#10: There's no better time than right now

My name is Sam Russell, my name is Jayne Wright and this is "Create Your Story". Just a quick disclaimer before we start, Jayne and I are not professionally trained counsellors or psychologists or health trained. This podcast is based off the opinions and lived experiences from ourselves. Give you a struggling reach out to Lifeline on 1-3-1-1-4 or book an appointment with your GP and talk about a mental health care plan today. Let's go. We're back. We're back episode 10, baby. 10-D. 10-D. 10-D. Friday, morning. Apologies, we were meant to have a guest on and we posted that on the socials but honestly it's been a hectic week for Sam and I. We just thought we'd just give that one a miss and do that in a couple of weeks. Just have a young about our week. It's been a hectic week. It's been a mad week. We're just going to get straight into that. Nations of origin down in Sydney. I don't know about you, Bra, but I don't know about you because I know you're the same as me. When it first sort of come about, we were a little bit like, there was a stage there where we were like, "Mmm, should we do it?" "You obviously get you to take three days off work and it's a big three days and stuff." Once we sort of seen the crew that was going more like, "Yeah, this will be good." I reckon it would have probably been some players that thought that too. Yeah, I felt the same, but it's like going in anything that you sort of unsure and I reckon you're just a bit uncomfortable and probably some people there that you don't know and just things like that and probably if I didn't have you there, it'd probably be different. I've been speaking to some of the boys that were similar as well. So there just goes for anything. That's what I was having a chapter one of the boys was like, "Bro, I felt the same." It's not just you that felt a bit anxious or uncomfortable going into it. I mean, Sam felt the same, but. Crews down Monday. Yeah, crews down Monday morning. On the bus. On the bus with the boys and they'll pump and tunes and they'll hear there, the yelling and screaming, "I was like, this is going to be a long thing." It was harder on the Monday because we didn't really have a relationship with them yet. Yeah. It was just kind of like, you know. You didn't want to. You knew some of them, but some of them you didn't. Went from PCYC Terrace straight to the zoo. Down to Sydney Zoo. Spinette joint, that is. Yeah, we want to bring that up later. And then just had a little look around and originally we would just get to make our own sort of videos and put it on our own insta's. Just to get the content and then we'll kind of like let's just use our platform of create your story and just do it together. And I guess the whole point of that was, we do have a platform in community. I don't mean create your story, but ourselves, like our profiles and the people that we know and stuff. And then to kind of provide the young people with that and then they can just do everything, do the content themselves. Yeah. Be themselves, interview themselves. That's kind of why we weren't really in it in this. We just wanted to do the proper recap and stuff. Yeah. No, and I think that worked out well. Like you said, just hand it over to them. They can run with it and do whatever they want with it. And I think at the start they'll a bit stand off each some of them. Like some of them. Obviously, those are a few of the girls and the girls, ten that I knew and they've done that sort of stuff before with me. But they were keen, but a couple of them were a bit like, oh, and then by day, day two, day three, they're all asking if they can start the day off and finish the day off. Yeah. And that's what's all about. It's about getting out of your comfort zone, trying something different. But I think just seeing how I guess not disconnected the group was, but just a bit of those little groups here and everywhere at the start. But then by the end of it, everyone has come together and they're all mates and they're all laughing around and just all getting around each other. That's what it's all about. And then we had a cultural exchange at the zoo. So all other PCY's, he nations were there. Some of us didn't come for various reasons. And they had to exchange something. We did like a bit of a poem and a bit of a story and artwork, which is actually mad. The young people that spoke were like they killed it was deadly. Yeah, it was mad. I think that was actually mad just to see like so many different people, like young people from different areas. And that cultural exchange was sick. Like everyone was doing different stuff. People were doing dance and like you said, artwork, poems and just different stories. I think that just really set the scene of the few days ahead and sort of bring everyone together, right? Yeah. It was mad. It was actually. It was freaking. Yeah, it was mad. Yeah, it was baffay. Baffay. Free coax, I can see him. I can see him. A couple of coaxes. Free coax, I got out. We get out. So I had to leave the zoo. And all the young people there and I was like, look, I'm disappointed