams). On receiving this appointment Fittler said:

“If we don’t keep trying to improve the players and improve the game, then at some stage it will plateau…. If you’re not doing that groundwork well in advance of them kids getting to that moment then at some stage it could lose its shine… When I took this job on, it was for the kids. It wasn’t to coach NSW in the future. Hopefully I do a good enough job, the kids keep coming through prepared and I stay in this job.”

It was at this moment that Fittler’s time in the NSW State of Origin trenches reaches its most pivotal stage. In this chain of events, it wasn’t only the players getting that groundwork well in advance, but it was Freddy. While others were fighting over which current crop to harvest, he was soaking the NSWRL seeds with his raw saliva from 2015 to 2018 before his eventual appointment as the head coach of the NSW State of Origin team. Fittler has gone on to win 3 of his 4 origin series as coach, losing a weird end of season covid-19 exhibition with his second string side in 2020.  

 

 

In the 2021 series Fittler named 21-year-old Wests Tigers prop, Stefano Utoikamanu in the extended squad.  A dribbler responded to this selection by posting the ‘who the fook is that guy’ Conor McGregor meme with Stefano’s face imposed on the original recipient of the quip, Jeremy Stephens. Fittler knew Stefano and his talent from his time in the trenches coaching NSW’s younger teams.  Fittler knew Stefano well having coached his brother Filia Utoikamanu in the NSW 18’s team in 2017. Sadly Filia’s League career concluded that same year when he broke his neck playing lower grades for the Parramatta Eels.  Stefano is now being likened by some to front row sensation Payne Haas, though he may be a ‘Haas-Lite’, even a ‘Lite’ version would be amongst the best FR’s in the game. 

Pan across to Fittler’s current adversary (as of July 2021), Paul Green, in the same years Fittler was salivating over NSW Junior Rugby League players Paul was coaching the Cowboys to a finish of 4th, 8th, 13th and 14th.  Full disclosure, Paul did win a Premiership as coach of the Cowboys in 2015 and unfortunately, the Cowboys players would become the talent pool that Paul looked towards in his time as QLD origin coach. See: Kyle Feldt, selected by Paul, played perhaps the worst origin centre of all time, Francis Molo earning selection from the Cowboys bench was another head-scratcher. 

Back to Fittler, the players he presided over in his time with the NSW Unders Teams included: Payne Haas, Cameron Murray, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Zac Lomax, Bradman Best, Taniela Paseka, Latrell Mitchell, Victor Radley, Brian To’o, Keaon Koloamatangi and Nick Cotric.

The QLD ‘8 in a row’ that the inbred Banana-Bender variant of the Punter and Dribbler refers to after each lost series is long gone, having finished in 2013.  Their reign was characterised by a once-in-a-generation spine of Slater, Lockyer/Cronk, Thurston and Smith.  This was then complemented by a replenishable source of foot soldiers. Matt Scott waned, Josh Papali’i emerged. Michael Crocker fell off, Sam Thaiday throbbed. Ash Harrison retired, Matt Gillett filled in. Dallas Johnson retired, Nate Myles stood up etc. 

QLD v NSW - State Of Origin: Game 2

 

NSWRL under Freddy’s lead have built the once in a generation spine they have been searching for, Tedesco, Luai, Cleary and Cook will be giving QLD the same nightmares that Blues fans had for those grim eight or more years.  The foot soldiers will now be what is important if NSW can challenge QLD’s streak. 

The fullback stocks are palpable. Tedesco has Turbo, Papenhuyzen and others waiting their turn for the custodian role down the track. The wings are locked down with Fox and To’o but Saab, Nofoaluma, A Johnston or the many freak centres could fill in. Centre stocks are at an all time high with Turbo and the ‘Taree Ferrari’ the incumbents, those waiting patiently include; Bradman Best, Lomax, Campbell Graham, Kotoni Staggs, Stephen Crichton and many more. 

The back-row stocks are similar to the centres, Rugby League’s No.1 sort Cam Murray was elite in 2021 smothering key QLD’ers and T Sims was amongst the best. Shadowing the incumbents are young guns Souths’ Koloamatangi, Manly’s Olokau’atu (cousin of Jason Tuamololo), Josh Schuster and veterans like Finucane, Frizell, Chrichton. The front row has the game’s best Payne Haas, Daniel Saifiti and Paulo as incumbents. Stefano, Manly’s Taniela Paseka and veterans like RCG are there waiting for a chance.

The NSW foot soldier cattle is there. If the spine stays healthy they will easily have the herd to challenge QLD’s streak. One thing you know for sure is Fittler will be drooling, watching and nurturing the talent of the NSW juniors for years to come. For the good of his state and because he just bloody loves it. 

