Super Freak
International Captain
Forum Staff
- Jan 25, 2014
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ADAM Blair is one of the NRL’s toughest men but his voice softens as he reflects on the Kieran Foran saga and the tragedies that have rocked rugby league in recent years.
The Broncos enforcer chalked up his 10th year as an NRL player this season and over the past decade, he has witnessed the explosion of Polynesian talent at the elite level.
But with the influx of Islanders has come a greater demand on the code to understand the cultural nuances of its most powerful combatants.
Blair is determined to be a sounding board for Polynesian youth and an advertisement for longevity in an NRL world that has become a cultural melting pot.
In the past three years, Polynesian youngsters Mosese Fotuaika, Alex Elisala and Francis Winterstein have been tragically lost to the game.
Blair has been equally moved by the struggle being waged by his Kiwi teammate Foran, who would be facing the Brisbane prop on Friday night at Suncorp Stadium if not for his battle with depression.
At the Broncos, Blair has taken it upon himself to be a spiritual leader for emerging Polynesian stars such as Joe Ofahengaue, Anthony Milford and Tevita Pangai Jnr. He respects the work the NRL is doing in the fight against mental health, but believes it is just as vital for individual NRL clubs to have cultural figureheads at the coalface on a daily basis.
“I take a lot of pride in mentoring the young Polynesian boys here, it’s something I like doing,” Blair said.
“It’s hard as a young Polynesian in this game and I’m at the stage of my career where I want to give back to those boys.
“I came through a system at the Melbourne Storm where I had a great mentor in Steve Kearney, who is now here at the Broncos (as an assistant coach), and David Kidwell.
“I want young Polynesian guys to feel comfortable with me so that they can ask me things. If they have problems or feel they are too shy to speak to the coach, I want them to come to me so I can pass on the message for them.
“Being an older player now, I’m glad to be around and I want the younger guys like Joe or Milf or Tevita to speak to me.
“I hope the Broncos are grateful for having me around because I care about the kids here and I want to get the best out of them.”
The cutthroat world of the NRL is often at odds with the soft-natured temperament of many Polynesian players.
Blair says many of the NRL’s Islander stars struggle to handle criticism and can be reluctant to speak out for fear of being ridiculed.
“Culturally, we are humble people,” he said. “Polynesian players want to be team players, but sometimes we don’t know how to express ourselves. Sometimes it’s a confidence thing, we doubt ourselves and worry that what we say might be wrong.
“In rugby league, we just go about our jobs without fuss and if a coach tells us something, it’s not in our nature to question it or say no.
“On the flip side, we’re a bit sensitive to criticism and that’s a difficult thing in the NRL today.
“It’s a tough industry and you have to be able to take the criticism on the chin. That’s where it’s important for clubs to have senior Polynesian figures, someone like me who has been through it can say it’s OK, that’s how it is.
“It’s something I have an interest in and down the track hopefully I can help out any Polynesian player in the game.’’
Blair is concerned for his good mate Foran’s health and hopes the Kiwi Test star is not lost to rugby league.
“It’s hard to see what Kieran is going through but at the same time he clearly has problems and the best thing is for him to get away and get it all fixed up,” he said.
“Everyone knows what Kieran can do and the footy he brings. The most important thing is looking after himself and making sure nothing happens from now on and he gets himself sorted so he can play the game he loves.
“I bumped into him at the airport recently when we were travelling and he seemed OK, but how do you know if someone is really OK mentally? You don’t know how someone feels until they speak up and get help.
“I’d love to see him back in the game again. He’s been a key part of our success for New Zealand and what we have done the last 18 months so hopefully he’s back sooner rather than later.’’
No Cookies | The Courier Mail
The Broncos enforcer chalked up his 10th year as an NRL player this season and over the past decade, he has witnessed the explosion of Polynesian talent at the elite level.
But with the influx of Islanders has come a greater demand on the code to understand the cultural nuances of its most powerful combatants.
Blair is determined to be a sounding board for Polynesian youth and an advertisement for longevity in an NRL world that has become a cultural melting pot.
In the past three years, Polynesian youngsters Mosese Fotuaika, Alex Elisala and Francis Winterstein have been tragically lost to the game.
Blair has been equally moved by the struggle being waged by his Kiwi teammate Foran, who would be facing the Brisbane prop on Friday night at Suncorp Stadium if not for his battle with depression.
At the Broncos, Blair has taken it upon himself to be a spiritual leader for emerging Polynesian stars such as Joe Ofahengaue, Anthony Milford and Tevita Pangai Jnr. He respects the work the NRL is doing in the fight against mental health, but believes it is just as vital for individual NRL clubs to have cultural figureheads at the coalface on a daily basis.
“I take a lot of pride in mentoring the young Polynesian boys here, it’s something I like doing,” Blair said.
“It’s hard as a young Polynesian in this game and I’m at the stage of my career where I want to give back to those boys.
“I came through a system at the Melbourne Storm where I had a great mentor in Steve Kearney, who is now here at the Broncos (as an assistant coach), and David Kidwell.
“I want young Polynesian guys to feel comfortable with me so that they can ask me things. If they have problems or feel they are too shy to speak to the coach, I want them to come to me so I can pass on the message for them.
“Being an older player now, I’m glad to be around and I want the younger guys like Joe or Milf or Tevita to speak to me.
“I hope the Broncos are grateful for having me around because I care about the kids here and I want to get the best out of them.”
The cutthroat world of the NRL is often at odds with the soft-natured temperament of many Polynesian players.
Blair says many of the NRL’s Islander stars struggle to handle criticism and can be reluctant to speak out for fear of being ridiculed.
“Culturally, we are humble people,” he said. “Polynesian players want to be team players, but sometimes we don’t know how to express ourselves. Sometimes it’s a confidence thing, we doubt ourselves and worry that what we say might be wrong.
“In rugby league, we just go about our jobs without fuss and if a coach tells us something, it’s not in our nature to question it or say no.
“On the flip side, we’re a bit sensitive to criticism and that’s a difficult thing in the NRL today.
“It’s a tough industry and you have to be able to take the criticism on the chin. That’s where it’s important for clubs to have senior Polynesian figures, someone like me who has been through it can say it’s OK, that’s how it is.
“It’s something I have an interest in and down the track hopefully I can help out any Polynesian player in the game.’’
Blair is concerned for his good mate Foran’s health and hopes the Kiwi Test star is not lost to rugby league.
“It’s hard to see what Kieran is going through but at the same time he clearly has problems and the best thing is for him to get away and get it all fixed up,” he said.
“Everyone knows what Kieran can do and the footy he brings. The most important thing is looking after himself and making sure nothing happens from now on and he gets himself sorted so he can play the game he loves.
“I bumped into him at the airport recently when we were travelling and he seemed OK, but how do you know if someone is really OK mentally? You don’t know how someone feels until they speak up and get help.
“I’d love to see him back in the game again. He’s been a key part of our success for New Zealand and what we have done the last 18 months so hopefully he’s back sooner rather than later.’’
No Cookies | The Courier Mail
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