in you. They're like, why? And I was like, is that an opportunity to load up tonight on the free coax? And you just didn't get any in one of them turns it out and goes, I've got a full bad fool. Yeah, mad. I've got everything here. So yeah, did that then went back to the accommodation that we were staying out and checked in there. That was hectic. That was hectic. I think it was the large black town transport. Yeah. So it had around it had all different like what had soccer fields. It had indoor pool, indoor gym. And the place that was staying out with like little dongers. And we think that they were. It was for the Olympics. Yeah. Like it was set up for the Olympics. Like it's that sort of that sort of vibe there. But yeah, they had everything there. It was mad little spot. So yeah, checked in and then obviously the young people are full of energy. Getting back to the motel, checking in around each other, getting everyone's rooms, people stressing out. Not me. Yeah, checked in and everyone just wanted to talk and y'all. So we probably sat out there. Oh, everyone went for a walk around and stuff like that. But probably I can write better to be out. 12ish. Yeah, I think we were always going to be more lenient on their bed times. I don't really. We said to them from the get go like, you know, some of them are stressed now. They're really going to make us go to bed at 9 o'clock. But we were kind of like, well, if you want to see your rooms and stay up until 2 o'clock, when you're going to play 40th and next day, that's on you. Yeah. Just tell me silly about it. And don't go leaving your rooms and running the market. Disrespecting other people. Yeah. So, I think we sat up probably both nights. Till late, just out of the main courtyard, just making sure they weren't coming out of our rooms. And that was probably just more so because we knew that if we were the ones to catch them or see them, we'd be able to kind of control it a lot better, I suppose, and just rouse it on them and, yes, and then back. So they were good, but they respected it. No, they're really well behaved, actually. Yeah. That's what I was saying. And I said that to a few people, like in comparison to me, it's 16. Yeah. I wouldn't be out roaming the streets, me. Yeah. I wouldn't be out shooting stuff. And then Tuesday was the first lot of games, eh? Yeah, Tuesday, day one of games. And I was talking to somebody other day and I was saying, like, "Attect it because you're at 40 all day and it's that hot." And then we're in the side and, you know, you're just eating wherever you can and whatnot and you're just supervising the kids here and everywhere. And then, like, I remember on the Tuesday, like, we're going on game to game to game, like just barely get a break and then you go back to the lodge and you're like, "Mad, I'm going to be able to chill, but you can't because you're still going to supervise whatever they're doing in that." Yeah. No chill. No. But I was mad. I didn't even have luck. Four hours sleep every night, five hours sleep every night. Yeah. No, she was, yeah. I'm still paying for it. I'm lucky I've got this weekend off just a cruise. Yeah. But yeah, day one of games, I think one of our boys played three. I think you guys played two. Yeah. And same as one of my boys played two, one of our girls. One of my girls played two as well. Yeah. But like CM said, like, we'd play a game and then we'd go watch the girls play vice versa. So we're always trying to get around each other as much as we can. And I think that's what we're trying to build, not only with the one or all, but the one of our team as well is just to get around each other and support each other. Like we're there together and win, lose or draw. We need to be there supporting each other and yell on the screen and trying to be the other team there. And I think we nearly were. Yeah. I think other teams and some other coaches said to me like, oh, like use it, like use it. It's good to see like usual support each other and you're all sort of connected in with each other. I think that was the plan. This is no disrespect, but I think we were kind of like, we're probably not going to go down there and win everything. So if our win would have been just then coming back with, from the end of the year, friendships and bonds that they can take back into our own communities, but decided to take back some medals, eh? Hey, we got the medals. But yeah, did, yeah, and then yeah, 100% right there, like there was no, like obviously winning games is always fun and it's good for the teams as well. But I think my main focus was just to sort of ensure that they do make some more friendships in there, not only more confident themselves, but just in the footying stuff like that, but in community and they can go back with a bit of a step in there stride. not mean. Yeah. And then I think maybe six or seven there that were from Dungle and like obviously I grew up in Dungle my whole life. That was mad for me to say, but because those kids don't get that opportunity like they don't get they don't really get to do that. And I remember the A or from Dungle