Braith on 7 News

[Guest]

Was a good story on the 6pm news on Channel 7 about Braith Anasta and his mum's Cancer.

I didn't see the story properly, but the gist was...

Braith's father died when he was young. He and his mum are best friends. She supported him and helped him work his way to first grade. Now his mum has cancer, so he has been spending time with her. He says she is very strong as she is more concerned about his football than her own cancer.

They showed a photo of Briath when he was younger, with is dad.

Briath mentioned how he is fired up, and how much we hate souths and they hate us.

He is a true rooster! I really like him.

[Chris]

Was a good story on the 6pm news on Channel 7 about Braith Anasta and his mum's Cancer.

I didn't see the story properly, but the gist was...

Braith's father died when he was young. He and his mum are best friends. She supported him and helped him work his way to first grade. Now his mum has cancer, so he has been spending time with her. He says she is very strong as she is more concerned about his football than her own cancer.

They showed a photo of Briath when he was younger, with is dad.

Briath mentioned how he is fired up, and how much we hate souths and they hate us.

He is a true rooster! I really like him.

Braith is my favourite all-time player. For a QLD supporter, that's pretty impressive.

[Guest]

Go Braith....2010 Dally M lock of the year

[novice chook]

Braith is a class act and a damn nice bloke to boot.

I had reservations about him coming from the Dogs but he's been one of our best signings in years, on and off the field.

I can't believe how some supporters feel he doesn't have a place in our run on side. He is a must in my opinion.

Hope that his mum can enjoy watching her boy play some really good footy this year, and that her health improves over time.


NC

[The Axe]

Well put NC.
Braith is an absolute champion of a bloke and truely cares for this club.
I wish Braith and his mother all the best with the challenge ahead.

[supermario]

He is a testament to how his mother brought him up as a teenager, his father passed when he was 15 and it was just him and his mother. Alot of the way he is today can be attributed to her.

I hope she gets well soon and can long continue to enjoy braiths successes.....especially at the Roosters

[Vasco]

I've sliced the odd tee shot into his mum's backyard on the 12th hole at Randwick Golf Club.

Apologies Ms Anasta!!!

[Chris]

Braith is a class act and a damn nice bloke to boot.

I had reservations about him coming from the Dogs but he's been one of our best signings in years, on and off the field.

I can't believe how some supporters feel he doesn't have a place in our run on side. He is a must in my opinion.

Hope that his mum can enjoy watching her boy play some really good footy this year, and that her health improves over time.

NC

I agree mate.

[Kingbilly]

I player I am definitely proud to say is a Rooster.
On and off the field

[Guest]

Anasta takes heart from mum's courage


IT was late last year when life was put into perspective for Braith Anasta.

"My mum was diagnosed with breast cancer in November," the Sydney Roosters five-eighth said yesterday. "She's very strong and she's been great so far. She took it head-on and she's doing really well.

"She's had the cancer cut out and she's going through chemo at the moment just as a precaution and hopefully everything goes well.

"She'll have chemo for the next three months and she'll have radiation after that and hopefully that's the end of it."

Anasta has been very close to his mother, Kim, since his father, George, a two-time first-grade prop for South Sydney, died suddenly when the Roosters No 6 was just 15.

"At the end of the day she means everything to me," Anasta said. "She was basically pretty much a single parent and has been there for me through a lot, so I'm making sure I'm there for her in every way possible.

"I'm totally dedicated to the Roosters but I'm trying to make sure I give as much time as I can to my mum, too.

"When things like this happen it's a bit of a reality check. It puts your life back into perspective and it's a bit of a shock to the system but life could be worse.

"I'm still grateful that she's doing well and everything is going great."

Like Anasta said, his life is in perspective now. That means the things he used to worry about suddenly lack the same importance these days.

Take for instance when former coach Brad Fittler installed him as captain at the expense of his mate and club stalwart Craig Fitzgibbon at the end of 2008.

Anasta admits the honour came way too early and while he was grateful to have received the captaincy, he wished it came under better circumstances.

"It was a spur of the moment thing and it was as much of a shock to me as it was to anyone and in particular Fitzy," Anasta said.

"I don't want it to sound like a cop-out but it was difficult because Fitzy is one of the most respected players to have played the game.

"All the players at the club looked up to him, still do, and I did myself.

"It was hard and I still held Fitzy in as high regard as anyone and I pretty much gave him free rein to lead the team anyway."

Then there was the time when he sustained a sickening ankle injury against North Queensland that ended his season in June last year.

It is the longest time he has spent on the sidelines through injury and his failure to play in any of the club's trials has prompted speculation about whether it is getting better.

"The ankle's really good," Anasta said.

"We've been setting ourselves a goal to get it right for the first game and once again Smithy (coach Brian Smith) has been fantastic and so has the medical staff.

"I've been training the house down but we're just being real cautious with it.

"It's looking like I'm going to be fine. I couldn't be happier with it and I'll give it a real good test this week just to make sure I can handle the game next week."

If his ankle holds up, Anasta can't wait for the season to begin. By all reports, he has become a natural leader at training and the team now hang on his every word.

There is also the small matter of trying to turn things around after the Roosters finished with the wooden spoon last season.

"I'm as hungry for success as anyone you'll ever meet," Anasta said.

"I think will time will tell and the results will come. There's a great buzz around the place and if every player puts their heart and soul into the place then there's only one way to go which is up.

"The sky's the limit for us at the moment."

Anasta sounds optimistic.

That should come as no surprise. Perspective can do that for you.

[Guest]

Braith is a Rooster to the core! I love him for that. Great player, great person.

[Guest]

It will be interesting to see where Anasta fits in this season, and what type of role he will play in the team. Even if he does play 5/8, you would have to think his role will change compared to previous seasons...

[Pass the Ball]

This is nothing against Anasta...

But, he did play his best footy when Sherwin organised everything...

[Guest]

Wasn't this guy a Souths Junior ?

I think Frog Fa'alogo knocked any red and green remaining residue out of him.

Who's this "you're off your head".

[Guest]

It will be interesting to see where Anasta fits in this season, and what type of role he will play in the team. Even if he does play 5/8, you would have to think his role will change compared to previous seasons..

I pray to God it does