Sam Thaiday

[pedro]

Many years ago, in a world club challenge match, two OAP's came toe to toe, and Sculthorpe licked Thaiaday's a** in the fisticuffs.
Thaiaday is too old, and as for being an enforcer as HC has said, he couldnt enforce the OAP's at the Saturday night MECCA bingo session.

world club challenge 2001, Thaidays debut 2003.

[pedro]

Or could have been the 2007 one, both played then

[Panchitta Marra]

2007 Pedro, you are spot on mate.

Sadley I have a house full of females, my partners daughters, 3 of them, and they all follow Stains.
Their Sky hard drive is full of such matches, like the 2007 WCC.
Can you imaging what its like in this household so far this season and after last seasons derby games.
I am glad half of my life is spent overseas, working, as it would be tough going at home, the way we are playing, and they dont ease up on opportunities to rub salt in.

[josie andrews]

The Brisbane Broncos have retained 2008 player-of-the-year Sam Thaiday, but the club has a battle on its hands to hold on to star full-back Karmichael Hunt.

Thaiday's re-signing until the end of 2011 comes in the face of a bidding war for Hunt, with a Japanese rugby union club reportedly offering him $1 million a season to switch codes.

Broncos boss Bruno Cullen says he thinks player-managers are driving the interest from Japan because he doubts officials in Asia would know much about NRL players and how they would adapt to rugby.

"Someone in Australia has got to be driving it and I'd say its the player-managers," he said.

"With all due respect they're not rugby league player-managers, they're player-managers for whatever they can get for that player, whether it be a deal with a soccer team or a rugby union team or a rugby league team or a commercial.

"That's their job and you've got to respect that."

The Broncos have at least retained the services of Thaiday, who has played 81 NRL matches, six State of Origin games for Queensland and two Tests for Australia.

The club says the future captaincy was not offered as an incentive, but 23-year-old Thaiday says he is ready to be a leader at the Broncos.

"I have had to grow up, I've still got a bit of kid brain there, I bring that out every now and then," said Thaiday, who has played 81 NRL matches for Brisbane, six State of Origin games for Queensland and two Tests.

"But seeing a lot of players leave here, I've had to step up and I've kind of embraced that now.

"I'm enjoying the role and the responsibility of it all."

Thaiday confirmed discussions had been held with other clubs but said his preference was to remain in Brisbane.

"I did have a look when it came to re-signing and I had a little sticky beak in other places, but in the back of my mind the Broncos is where my heart was and this pretty much was my first choice," he said.

Mr Cullen said the club was relieved to retain Thaiday's services.

"He's an established member of the NRL squad, is very much a senior player here now, and also an established Origin player," Mr Cullen said.

"Sam brings a lot to the team environment and we certainly hope this isn't the last contract he signs with the Broncos."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009 ... d=newsmail

[cpwigan]

Sam would never have got in the UK IMO re Visas

The player. Ideally suited to SL. He has changed himself in the way I guess we hope for Feka. Pre altering the interchange rules he only played short stints. When the NRL changed the interchange rule, the Broncos changed his training regime so that he could play the full 80 if need be. At the start of 2008 he was probably the form forward in the NRL. Went off the boil after Origin IIRC.