Last week, when Dave Rennie named the 34 players who departed Australia on Wednesday to join three overseas based Wallabies on the spring tour, he had some fatherly words about some of his flock.
“Invariably we’ve got some guys who, as younger men, made some poor decisions,” Rennie said. “They’ve made shifts around that and and I’m going to judge guys on how they behave within our environment as opposed to what other people are telling me about them.”
Izaia Perese is one of those young men; a footy player signed to an NRL deal, busted on a drugs charge, who thought he’d hit rock bottom, only to discover there was further to fall.
On Wednesday, Perese, 24, took his seat on the plane headed north, having made the same trip five years ago as a development player under Michael Cheika. So much has changed in that time, as Perese is painfully, yet hopefully, aware.
“I feel like my rock bottom was over in France,” said Perese, who had gone there to play rugby after the Broncos ended his contract over the drugs related incident, in which a conviction was not recorded.
“I thought I was going over there mentally strong. I was physically fit, probably the fittest I’d ever been, but once I was removed from my support network – my family, friends, my daughter – I didn’t know how to deal with that loneliness, I didn’t know how to deal with that anxiety that came along with it.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
“Every day I was waking up and I just felt like I was sinking and it was hard to get through a day without thinking of home. Over in France was pretty rock bottom.”
Perese left the Reds to join the Broncos in 2019 and was generating some buzz before that fall from grace. He took off for France but the loneliness ate at him and he made a call to Waratahs defence coach Jason Gilmore, a contact from his Reds days, and he told him he wanted a second chance in Australian rugby.
“I’ve thought about it for the last week or so and had a chat with my mum and it’s quite funny that I’m back here now,” he says.
“It’s all meant to be, union’s my game, they gave me a second chance.
“I think it’s amazing. I’ve thought about it and I just think this time I won’t take it for granted.
“I’m definitely going to enjoy it a lot more off the field with getting to know the boys, not being so quiet because before I was real young, I was uptight about making the team but now the journey I’ve been through, going to France and a lot of other things, it’s made me appreciate my mates and everything I have.”
On Wednesday, as he owned up to an attitude problem, you could imagine the discussion he’d had with Rennie, who said: “With all these guys we spend a lot of time having a conversation.”
After Perese’s capable performances in a dire Waratahs team, the Australian coach had wanted to bring him in for the French series, but a shoulder reconstruction ruled him out.
His selection for this tour is intriguing. Only last week Rennie admitted he selected Perese without being sure of his fitness and yet his best chance of game time appears to be against Japan where Samu Kerevi is missing through injury.
“He hasn’t played a lot of footy so we’ve got a lot of work to get into him and whether he’ll be ready in 10 days to play Test footy is the question mark,” said Rennie.
“He’s been back in contact for the last couple of weeks and he’s ticked every box.”
For Perese, it’s part of his journey, as was his time in rugby league.
“I think the switch to rugby league was part of the journey I was supposed to take,” Perese said.
“It really taught me to start from the bottom again. I didn’t know it at the time but looking back I felt like I had a bit of an attitude problem, where I was exposed to the Wallabies environment at an early age, so I felt like things came a little easy to me.
“Going to the Broncos, getting absolutely pumped in the pre-season, starting from the bottom again, spending a whole year in [Queensland] Cup, it taught me a valuable lesson that footy isn’t life. I felt like I was just watching and learning.
“Obviously I mucked up a bit in the past and it just led me back into rugby union.”
Rennie, like a father and a prodigal son, was there waiting.
Hoy
Roar Guru
I think that means he has removed people from his life that were not good for him... his quote says "I’ve lost things in my life, I’ve had people removed from my life,"... I can't take that to mean he has shifted coaches.
Reds Harry
Roar Rookie
Tough but not inaccurate assessment Mick. I despise these narratives of coddled sportskids that they somehow have overcome insurmountable odds. I also dislike that this guy is being bigged up on his undoubted potential and strengths, but precious little in terms of onfield delivery. I hope he comes through and shines, but lets see.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
4 matches, 37 players – that’s a match and a half each over 4 weeks. The poor li’l fellas will be exhausted! They’ll need to book a proper conference room in each of the five star resorts to accommodate the playing group leadership group inclusive non judgmental interactions. Sensei Rennie The Wise includes a 29 year old who made the barely involved Tom Bowman look like the Energiser bunny all those years ago, when the Harmless Wallabies ran out of big blokes with a work ethic. There’s a reason why lazy Will Skelton hasn’t featured in Australia for five years. Now I see he is giving his inner psychologist a run, bringing in a bloke for whom too much opportunity was nowhere near enough. A State representative in League, then Union, Australian Schoolboys, high end private school; Cowboys scholarship; Queensland Reds then the Wallabies squad in 2017, booted; Brisbane Broncos and booted by them too; off to Bayonne in the Top 14. Somewhere in all that he “found himself” facing the District Court on drug dealing charges (another outstanding achievement for only the best candidates) – a creative barrister told the judge he had suffered enough and that he was special, a famous footballer playing for France or the EU or something. Guilty, no conviction recorded – good work if you can get it! Is Rennie taking a nurse along, and a grief counsellor to cuddle the 37 to sleep? The once was impoverished new ARU is rolling in the money evidently!
