BIG LEAGUE 2011 Round One, 30 Rock
You kind of get the feeling Mark Riddell has become a bit serious.
Not that the cult figure has lost any of his legendary humour or peskiness. Rather, that a distinct aura of maturity surrounds the now- Rooster — and why wouldn't it. At the age of 30, he's completed a successful stint in England, is back playing for his third NRL club and returns with a wife and baby son in tow.
So, has fatherhood made him a changed man?
“I certainly don't go out as much anymore,"Riddell says with a laugh.
“The young fella is six weeks old, he's sleeping pretty well at the moment, so fingers crossed it stays that way.”
After chatting with the man affectionately known as ‘Piggy’, it’s clear he still has a lot to offer a rugby league team. He cut his three-year stay short at the Wigan Warriors in the English Super League to come back to Australia to be with his sick mother and people are ready to welcome back one of the most colourful characters in the modern game.
But as Roosters coach Brian Smith explains, it’s not just Riddell’s ability to make team-mates and fans laugh that will be coveted by the Bondi club.
“A week in footy can be like a month of real life. It can be quite pressured and it's important to have a cross-section of personalities," Smith says.
“Mark’s a bit of a special case in that regard; he’s a great guy. People will look at a fellow like Mark and get the wrong impression because he is such a funny bugger, he can crack people up. He can crack all of us up whenever he wants, but he's also got a really serious footy head. He’s got a good footy brain.“
“You can't get away with that other stuff unless you have that. We hope that Anthony Watts will be back in Round 10, and that gives Piggy a really good chance to put his best foot forward and show us what he's got.”
The injury to Cowboys recruit Watts was one of the key factors for Riddell’s return to the club he once played junior football for.
After being a rumoured signing for the Wests Tigers, Riddell’s last minute switch to the Roosters allowed the club's fans to breathe a sigh of relief as they now had some back-up for starting hooker Jake Friend.
Despite having 10 years of top grade football under his belt and joining the club as the oldest member of the squad, Riddell is looking at nothing more than being the perfect foil for Friend when he comes off the bench.
“Jake Friend, he's our number one hooker, and hopefully l can help him out a little bit,” Riddell says.
“But you know, he's just got to play like he did last season. He played very well, and hopefully we can work well together and improve each others’ games. Not only me helping him, but him pushing me with his youthful enthusiasm. I’m not fussed about where I start, the way I see it, anything is a bonus."
Aside from his close relationship with Brian Smith, who once coached Riddell at the Parramatta Eels, the hooker had a couple of other factors pulling him to the tri-colours - surprisingly, there are still a few familiar faces at the club where he played Jersey Flegg and SG Ball.
“I spent my first four years with Jason Ryles at the Dragons, and that was a bit of the reason I came here. Rylesy and Anthony Minichiello were here, and I played with ‘Mini’ at the Roosters when I was here previously. It's been pretty good to have those familiar faces around," he says.
“Brian and I had a really good relationship at Parramatta when he signed me in 2005. We’ve spoken a little bit whilst we've been at different clubs. When we spoke to each other on the phone about me coming here. it just seemed a logical choice to come back here and work again under Brian.
“He’s more relaxed than the cranky little man that he was [laughs]. He's turned this place around and the proof is in the pudding with the way the boys went last season, and hopefully they can continue it this season."
Riddell comes back to Sydney after realising every footballer’s dream – winning a grand final when
Wigan defeated St Helens 22-10 in the 2010 competition. He was a crowd favourite at Wigan, where he worked under former Melbourne Storm assistant coach Michael Maguire and played with ex pats Cameron Phelps, Amos Roberts and Thomas Leuluia.
Aside from the cold weather, Riddell was a fan of the level of anonymity afforded to RL players who take the field for English clubs, something he had not experienced much previously.
“I enjoyed it because no one knows you over there, so you enjoy being able to walk down the street or have a pint at the pub without anyone hassling you,” he explains.
“Winning the grand final was awesome; it's everything you wish for and more. Michael came in and just pretty much turned the whole place around. Just everything he put in place off the field, and the structure he had on it, the proof is there. We won the competition. I can't speak highly enough of him, I’m sure we'll see him back in the NRL soon, or see his name tossed up
“To get that opportunity — whilst I knew I was coming home — to win a grand final and play at Old Trafford is something I’ll never forget. It's what you chase, why you play footy. l’ve won one over there, now I just need to win here."
And when it comes to an NRL premiership, Riddell is confident in his new club and the leadership of Smith. Last year, he had friends in both camps when it came to the decider. He watched the match with interest.
“We play a little bit differently at the Roosters to how I’m used to playing with Wigan. It's take a bit of getting used to but we've got some quality players that are helping me out and I’m fitting in nicely" he says.
“It was good to see the Dragons win (last season) There are still a fair few blokes there that I played with there that have been waiting a long time to win a premiership, like Dean Young and Ben Hornby ...but on the other hand it was sad to see Rylesy lose one.”
Despite being absent from the NRL for 2 years, Riddell has settled back into life in Sydney and is far from anxious about stepping back out on the field — although it may not be the exact same Riddell the Aussie crowds are used to.
“I’m looking forward to Round 1. You always get nervous before games, but it’s a bit of a bonus to be back here and playing in the NRL and I’m going to do everything I can to enjoy myself, and take every game as it comes" he says.
“Post-try celebrations are well and truly over. They were retired a long time ago!”