actually reached out to me a couple of years ago and said like, do you know of any mainland nations side because a couple of our kids traveled for the war on my next one side and didn't get in and they really wanted to go. So yeah. So this is the first year of many for I can meet I don't know about seeing but I reckon I'm sort of locked in us on the on the dotted line there after getting those medals out there. They won't let me go. But yeah, no, I think it's sort of I didn't know what to expect. I had a rough idea but I think it yeah, I'll come back with it. I feel more cup up that much and just seen, I know I was saying to Ali last night, it's sort of like turn me back into a 16 year old for a bit. Like just being around and like me and you were like, you know, taking the piece but we were a little bit like I think just more than yours being. I think I think that I will we even said there one night together that we'll bounce it off each other like the way we are. Yeah. And just probably carrying on. That's what I want. One of the girls said to me like, do you want to see them work together? I'm not like good because she's like, I think they need that as well. Like they're only 16 and under a day. And I don't know, we've both worked with young people in the community for a while now. We know how they respond. Yeah. And that's different to some people probably think. And now they'll love them the content. That was cool. I frothed. Like Wednesday three - Yeah. - Let me get five minutes. - Yeah. - Yeah, I'm fucking doing it. - By your did that. - Sorry, I'm just on the mentors here. - On the mentors day three, cruising the day three. So that was our last day. Rudy Hiller, so did our day two. That was all right. - Yeah, it was. - People said it wasn't that good last year but it made, give me a buffet feed and I can pick what I want. I ain't complainin'. - Give me a free feed, I ain't complainin'. If I don't have to cook and wash up, Buzz. - Chicken Sizzles me, but. - Hey. - Nah. - I'll go. - A few cogs. - A few cogs, a few camel slices. - I was a cogs, you know. - Hey, loves a cogs, you know. But yeah, cruising the day three. Most of our teams, we didn't really understand how the semis and stuff were working. So we'll just like. - Bra, I could say anything. Like, can we get a bit of organization? You fellas, like, no one knew what anything was going on. We didn't even, like, they had the open ceremony after games had already been played and it was basically just. - The same as this. - Like, yeah, the same as the money and all that. But it was also just, and I mean this, in the most respectful way, it was just an opportunity for the higher ups to speak, and then go that our young people don't even engage with. - You got some photos. - Yeah, so when, like, no, anyone to why our kids would get in a bit restless in that, but. - Yeah. - Yeah, and then, so, I think for our girls, so I'd, like, we probably struggled. We probably didn't have the, we lacked a bit of speed to be honest compared to some of the other teams. And I was saying to a few of the girls, like, the gap between the least talented girl and the most talented girl in all girls in general, no matter where you come from, is quite large right now. And that's just because you get some girls that, we had some girls that had never played footy before. They just done a bit of school footy and shout out to them because to put your hand up and be like, yeah, I'll come down and play a tackle footy comp in Nines, in Sydney, when I should never ever play weekends. Like, that's hectic, and I love that. - That's respect. - Putting yourself out of your comfort zone. But I was saying to a few of the girls, like, when you look at the boys, because it's Nines, but it's the same width of the field, if the pass is too long, they can throw like a effortless 10 meter cut out ball, where I go, I probably don't have that. Some of them do, but some of them just lack that. And I guess we just struggle with it. And then obviously you want to one contact for a girl, is not something that comes natural because they just haven't played their whole lives, which is, I guess, just a testament to the pathway systems and developments. I think if you look at the girls now, and then in 10 years time, it'll be completely different. - 100%. But now it's mad. Yeah, like I said, we'll go on in there, we weren't sure. So us boys were sort of sitting around. We won two games, Drew two and lost one. So we're like sitting in the limbo, I don't think we're gonna make fun, but then there was talk about another plate as well. But like, that was all he say, like, no one really actually knew. - Yeah, so it was basically like, and what people don't realize that, not everyone played in the plate though. - No. - Like, we didn't play in the girls' plate because we weren't, it was basically the top eight played in the cup, which is the big one. - Yep. - And the bottom eight played in the plate, and the rest of the team just didn't play in finals. - Yeah. - And then, we were just sitting around days, till the boys were like, well, we gotta go, we gotta go to training, our