 

 

Fancy yourself as a bit of a writer? Got some unqualified opinion and unwavering bias you’d like to share with the world? Send it through to dyor@hellosport.com.au to be featured on the site

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What Makes a Player worth $1 Million?

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What Makes a Player worth $1 Million?

by Intern Brayden

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The Salary Cap. One of the most controversial and complex topics in league, but one that brings with it many a yarn. How can the Roosters possibly be under the cap? Has DYOR Dave overcome the 2007/09 cheating scandal that rocked the Storm? Did the Cowboys accidentally add a zero to Townsend’s contract? All questions that get raised in pubs all over the country as dribblers morph into accountants and economists after consuming a few Blokes. The intricacies of ‘The Cap’ like back-ended deals, third party agreements etc. are too complex for me, but I do want to discuss one idea. What makes a player worth $1 million per year?

Compared to other sports around the world, $1 million is peanuts. However, in our little world of Rugba Leeg, it is reserved for the top of the heap (or it should be). To put this into context, here are some stats.

The current players on $1M per year are DCE, Ben Hunt, James Tedesco, Tom Trbojevic, David Fifita, Shaun Johnson, Cameron Munster and Kalyn Ponga. Honourable mentions must go to a few who fall just shy including Ash Taylor (960K), Moses Mbye ($950K), Mitch Moses ($920K) and Anthony Milford ($940K).

There are 30 players in a team’s squad. The Cap for each team is $9.9 million. So, a $1 million player takes up just over 10% of the teams cap. If DYOR and his communist friends had their way and each player was paid equally, they would all be earning $330,000. The minimum salary for top-26 players is $115,000 and $77,500 for players 27-30. This means that a player on $1 million is earning 13 times more than their lowest paid teammate and should therefore be 13 times more valuable to the organisation.  A $1 million player needs to be somebody you can build a club around, who is able to do things that others simply cannot. This can be split into what they bring both on and off the field.

Clutch Personified: DCE has kicked 23 field goals in his career
Clutch Personified: DCE has kicked 23 field goals in his career

 

On the Field

If you make the top-30 of an NRL squad, you know how to play footy. I guarantee that if you put the 17 least paid players on the field, they would be able to compete against most teams, at least as much as the Bulldogs do. For someone to be worth 13 times more than someone next to them, they must have the ability to single-handedly, significantly influence the outcome of a game, consistently.

A player of this calibre can create a line break and force the defence to scramble by themselves, be it with footwork and speed, ball skills or pure strength. They’re able to do this at half-way, on the oppositions try line and both in the middle third or ‘outside the numbers’. If they are a kicker, they must be able to create space for themselves, find a repeat set and land the ball on a dime to create scoring chances and avoid conceding penalties or 7 tackle sets. They must have the ability to land a game winning field goal or conversion under pressure. Finally, they influence a play without even touching the ball as the defence recognises a threat and overcompensates, leaving plenty of space for their teammates.

For example, in 2021 Tom Trbojevic averages 2.62 Line Break Assists per game and Nathan Cleary averages 1.07 Try Assists per game. Comparing this to other well-respected players in their position, Will Kennedy averages 0.82 LBA per game and Luke Brooks averages 0.73 TA per game.

Once touted as a million dollar man, Ben Barba's off field form let him down
Once touted as a million dollar man, Ben Barba’s off field form let him down

Off the Field

While being hot automatically increases wages by 20%, clubs still must weigh up how much of a good bloke he is. The ability to influence the outcome of a game on the field is necessary, yet what happens if they were to get injured, or even suspended? It’s hard to ignore these factors when negotiating contracts and as such, a player must be able to influence their team’s performance from the sidelines.

A player worth $1 million must bring the best out of his teammates, explicitly or implicitly. Leadership is an unquantifiable quality, however, it is one I believe must be seen in all million-dollar men. The 1%ers on and off the field that create good habits, the managing of relationships in the team and being the segue between coach and player all inspire teammates to buy into their mission and achieve what they are capable of.

Knowing the qualities of this type of player and the impact he can have on an organisation makes other players want to play alongside them and do so for less money in the hope of improving as a player and a person. Suddenly, this player has individually changed his team’s identity even before lacing the boots. This is what we see happening at the Storm and Roosters and is clearly the formula for long term success.

With all this in mind I believe teams are handing out big contract’s willy nilly, and they need to reel it in. Million-dollar contracts should be reserved for somebody who displays not just some of these characteristics, but all of them. The short list of players I believe deserve this kind of money right now are Turbo, Cleary, Teddy, and Munster. That’s it. Roast me in the comments and change my mind or agree with me. I want to hear your thoughts on what justifies a $1 million pay packet.

Fancy yourself as a bit of a writer? Got some unqualified opinion and unwavering bias you’d like to share with the world? Send it through to dyor@hellosport.com.au to be featured on the site