Seven years ago, while sitting on the Sunday Footy Show panel, co-host Peter Sterling asked Brad Fittler if he wanted the NSW Origin job that had just been vacated by Ricky Stuart.
“Yep,” Freddy blurted out, without even hesitating, such is his fondness for the sky-blue jumper.
As soon as he came off air, he phoned his former Penrith teammate Greg Alexander.
United: Brad Fittler and Greg Alexander at Blues training this week.Credit:NRL Photos
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“If I ever get it, can I count on you to be there with me?” he asked.
“Yep,” Brandy blurted out, without even hesitating, such is his fondness for the sky-blue jumper but mostly because of his loyalty to Fittler.
As it turned out, the job went to Laurie Daley before Fittler took over last year and won the series at his first attempt. Alexander was by his side in the coachs box, the pair of them jumping about like they'd just won the Winfield Cup in 1991.
Notwithstanding all the important cogs in the NSW machine, a critical part of the states rebirth as an Origin force comes down to two former teammates bonded by premiership success and then unfathomable tragedy.
The death of Ben Alexander — Gregs 20-year-old brother, Fittlers best mate — in a car accident in 1992 has been in sharp focus this week as the Blues and Transport for NSW combined to launch a TV campaign for road safety. It features Alexander and Fittler talking about Ben.
Ben was a very strong, charismatic person. He wouldve been a great coach or administrator today. He made a lot of sense.
Brad Fittler on Ben Alexander
When the ad was being shown inside North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club earlier this week, as NSW players like Boyd Cordner fought back tears, Fittler and Alexander went for a walk. They dont want to see the ad because it stirs up too much emotion.
"I'll never watch it, mate," Fittler said. "I can't."
In truth, the retelling of that night, while necessary and important, has been quite draining on both of them this week.
“We were just all very close at Penrith,” Fittler says. “I went out with Brandy's sister, Linda, when I was 15. Ben was my best mate because we went to school together in the same year. And Mark Geyer went out with Megan.
“Brandy just got shit done. He was at the top of his game when I started. And Ben was a very strong, charismatic person. He wouldve been a great coach or administrator today. He made a lot of sense. He had more sense than most others, especially at our age. Especially me. I was a lunatic. He had a definite strength that I didnt have.”
Freddy was a star player but he had to graduate into being a star leader. And he did that.
Greg Aexander on Brad Fittler
Bens death shaped both mens lives, of course. We will never know exactly how good Greg Alexander couldve been as a player because Ben's death struck when he was at the peak of his powers.
“I dont know how I handled things because I was just lost in my world,” Alexander says. “I look back at that period and think, Did I handle things well or should I have handled them differently? I don't don't know. I didn't notice anyone.”
What Alexander did notice in those years after Bens death, as Fittler went to the Roosters before becoming NSW and Australian captain, was how his little mate developed into a leader of men.
“Now, as a coach, hes very similar to how he was as a captain,” Alexander says. “I think hes been one of our great captains, whether its for the Blues or for Australia. Freddy was a star player but he had to graduate into being a star leader. And he did that.”
Indeed, NSW players and other coaching staff tell you how direct Fittler is with his messaging. There are no Churchillian speeches, no channelling of Pacino in the final scenes of Any Given Sunday.
He talks to them like men. Tells them what he wants them to do. He expects them to do it.
Its a bit like the way they played at Penrith all those years ago. Says Fitter: "MG would go mad, Brandy would set up the tries, I would try to make sure I scored them.”
Alexander admits, though, he was surprised how the kid with bad flattop from all those years ago had turned into such a fine coach when he first came on board last year.
“Freddys a good mate of mine — but I didnt know what he was like as a coach,” Alexander said. “I thought those qualities as a leader would transfer as a coach but I wasnt in the Roosters sheds when he was coaching. I didnt exactly know what he was going to bring to the table. I thought, Its Freddy, itll be good. But in the back of my mind I didnt really know.
“But then he spoke and I just bought in straight away. Just his confidence about what he was doing and saying. People talk about him being left-field. Its a fraction of Freddy. Theres a lot more substance.”
Much of that substance comes from the Alexander with him in the coachs box — and the Alexander who sadly cant be there with them.
Pearce half-hearted
How close did Mitchell Pearce go to making a stunning return to the NSW side after Luke Keary was ruled out of Origin with concussion?
Pumped: Mitchell Pearce is mobbed after scoring against the Roosters.Credit:AAP
Yeah nah yeah nah — not really much of a chance at all.
When Fittler approached Pearce in the dressing room after his dazzling performance for the Knights last Friday night, he sensed straight away that the 30-year-old wasnt overly keen.
Pearce had a “sore” groin and theres no doubt that he couldve played, although he wouldve been on a hiding to nothing returning the NSW side in a series opener at Suncorp.
Its a sign of his maturity and where he's life is that Pearce could easily put his club ahead of higher rep honours.
Walking tall
Cody Walkers selection in the NSW side at the age of the 29 is one of the truly great Origin stories.
When others in the NSW set-up have asked him this week why its come so late, hes openly told them that he was more concerned with having a good time than concentrating on his career as a professional footballer.
Then he saw the ultrasound of his wife carrying their first child and suddenly the penny dropped. In the last year or so, Walker has become one of the games most mesmerising players.
He surprised a few of his new teammates when he decided not to join them on Tuesday nights bonding session. As revealed in the Herald today, Walker has given up the drink for the season.
In a clear sign that hes also ready to make the most of this series, Cordner also didnt venture out.
