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Jake Friend turns his life around to become a valuable member of Roosters outfit
Nick Walshaw
From: The Daily Telegraph
August 12, 2011 12:00AM
Jake Friend
Fully focused: Roosters hooker Jake Friend. Picture: Brett Costello Source: The Daily Telegraph
JAKE Friend has never really spoken of his desire to atone.
He wants to, of course. Thinks about it often.
"But the stuff you say, the stuff written in the papers," he shrugs, "none of that really matters."
No, what matters is making your tackles. Defending your tryline.
Sure, no one pays particular attention to that. Well, not unless you miss.
Until then, however, these statistics are simply lumped among the chargedowns, decoy runs and countless carries out of red zones that will never win anyone a Dally M or date with the latest Zoo Weekly covergirl.No one, see, ever discusses which player best harasses the opposition playmakers.
Or who bring down, with incredible regularity, the biggest boppers in the game.
But what better time to have a look at 'em than right now?
Now, when the entire NRL spotlight is shining on to Roosters superstar Todd Carney for, once again, doing what the great Todd Carney always does - lets his teammates down.See, it doesn't matter whether Carney, Nate Myles and Frank-Paul Nuuausala were drunk or not when they exited the Courthouse Hotel in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
What mattered was that they had made a pact not to. Made it with those who matter most.
And then, for reasons best known to themselves, they broke it.
Which is why Friend, undoubtedly, is the good news story at Bondi Junction in 2011.
This 90kg ball of tattoos and tenacity who has never once called a press conference to explain a whirl of accusations surrounding assaults, DUIs and prescription pills. Never stood tearfully before a magistrate promising redemption.
No, instead, Friend has simply got himself into the red zone and tackled.
Setting camp back where carries are hardest.
Where diminutive defenders like himself wear giant bullseyes. Where everything you do will be forgotten the moment a player like Carney orchestrates yet another try with some sizzling step, looping spiral or whatever other man-of-the-match play you wanna insert here.
According to exclusive figures provided by Fox Sports Statistics, Friend has this year emerged as one of the most selfless players in the NRL.
When it comes to making tackles inside his own 20m zone, he rates second. Third for most tackles on rival playmakers and second, again, for hits on opponents weighing 105kg or more.
Not bad when the man in question weighs 90kg after a shower.
But to really understand what it means for Friend to be racking up these numbers, have a look at the other names on these lists. Like Eels skipper Nathan Hindmarsh. Or Cowboys lock Dallas Johnson.
Footballers who, you reckon, would give up their weekly pay cheque for a win.
Not convinced? Well, when was the last time Tim Mannah was accused of breaking a pact? Or Cam Smith outed for being sozzled?
Rather than spotlighting the superstars, these lists are about those guys who spend entire weekends trying to nullify them.
Guys like Glenn Stewart and Luke Bailey. Robbie Farah and Trent Merrin. And while Aiden Tolman could walk Pitt Street all day without being recognised - for those still not sure, he's a front-rower with Canterbury - there isn't a player in the NRL who works harder from his red zone.
According to the numbers, Tolman carts the ball more from his own quarter than any other forward in the game.
The 104kg worker is also the best workhorse in the NRL, having made more than 100m and 30 tackles in a whopping 14 games this year.
Incredibly, Tolman also sits fourth for most tackles made inside his 20m zone.
"But that's my job," shrugs the Bulldogs bookend when asked to explain the most baffling numbers outside a Japanese maths test. "Obviously, coming off your own line, they are the toughest carries.
"Since I've been here at Canterbury, there has always been a big emphasis on forwards getting back to help and there are a lot of blokes who do that every week."
Yet none who do it better.
It's a similar story down in Canberra, where workaholic lock Shaun Fensom not only makes more tackles inside his red zone than any other player, but is also third among the Big Bopper Stoppers.
"But that's just how it goes in a team," the Bellingen Magpies product explains.
"When we're defending our tryline, I'll always try and make my tackles in doubles from marker because, should we get a turnover, it's the bigger blokes who'll cart the ball out instead of me."
Asked about the lack of recognition greeting such efforts, Fensom added with a laugh: "Everyone knows the accolades go to the blokes who score the tries, not the ones who save 'em.
"But the blokes you play alongside, the ones who matter most, they know."
It is a truth not lost on Friend.
"Feel-good stories mean nothing if you don't keep working after they're written," he says.
"So that's what I'm trying to do. Because the way this club has stuck by me; the players, coaches, officials ... without them, mate, I wouldn't even be playing footy now."
well done jake, has really stood up this year..