parents are here, we're gonna cruise, so they left, and we were like, we'll come and start packing up, and we're like, no, we gotta wait. And then they're just like, oh, the app's not really working. We're trying to get it sorted. The next games will be played at, like, 105. - And this was at, R12, 55. - Yeah. - And then they yelled out over the loudspeaker, filled one, filled two, one were all red stars, and all the boys had eight minutes to basically get all their gear on, and then get across the other side of the field. - And I was like, what do we do? We were down two players, and I was like, fuck boys, who just go out there and have a good time. Obviously, we're sevens. - Oh, sevens or nine, don't worry. - Nines. You got four on the bench, and it's hard to make changes, like, it's only seven minutes and a half. So if you're making too many changes, it just stuffs the whole thing. But I think it worked in our favor, having two less people, because everyone got to run, not only that, but they had to work harder, and they knew they had to work harder for each other. And those last three games, but on the semis is the best. They've played all, they played all, no disrespect to anyone that left, but I think, like anything, if you know, you've got to push harder, and you've got to just empty that tank a little bit more, you find a way, and they did, but they found a way. The first game, we've-- - Who was that again? - Gumbengi, and then the team that beat us by two points and we rolled 'em out. - Rolled 'em, and I think it was because there was no pressure on the boys as well. - Yeah, they were just playing like a bit of, 40, but, all too much. - And I thought that was-- - I think by event, I think, like, say, like, young fella Cruz, and a few of the boys were starting to understand how to play nine, just like go to the line and just bang. - 'Cause you could tell in the pool games, those boys that come from a touchback round 'cause they would get it out wide, they'd try and step and then go through, and then once they worked out that I can just pin to a corner and they probably won't tackle me. - Yeah. - They couldn't match 'em out wide. - No, and then I think Cruz got in, he said he's like a wild-off, wild-off, run to the line. I'm gonna attract defenders the way he just jinks around and just start bang, just drawing past. - He's passing games, good day. - Yeah, he's aware. And like you were saying before, boys that can just put it on the dial, like 15, 20 minute cut out, he's one of them to hit 'em on the chest. So did that. So the boys went through and they're like, "Oh, we're going to semi-s and everyone's getting "rearing each other." And they didn't walk, 'cause we didn't have time to warm up. And they had a superstition, they're like, "No, we didn't warm up last time, "but we're not gonna change." And I'm like, "Yeah." - Yeah, he was the lazy guy. (laughing) So we did that, then we first, that comes straight from Colorado. - Yeah. - Yeah. - No, no, we didn't warm up. I'm like, "Oh, you gotta do something." And then we first, that Sydney time. - But, um, Derek. - Derek, Matt drew it. So first them and they had some big boys. I think the boys were kind of muck off. Here we go. But just to sort of recap that game, we were down 16-14, the who to when. - Who in your own trial line? - On our own trial line, we kicked for touch. And I was like, "I just thought I'd do it real." And we had some, all the boys out there, 'cause it was two of the bench that we're in. - There's a lot of people that I was sitting with, for me, our teams that started walking back to the tent and was like, "Right, oh, one of my's out." - That's what it was. - No, one of my's already out. These boys pretty much out. We just start packing up and cruising. So hang on a second, don't write the boys out. - Don't. - Everyone write one of my, one of the rules off, don't write 'em off, 'cause. - So we got, I think, one of the boys kicked for touch. - Bronson. - Bronson's probably on our 30, I reckon 40. The boys just started thowning around. Big fellow got out, then he threw it around. Then we'd come out wide and we'd be 40 out from their line. Young Tarsley straight from Dungog. Dummy'd straight through scored. So we ended up winning that game and I was just like, "We're on." - This fella, like, what happened in the lead-up was they created a three on two out in the left and they hit it to the center. And I was like, "Yeah, sweet." But it was big save. And I was like, "He's probably not around 40." But the big fellow has attracted two in over the top offload back to the middle and then when Cole got it, I was like, he could probably run the distance but I was like, "That's a long way out." But like, for that me and just to catch and pass to the outside, that's mad because he's always with a lead-up and he would've thought, "I'm gonna run it." - But he's like, "No, I'll come." - He's like, "I'll create the space." And when Tarsley got it, I was like, "Ooh, maybe the outside again." This fella just little dummy in slusses through. School was gets up, doesn't matter. they want to do. I just did that