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Willis Meehan
Sacked Sydney Roosters player Willis Meehan reveals his role as standover man for criminal gangs
an hour ago
Jamie PandaramThe Daily Telegraph
WHILE pursuing a career in the NRL, former Roosters prodigy Willis Meehan admits he also worked as a standover man for notorious criminals.
Using his sizeable fists and frame to collect debts, Meehan was as feared in the streets as he was on the football field.
But his fall from grace was swift; charged with assault and robbery in company following a 2.30am altercation near Star City Casino in April, Meehan was sacked by the Roosters in July. The robbery in company charge was thrown out while Meehan was dealt with under a section 10 in relation to the assault charge, which means no conviction was recorded.
Meehan, 20, has now opened up to The Daily Telegraphabout his extraordinary double life, his plan to return to the NRL next year after turning things around with the help of good friend Sonny Bill Williams, and emulating Williams by having successful league and boxing careers.
Meehan, who played his only NRL game last year but was destined to be part of their first-grade team before his sacking, has converted to Islam, spent the past few months painting houses to get by, while relentlessly training in his other chosen sport, boxing.
Willis Meehan was sacked by the Roosters in July but has been training relentlessly at his other sport, boxing. Picture: Toby Zerna
Of his time as a standover man, Meehan said: “You get caught in these circles, it is pretty hard to get out of, especially when you don’t have the right type of people around you, which I didn’t at the time. It was a dark time. It wasn’t like I was having fun running around doing what I was doing.
“I’ve seen things, done things I shouldn’t have seen or done for a 19-year-old kid, 18 even.
Willis Meehan (right) with Sonny Bill Williams and Omar Slaimankhel (left) Source: Twitter “
It was tough, getting charged with assault and having my picture up there for all the wrong reasons, for the first time since I was a kid. It was a big shock to me and I never want to feel that way again.”
But Meehan is also quick to take ownership of his behaviour, refusing to blame his predicament on others.
Willie Meehan on the attack for the Roosters back in 2014. He only made one NRL appearance. Picture: Mark Evans
“[It was] not just the wrong crowd, I was the wrong crowd myself,” Meehan said.
“I was the one going out there and pursuing these things, I don’t know what drove me to do it. Maybe it was the pressure of being a young professional player, and I’m a boxer as well, so I’ve always had that mentality, if I want something I’ll go get it, whether it’s the right way or the wrong way, I’ll end up getting it.
“I guess my fighter spirit took over me in the good times and the bad times. It’s got me to the highest places I’ve been so far, and it’s put me right at the bottom again.
“My big thing now is to channel that fighter spirit I’ve got, and I think I’m doing a pretty good job.”
Meehan is determined to reignite his NRL career in 2016, and is being guided by Williams in his bid to have a dual-sporting career.
“Sonny, it’s a blessing to me having him in my corner, in my side,” Meehan said.
“He’s got the blueprint to what I want to do in my sport, he can walk me through everything he’s done, I know he cares about me, he won’t let me make the mistakes he made.
“I’m blessed and thankful to have him in my corner, every Islander kid wants to grow up and be like Sonny, every Muslim kid wants to grow up and be like Sonny, it’s good to have him.”
Willis Meehan became the national Super Heavyweight champion at the age of 17.
Meehan is adamant he can excel in league and boxing simultaneously.
“One hundred per cent, no doubt in my mind, I know it’s what I can do,” he said.
“I’ve done it before doing all the wrong things in my off-field, so I know I can do it doing all the right things.”
Meehan, who grew up hand-to-mouth and then was handed a six-figure contract by the Roosters while still at school, believes his humbling experience has given him maturity.
“Everything at the Roosters just came to me, as a 17-year-old I was faced with challenges that adults get faced with, I wasn’t ready at the time to overcome these challenges,” he said.
“But everything happens for a reason, I’ve still got a good relationship with Nick Politis and Mark Bouris at the Roosters.
“What happened wasn’t a good thing, but I’m looking at it in a way that I can come back harder and stronger in my career.
“I can see it as a blessing in a way. I had everything at my footsteps, and when I say everything I mean the good and the bad stuff.
“It was all so easy to access for me and I could’ve gone either way; I could’ve been high up in my career, or I could be where I am now.