Nick Walshaw
From: The Daily Telegraph
August 12, 2011 12:00AM
Jake Friend
Fully focused: Roosters hooker Jake Friend. Picture: Brett Costello Source: The Daily Telegraph
JAKE Friend has never really spoken of his desire to atone.
He wants to, of course. Thinks about it often.
"But the stuff you say, the stuff written in the papers," he shrugs, "none of that really matters."
No, what matters is making your tackles. Defending your tryline.
Sure, no one pays particular attention to that. Well, not unless you miss.
Until then, however, these statistics are simply lumped among the chargedowns, decoy runs and countless carries out of red zones that will never win anyone a Dally M or date with the latest Zoo Weekly covergirl.No one, see, ever discusses which player best harasses the opposition playmakers.
Or who bring down, with incredible regularity, the biggest boppers in the game.
But what better time to have a look at 'em than right now?
Now, when the entire NRL spotlight is shining on to Roosters superstar Todd Carney for, once again, doing what the great Todd Carney always does - lets his teammates down.See, it doesn't matter whether Carney, Nate Myles and Frank-Paul Nuuausala were drunk or not when they exited the Courthouse Hotel in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
What mattered was that they had made a pact not to. Made it with those who matter most.
And then, for reasons best known to themselves, they broke it.
Which is why Friend, undoubtedly, is the good news story at Bondi Junction in 2011.
This 90kg ball of tattoos and tenacity who has never once called a press conference to explain a whirl of accusations surrounding assaults, DUIs and prescription pills. Never stood tearfully before a magistrate promising redemption.
No, instead, Friend has simply got himself into the red zone and tackled.
Setting camp back where carries are hardest.
Where diminutive defenders like himself wear giant bullseyes. Where everything you do will be forgotten the moment a player like Carney orchestrates yet another try with some sizzling step, looping spiral or whatever other man-of-the-match play you wanna insert here.
According to exclusive figures provided by Fox Sports Statistics, Friend has this year emerged as one of the most selfless players in the NRL.
When it comes to making tackles inside his own 20m zone, he rates second. Third for most tackles on rival playmakers and second, again, for hits on opponents weighing 105kg or more.
Not bad when the man in question weighs 90kg after a shower.
But to really understand what it means for Friend to be racking up these numbers, have a look at the other names on these lists. Like Eels skipper Nathan Hindmarsh. Or Cowboys lock Dallas Johnson.
Footballers who, you reckon, would give up their weekly pay cheque for a win.
Not convinced? Well, when was the last time Tim Mannah was accused of breaking a pact? Or Cam Smith outed for being sozzled?
Rather than spotlighting the superstars, these lists are about those guys who spend entire weekends trying to nullify them.
Guys like Glenn Stewart and Luke Bailey. Robbie Farah and Trent Merrin. And while Aiden Tolman could walk Pitt Street all day without being recognised - for those still not sure, he's a front-rower with Canterbury - there isn't a player in the NRL who works harder from his red zone.
According to the numbers, Tolman carts the ball more from his own quarter than any other forward in the game.
The 104kg worker is also the best workhorse in the NRL, having made more than 100m and 30 tackles in a whopping 14 games this year.
Incredibly, Tolman also sits fourth for most tackles made inside his 20m zone.
"But that's my job," shrugs the Bulldogs bookend when asked to explain the most baffling numbers outside a Japanese maths test. "Obviously, coming off your own line, they are the toughest carries.
"Since I've been here at Canterbury, there has always been a big emphasis on forwards getting back to help and there are a lot of blokes who do that every week."
Yet none who do it better.
It's a similar story down in Canberra, where workaholic lock Shaun Fensom not only makes more tackles inside his red zone than any other player, but is also third among the Big Bopper Stoppers.
"But that's just how it goes in a team," the Bellingen Magpies product explains.
"When we're defending our tryline, I'll always try and make my tackles in doubles from marker because, should we get a turnover, it's the bigger blokes who'll cart the ball out instead of me."
Asked about the lack of recognition greeting such efforts, Fensom added with a laugh: "Everyone knows the accolades go to the blokes who score the tries, not the ones who save 'em.
"But the blokes you play alongside, the ones who matter most, they know."
It is a truth not lost on Friend.
"Feel-good stories mean nothing if you don't keep working after they're written," he says.
"So that's what I'm trying to do. Because the way this club has stuck by me; the players, coaches, officials ... without them, mate, I wouldn't even be playing footy now."
well done jake, has really stood up this year..
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