on my dream. But wake up, bro, you're late to the bus now. But everyone's looking at me and I was like, for the whole game, the staff is saying, "Met you need to get behind the line of my game." I'm just, you need to be. Yeah, yeah. And then I was just jumping up and down. I was like, so proud of the boys, because like you said, everyone's running us off. And it didn't matter if it was a couple of the plate for us. Like, we were just happy just to be there, you know what I mean. So then one mat, then went into the final, again, beer-apar. And I think everyone that I spoke to, I was going to get smoked. Yeah. Beer-apar was going to, and I was watching beer-apar next, well beer-apar were next to us. And they smoked that team, because I was just quick as. Yeah. And I was like, and I feel the boys, they played in the house, so I played knockout with a few of the boys from Tari. So I was talking to them the game before the game. I thought, "Well, you get over here. We're not talking to them before the game." Yeah. You're madmen. But, I don't know. I delivered an all-time rev up speech. Yeah. We always got in the heart of it. But that was tight, too. That's what you did. And you could just tell it was like, stay in that heart all, and it was like, everyone inside this circle right now means everything, and everyone outside it means nothing. Yeah, just blocked it. And all that noise outside is blocked out. And you just see the boys switch on. Like we were so mad at seeing. I think they, after they won those two games, they were just full of confidence. I don't think any, oh, teams will just stop them. But I think just how confident they were. And, bro, you want to talk about, like, resilience, like, these boys don't end against beer-apply, I think, and we might get dusty, they go to short kickoff, beer-apply, pick it up, run the length in school, down six-nil in, like, the first minute. Yeah, they could have packed it up then. Yeah. And that's what, and that was the main thing of the whole time. If something doesn't go our way, we make a mistake, or it's against us, we keep our heads high, and we get around each other. Yeah. Because at the times where someone, just one person, can stuff for the whole team, they can do enough fuck this, and they can put that negative energy out. Yeah. But if we stay together, like, a tight-knit group, we can go like-- We can cut the tricy now. Hey, big save. That young fella, he scored two. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Okay, it scored two. I don't think he scored the whole game, and then scored two. And then-- And Brodson kicked four out of four. Yeah. Was that anything wrong with him? Yeah. Clutch. He was actually warming up-- 'cause remember when we were in the new, we slotted probably three-eighths from 40. Oh! No. And Brodson was just trying to-- Like, he was just at the sawline the whole time. He kept slaughtering him, so I'm like, "Oh, you got to keep going now." Yeah. By the end of the final, like-- Elis Mack was a couple of the boys that hadn't scored the whole tournament scored. Yeah. She had a big save, yo, if you listen to my guy. You're my MVP for the trip, bro. Like, he bought everyone-- I'm going to tell you the only thing I'm about it. Hopefully, don't mind. No. We get there on Monday. And we'd tell the boys, we need to be leaving at 730 sharp, so he's need to be awake at 630, getting everything sorted. Bracket will be here. And all the boys are like, "Oh, 630, like damn, I got to know. Like, that's early." Big save goes, "Boy, stop stressing. I'm up at 6'7" morning. I don't care. I wake his up if he's morning. We're on the bus at 730. There's two people missing. Going knock on the door. It's Dave, and he's roommate, Kay. Yeah. It comes to the door, bro. Like, ready or what? He's sitting on Shalom with it. Yeah. And he's better have a shower. So at 730. Yeah, Kay. Turns around to his mate. And he's like, "What are you saying to the alarm?" He's like, "Buy your being telling us all day. You're going to be up at 6am." So true to his word, this fella was up at 530 the next morning. And then send everybody on the group chat to the boys. 530 the next morning. I'm ready to rock. Send everybody on the group chat to the boys. Like, outside in the court, yeah, he goes, "Where are I?" And he goes, "What? What? Actors are like, they're like, yeah." So just because you wake up an hour early, the next day, it doesn't make a man for the day before. But now, honestly, one of the best, one of the best. Yeah, and I think, like I was talking about, it was hard with the interchange when we had four, but everyone was getting a mad run by the end of it. And everyone, I think that brought everyone together as well. I think Cruz, bro. Shout out to him. Yeah. Beer and pie made a break, and the game was still kind of not one yet. And he's like tracked back, and you could tell that he's shadowed the player, because he knew he was about to pass. Pass, one of my untackled, brings him down, he spills the ball. Spills the ball. And what do we say the whole time, bro? If we make a mistake, if we force an arrow, we score a try, we do