“That’s God’s path for me, to take me through the rough patches to see and know what it feels like now.”
an hour ago
Jamie PandaramThe Daily Telegraph
WHILE pursuing a career in the NRL, former Roosters prodigy Willis Meehan admits he also worked as a standover man for notorious criminals.
Using his sizeable fists and frame to collect debts, Meehan was as feared in the streets as he was on the football field.
But his fall from grace was swift; charged with assault and robbery in company following a 2.30am altercation near Star City Casino in April, Meehan was sacked by the Roosters in July. The robbery in company charge was thrown out while Meehan was dealt with under a section 10 in relation to the assault charge, which means no conviction was recorded.
Meehan, 20, has now opened up to The Daily Telegraphabout his extraordinary double life, his plan to return to the NRL next year after turning things around with the help of good friend Sonny Bill Williams, and emulating Williams by having successful league and boxing careers.
Meehan, who played his only NRL game last year but was destined to be part of their first-grade team before his sacking, has converted to Islam, spent the past few months painting houses to get by, while relentlessly training in his other chosen sport, boxing.
Willis Meehan was sacked by the Roosters in July but has been training relentlessly at his other sport, boxing. Picture: Toby Zerna
Of his time as a standover man, Meehan said: “You get caught in these circles, it is pretty hard to get out of, especially when you don’t have the right type of people around you, which I didn’t at the time. It was a dark time. It wasn’t like I was having fun running around doing what I was doing.
“I’ve seen things, done things I shouldn’t have seen or done for a 19-year-old kid, 18 even.
Willis Meehan (right) with Sonny Bill Williams and Omar Slaimankhel (left) Source: Twitter “
It was tough, getting charged with assault and having my picture up there for all the wrong reasons, for the first time since I was a kid. It was a big shock to me and I never want to feel that way again.”
But Meehan is also quick to take ownership of his behaviour, refusing to blame his predicament on others.
Willie Meehan on the attack for the Roosters back in 2014. He only made one NRL appearance. Picture: Mark Evans
“[It was] not just the wrong crowd, I was the wrong crowd myself,” Meehan said.
“I was the one going out there and pursuing these things, I don’t know what drove me to do it. Maybe it was the pressure of being a young professional player, and I’m a boxer as well, so I’ve always had that mentality, if I want something I’ll go get it, whether it’s the right way or the wrong way, I’ll end up getting it.
“I guess my fighter spirit took over me in the good times and the bad times. It’s got me to the highest places I’ve been so far, and it’s put me right at the bottom again.
“My big thing now is to channel that fighter spirit I’ve got, and I think I’m doing a pretty good job.”
Meehan is determined to reignite his NRL career in 2016, and is being guided by Williams in his bid to have a dual-sporting career.
“Sonny, it’s a blessing to me having him in my corner, in my side,” Meehan said.
“He’s got the blueprint to what I want to do in my sport, he can walk me through everything he’s done, I know he cares about me, he won’t let me make the mistakes he made.
“I’m blessed and thankful to have him in my corner, every Islander kid wants to grow up and be like Sonny, every Muslim kid wants to grow up and be like Sonny, it’s good to have him.”
Willis Meehan became the national Super Heavyweight champion at the age of 17.
Meehan is adamant he can excel in league and boxing simultaneously.
“One hundred per cent, no doubt in my mind, I know it’s what I can do,” he said.
“I’ve done it before doing all the wrong things in my off-field, so I know I can do it doing all the right things.”
Meehan, who grew up hand-to-mouth and then was handed a six-figure contract by the Roosters while still at school, believes his humbling experience has given him maturity.
“Everything at the Roosters just came to me, as a 17-year-old I was faced with challenges that adults get faced with, I wasn’t ready at the time to overcome these challenges,” he said.
“But everything happens for a reason, I’ve still got a good relationship with Nick Politis and Mark Bouris at the Roosters.
“What happened wasn’t a good thing, but I’m looking at it in a way that I can come back harder and stronger in my career.
“I can see it as a blessing in a way. I had everything at my footsteps, and when I say everything I mean the good and the bad stuff.
“It was all so easy to access for me and I could’ve gone either way; I could’ve been high up in my career, or I could be where I am now.
“That’s God’s path for me, to take me through the rough patches to see and know what it feels like now.”
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