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Braith Anasta at crossroads over the future of Todd Carney

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  • Braith Anasta at crossroads over the future of Todd Carney

    http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1226114393533

    ROOSTERS captain Braith Anasta tells Jessica Halloran about his personal anger at being let down by his mates.

    DO you see this as a chance for the club to define itself, to set some standards?

    I do, definitely. That was the one positive to come out of it as a playing group, that we could draw a line in the sand. For us, as a playing group, we were strong and to stand your own players down is never an easy thing, but we believe these players needed to earn the trust back.

    From now on, if you are a Sydney Roosters player and you don't abide by the rules, then you will not be playing alongside us on the weekend. As players, we felt we needed to make this decision for the best interest of the playing group and the club.

    Who do you feel most disappointed for in this; the chairman Nick Politis, your team-mates, the fans?

    Everyone. From the fans, the sponsors, the water boys, every single Roosters employee who comes in here and works their butt off week in, week out and try to set the right example - up to Nick, who puts the trust in his players and has really supported the playing group through tough times this year.

    Who do you turn to for advice?

    I've got my leadership group. It's a bit of a tough one. I'd have to say, myself and Sam Perrett and Rylesy (Jason Ryles) and Mini (Anthony Minichiello) as well.

    I speak to Smithy (Brian Smith) and Noycey (CEO Steve Noyce) a lot. I make sure we are all on the same page, and they are pretty much who I confide in.

    What gives you faith that you can salvage something from these last four weeks?

    What gives me faith is the playing group we've got at the moment and their reaction to this in particular. They were very disappointed, but we've got some very enthusiastic young guys who have come in and have been very professional about it and put it behind them. Because we have made such a strong stance as a playing group, the only way is up from here.

    We've got a great roster, the reason has to be mental to why we haven't got to the standards we would have liked and everyone would have expected of us. I still have plenty of belief in the club.

    Do the Roosters have an issue with their culture?

    I believe that we did. We worked extremely hard last season to turn that around, but maybe we have let it slip this year. It would be naive not to think that. We have worked hard this season, but through one way or another ... we must get on top of this in the back end of the season and next pre-season.

    We have slipped in our standards and values ... we can't say every player has lived and breathed every value that we set, and we did last season.

    The most important thing for a club to be consistently successful is to have strong values and to live by them.

    Is Brian Smith the man to lead you out of this mess?

    I believe he can. I have the utmost respect for Smithy and I believe in him. The place was in a bit of a mess when he first arrived here and there is no reason why he can't do it again. We all know what it takes. What I see is that we have a lot of young guys in our team and last year we realised what it took to get to the grand final. This year we've realised what it takes to get back down to the bottom.

    It's not a lesson we wanted to learn, but having a young group ... to experience that is going to benefit them next season. We'd love to be in a different situation, and it is no excuse at all, but I do believe they will learn from this lesson.

    When did you make the call for the alcohol ban and why did you think it was necessary?

    We made the call. I spoke to the leadership group after the Bulldogs game, when we won. We'd been playing some really good football, I was really excited about the back end of the year, but I was hearing a few rumours that the guys had had a few beers after the win.

    That's all well and good, I thought it was great to have a beer, but I was a little bit concerned we could get carried away with the win, so I wanted to keep us in check.

    I spoke to the leadership group. I said, "I've got no issue with alcohol. It's a part of society and life, everyone is entitled to have a beer, but I think with two Sunday games against the two best teams in the comp, I don't want us to drop our guard". So I set it as a two-week sacrifice for us.

    I honestly thought it was achievable. Everyone was on board in the leadership group. But it didn't even last a week. Pretty disappointing.

    When did you find out what happened with Todd Carney, Nate Myles and Frank-Paul Nuuausala?

    Monday afternoon. The footy manager rang me and left a message. I was playing golf. I was taking a few of the guys out, I took Aiden (Guerra), Friendy (Nathan Friend) and Toddy - well, it was planned to be Toddy for Monday afternoon. So we still went out there and we went to St Michael's. I had a missed call from Noycey, Smithy and the football manager, so I got sick in the stomach straight away. Then I heard the message the guys had broken our rules and they were asking what we should implement as punishment and all the rest of it.

    At the time, I was that disappointed I didn't even really worry about the punishment. That was the least of the problem.

    I was just shocked. To be honest, I was just a bit amazed by it . . I couldn't believe it.

    What did they say to you when you had this meeting?

    You know, they were extremely remorseful. They were very disappointed. They didn't go into any great depth of why they did it. They knew they had let us down and I think it was hurting them.