Ankle-tapped Waterboy
Roar Rookie
I asked for some links on this topic in an earlier thread and this was posted: https://www.rugbypass.com/news/piecing-together-brad-thorn-quade-cooper-relationship-feud-explained/ The original thread is here: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/08/31/thats-what-ill-bring-rodda-reveals-how-his-game-has-changed-since-quitting-reds/ "I've had people people removed" https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/09/10/quades-quest-ive-lost-things-in-my-life-had-people-removed-being-a-better-man-is-my-focus-now/
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
Feao doesn’t get through enough work. Simply put, he needs to be fitter.
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
Hooper is the favourite to win World Rugby Player of the Year. His form is ridiculous - you are the only one that apparently doesn’t realise that he’s one of the greatest Waḻlabies of all time.
Big A
Roar Rookie
Hooper should also have been sent back to the Tahs to beef up - if it's ok for the young guys to miss the tour so they can work on their physique then Hoops should also have been made to go back to the Tahs and add 10 kilos and 10 cm in height
Big A
Roar Rookie
especially if it's not cold :laughing: :laughing:
Paddy
Guest
I`m still waiting on you to point me in the direction of that "form" that Foketi showed in 2021. I await your link
Paddy
Guest
The chopping and changing French series was a Cheika move. Wanting Foley over Quade was a Cheika move. Still picking Gordon after poor performances is a Cheika move. Picking Tom Robertson as a tight- head is a Cheika move. Picking Skelton a lock who cannot jump is a Cheika move .Picking Foketi who had a very poor season is a Cheika move. Picking Perese who had one good game is a Cheika move. Picking Swinton at all was a Cheika move. The list is endless. The 37 squad DR picked is a Cheika move. He has lost the plot. Gordon Skelton Swinton Latu Foketi Robertson do not deserve a jersey over better players that were left behind.
Chris
Guest
Reading these comments you`d swear the Waratahs won the comp and The Reds finished last without a win. The selection that bothers me somewhat is Foketi. How does he make the 37 man squad over Simone or even the youngster Henry? All i witnessed from Lalakai in Super AU was him escorting opposition players to the tryline.I can see where Paddy is coming from, but i`m not as animated.
Mat
Guest
"Angus Blyth was dropped from the Reds squad for most of the year and you want him in the test team? " Agree Honest Max. Paddy is a sad Qld red fan no doubt. Quade Cooper and Slipper were also dropped from the Reds by Thorn. DR sees the bigger picture as he is a smarter and doesn`t hold grudges. Just shows you how bad a coach Thorn is when he cant get any forwards into the Wallabies bar Thor who was there under Michael Chieka anyway. The Reds forwards just don`t have what it takes to play test footy. Thorn needs to own that and get on with it and make his players better so they are automatic picks for the Wallabies.
Geoff
Guest
Nice deflection re Feao. Couldn`t back up your narrative with facts could you.
Geoff
Guest
The Broncs didn`t want him as he couldn`t tackle.
JP
Guest
Coaches can be wrong dear. Exibit A, your idol Cheika.
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
You’re acting like a goose. Robbo had a great year. Ryan Lonergan isn’t ready for test rugby - he’ll get there but not yet. Why are you so angry about this?
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
Henry played well in a couple of games but…… be serious. He’s got a great future but be real.
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
Jock Campbell? You want him in the Wallabies? Angus Blyth couldn’t make the Reds this year and you want him in? I rate him actually but Thorn hardly picked him. Ryan Lonergan is in the squad along with Andy Muirhead and you think Rennie isn’t giving them a chance? Fraser McReight should be in over Hooper, who’s in ridiculous form? Liam Wright missed most of the year - how many openside flankers do you want Rennie to pick anyway? Irae Simone? Yeah - get rid of Kerevi and Paisami, eh? These players might be good guys, but they don’t deserve a test jersey over the blokes that are going great at the moment. Aren’t you happy that we are playing so well? I don’t get it. Some people would whinge about free beer.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Great story. Young, talented and entitled lad stuffs up, realigns his attitude and life and moves on to bigger and better things.
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
Dave Rennie is a kiwi that lives in Queensland but has a bias for NSW players. Makes sense. His assistant coaches include 2 Queenslanders, a Saffer and a solitary bloke from NSW, who somehow has tremendous influence on selections.