Seven years ago, while sitting on the Sunday Footy Show panel, co-host Peter Sterling asked Brad Fittler if he wanted the NSW Origin job that had just been vacated by Ricky Stuart.
“Yep,” Freddy blurted out, without even hesitating, such is his fondness for the sky-blue jumper.
As soon as he came off air, he phoned his former Penrith teammate Greg Alexander.
United: Brad Fittler and Greg Alexander at Blues training this week.Credit:NRL Photos
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“If I ever get it, can I count on you to be there with me?” he asked.
“Yep,” Brandy blurted out, without even hesitating, such is his fondness for the sky-blue jumper but mostly because of his loyalty to Fittler.
As it turned out, the job went to Laurie Daley before Fittler took over last year and won the series at his first attempt. Alexander was by his side in the coachs box, the pair of them jumping about like they'd just won the Winfield Cup in 1991.
Notwithstanding all the important cogs in the NSW machine, a critical part of the states rebirth as an Origin force comes down to two former teammates bonded by premiership success and then unfathomable tragedy.
The death of Ben Alexander — Gregs 20-year-old brother, Fittlers best mate — in a car accident in 1992 has been in sharp focus this week as the Blues and Transport for NSW combined to launch a TV campaign for road safety. It features Alexander and Fittler talking about Ben.
Ben was a very strong, charismatic person. He wouldve been a great coach or administrator today. He made a lot of sense.
Brad Fittler on Ben Alexander
When the ad was being shown inside North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club earlier this week, as NSW players like Boyd Cordner fought back tears, Fittler and Alexander went for a walk. They dont want to see the ad because it stirs up too much emotion.
"I'll never watch it, mate," Fittler said. "I can't."
In truth, the retelling of that night, while necessary and important, has been quite draining on both of them this week.
“We were just all very close at Penrith,” Fittler says. “I went out with Brandy's sister, Linda, when I was 15. Ben was my best mate because we went to school together in the same year. And Mark Geyer went out with Megan.
“Brandy just got shit done. He was at the top of his game when I started. And Ben was a very strong, charismatic person. He wouldve been a great coach or administrator today. He made a lot of sense. He had more sense than most others, especially at our age. Especially me. I was a lunatic. He had a definite strength that I didnt have.”
Freddy was a star player but he had to graduate into being a star leader. And he did that.
Greg Aexander on Brad Fittler
Bens death shaped both mens lives, of course. We will never know exactly how good Greg Alexander couldve been as a player because Ben's death struck when he was at the peak of his powers.
“I dont know how I handled things because I was just lost in my world,” Alexander says. “I look back at that period and think, Did I handle things well or should I have handled them differently? I don't don't know. I didn't notice anyone.”
What Alexander did notice in those years after Bens death, as Fittler went to the Roosters before becoming NSW and Australian captain, was how his little mate developed into a leader of men.
“Now, as a coach, hes very similar to how he was as a captain,” Alexander says. “I think hes been one of our great captains, whether its for the Blues or for Australia. Freddy was a star player but he had to graduate into being a star leader. And he did that.”
Indeed, NSW players and other coaching staff tell you how direct Fittler is with his messaging. There are no Churchillian speeches, no channelling of Pacino in the final scenes of Any Given Sunday.
He talks to them like men. Tells them what he wants them to do. He expects them to do it.
Its a bit like the way they played at Penrith all those years ago. Says Fitter: "MG would go mad, Brandy would set up the tries, I would try to make sure I scored them.”
Alexander admits, though, he was surprised how the kid with bad flattop from all those years ago had turned into such a fine coach when he first came on board last year.
“Freddys a good mate of mine — but I didnt know what he was like as a coach,” Alexander said. “I thought those qualities as a leader would transfer as a coach but I wasnt in the Roosters sheds when he was coaching. I didnt exactly know what he was going to bring to the table. I thought, Its Freddy, itll be good. But in the back of my mind I didnt really know.
“But then he spoke and I just bought in straight away. Just his confidence about what he was doing and saying. People talk about him being left-field. Its a fraction of Freddy. Theres a lot more substance.”
Much of that substance comes from the Alexander with him in the coachs box — and the Alexander who sadly cant be there with them.
Pearce half-hearted
How close did Mitchell Pearce go to making a stunning return to the NSW side after Luke Keary was ruled out of Origin with concussion?
Pumped: Mitchell Pearce is mobbed after scoring against the Roosters.Credit:AAP
Yeah nah yeah nah — not really much of a chance at all.
When Fittler approached Pearce in the dressing room after his dazzling performance for the Knights last Friday night, he sensed straight away that the 30-year-old wasnt overly keen.
Pearce had a “sore” groin and theres no doubt that he couldve played, although he wouldve been on a hiding to nothing returning the NSW side in a series opener at Suncorp.
Its a sign of his maturity and where he's life is that Pearce could easily put his club ahead of higher rep honours.
Walking tall
Cody Walkers selection in the NSW side at the age of the 29 is one of the truly great Origin stories.
When others in the NSW set-up have asked him this week why its come so late, hes openly told them that he was more concerned with having a good time than concentrating on his career as a professional footballer.
Then he saw the ultrasound of his wife carrying their first child and suddenly the penny dropped. In the last year or so, Walker has become one of the games most mesmerising players.
He surprised a few of his new teammates when he decided not to join them on Tuesday nights bonding session. As revealed in the Herald today, Walker has given up the drink for the season.
In a clear sign that hes also ready to make the most of this series, Cordner also didnt venture out.