    How would you describe the mood of the meeting?

    Everyone was feeling the exact same thing, it was a pretty overwhelming feeling about what should happen to the three boys ... I can't go into that because it is personal.

    Did they apologise?

    Nah. Out of respect to us, they knew it meant nothing (if they did). They knew they'd done the wrong thing. They knew an apology wasn't going to cut it at that time. They fessed up to it - they were men about it.

    Will you have a say in whether Todd or Nate should be sacked?

    I won't have a say in it. It's not my decision. They are friends of mine, too, and I'm not their employer.

    It's more I'm thinking of the best interests of the team at the moment and the playing group. I want us to be on the same page and to be able to perform the best we can week in and week out.

    For this week I felt we would be better off without them in the team.

    In the public sphere, they are talking about Todd. The overwhelming opinion is he should be sacked. How do you feel about it as a team-mate and as a friend?

    I worry about Todd. All of us want to give him every chance to reach the highest expectations for him as not only a person but as a footy player, and to have a great life. Everyone here has given him every opportunity to do that, everyone here is supportive of him and what he does. He's got to start thinking about what everyone else has done for him. A lot of guys have stuck their neck out for him, too. It's got to happen sooner rather than later.

  • #2
    Yes well Mini might like to remember his sins of the past, like getting booted out of the Blues Origin camp...when he's sitting in judgement of others.

    'All' this "playing group" were on board last weekend and were soundly beaten by Manly...and nearly every other team this year...so can we please stop blaming Todd Carney for everything.

    Thanx.

    Anasta had a bad game a few weeks ago, bad passes, dropped ball...most of the players have lost us games during the year by making mistakes.
    Pearce...not a very good player this year....bad passes, dropped ball, dumb kicks.


    For this week I felt we would be better off without them in the team.

    Yes well I didn't, don't, I think the fans got robbed...3 of our best players missing...including the best goalkicker in the team.

    We the fans pay money ...and plenty of it, to attend matches and support the team.


    Excuse me, the overwhelming opinion is not that he should be sacked.

    Of course every Roosters-hater in town voted to sack Todd in the Daily Drag's poll...no doubt.

    Take a poll of Roosters supporters...and no asking loaded questions...and see what the result is.


    The team/playing group's attack is atrocious and has been so all year.

    Talk about making a 5 act play out of some guys breaking a dumb drinking ban rule/pact/pledge, on their day off!


    One for those making the 'sacking' BIG HUGE decision this week:


    "Never slam doors, and never burn bridges...you might want to go back" - Jack Gibson

    Once Carney's gone, he's gone...there'll be no getting him back.
    Last edited by bondi-boy; 08-14-2011, 09:55 AM.

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    • #3
      'Players' of the past used to roll out of pubs late at night, stagger along the streets...their drinking buddy journalists in tow, didn't they?

      Bowler hats.

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      • #4
        I am sure Braith would be devastated at having to play 5/8th again.

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        • #5
          Every 3rd day there is a ****ing interview with this guy, get out of the ****ing papers and win us a football match, CAPTAIN.

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          • #6
            Spoken like a true leader....

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            • #7
              I think we've just found EXACTLY why this team is in the doghouse.

              Remember where this [Irony]champion[/Irony] comes from.

              I will stop writing there as I feel a libel case coming on.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by bondi-boy View Post
                'Players' of the past used to roll out of pubs late at night, stagger along the streets...their drinking buddy journalists in tow, didn't they?

                Bowler hats.
                It is a far greater professional era these days that has been heralded in by the money from the post SL era.

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                • #9
                  Oh look. An entirely transparent and honest interview with one of the leaders at the club....

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                  • #10
                    As usual, Braith handles the media with aplomb - that was a well expressed, comprehensible and thought out interview.

                    As usual, this communications excellence is undermined by the sickening disparity between Braith's ability to handle journalists, and his ability to handle the football.

                    Everything he says about leading us out of this rot, about putting in on and off the field, about Carney, and about the team, is correct. His idea that he is the man to achieve all these goals is deeply, deeply flawed.

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                    • #11
                      This guy...

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by rcptn View Post
                        It is a far greater professional era these days that has been heralded in by the money from the post SL era.
                        It is, but would the players of the past be able to perfect today?

                        Hadley admits to being a drink-driver when younger.

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                        • #13
                          He's 25. He's not a kid any more.

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                          • #14
                            25 going on 17...as are many young men in our society today.

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                            • #15
                              Treat someone like a kid they will act like a kid.

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