some big, big energy play, then we need to bring that energy and get around the boys. And I think that there sort of changed the whole momentum in the game, because I think that was their last little. That's what we're all saying to him, you don't realise when you get up and around people, it changes a moment. Yeah. And it puts it on the back on them at beer replying as well. But I think just to touch on the young fellas, David, I don't want to go into. I don't want to go into too much detail of young people, because I don't want to share that. But I think just seeing not only him, but some other young people that at the start were sort of a bit disconnected from the group, but by the end of it, the boys were just frothing. When Xavier scored that try, we got the video of all the boys jumping around, like. And he just had the biggest smile on his face. Yeah. And honestly, it was just so good to. One of the boys, I think it was Ethan, captain there, ran straight in, just peaked him up off the ground. Yeah, I was like, "Come on!" Yeah, yeah. We were like, "We have to put it in, but. " Yeah, that was mad. And just speaking to Xavier's old boys, well, like, I just said, "Look, you should be so proud of your young fella." Like, not only just how respectful he is, but just sort of just the growth that I've seen in the last two days. Yeah, and. Not only for him, but just for most of them, young people, I. Yeah. Just creating that space where they do feel confident and. Yeah. You bring everyone together, it's pretty powerful, but. Yeah. No, I was mad. So, share that to all the boys and yeah, end up winning it and. I don't know. I don't really care about winning or losing, to be honest. I think what I'll take from that is just the memories and sort of the friendships that were made there. Yeah. I think it's so sick, bro. Like, honestly, I can't speak quietly enough of it. Like, I'm so stoked for everyone involved and. That's what I. I'll be back. I'm back. You're not getting ready to meet me out. Back to back. I'll be talking about that. The boys reckon, we'll throw a couple of pool games next year and take on the play again or. Oh! All right, let's get into it. Let's talk this Sydney's O-Cuz. Because. Oh, I put out a little bit of a video like. Just spinning out a bit. We're walking around. I'm taking photos of these animals and I was kind of thinking to myself, like, what am I ever going to do with these photos and videos I've just taken? And then I was kind of just like. Like, because those few kangaroos there, but there was some other animals there that you see in the world. Not necessarily African and like animals and stuff, but the fish and like, look what I was wearing. And I was just kind of like. This is such a false representation of these animals. Like, it's not how they would generally walk, move or whatever. It's kind of like. It's kind of like if you were to go to a prison and you'll take photos and that of people, they wouldn't normally act the way they do. So, like, brah, it was so depressing to see some of them are just in these enclosures on their own. It's like they're dope, darb. It's like they're just seriously, it's like they're robots, but they just sit there and they just lay down or just move around. But I think it was weird, right? Because. Are they putting something in the food? Hey, that's what I want to know, right? They're going to be. Because we were looking at some of the enclosures and we were like. They could get it out. Hey, monkeys. It's either that or it's. They've been raising their bodies. So they've had nothing else. It's so sad. And that's not only just for animals, that's a good, I don't know what the word is, but like. You're in a wet environment, you are. Yeah, what I'm saying. If you're in that environment, then you just. Inclose that, that's all you know. But I think it was weird, bro, because I think it was most animals and we're like, "Oh, they're cute or whatever." But then you said it elephants. Two elephants, bro. And I was just like, "Fuck." You don't have big elephants in there in a room, that's like no bigger than your land dream. And then I think you said, "Oh, no, I can't." I said, "Oh, one of us said, "Oh, I'm not taking videos." But I felt the exact same thing in some time. I was like, "Oh, I was like, nah." Because I put some stories up. I was like, "No, you know what, I'm gonna delete them, and I'm not doing that." And then that's what you said. And we had a bit of the yandour, a couple of the girls, and they were like, "Yeah." But I don't know. Chris, don't investigate in these world. I think in the world, bro. I don't want to shut the zoos down, but also we can do it so much better. I think in the world right now, there's a lot of campaigns for a lot of different actions and movements and stuff, I don't think there's much talk about zoos at all. Yeah, it's weird. I would like to hear from someone from the zoo. Yeah. Reach out Robert Erwin. Yeah, Robert Erwin. Yeah, Robert Erwin. But like, I don't know how to phase this correctly. Someone that's. I'd like to reach out. I'd like to hear from people that are like animal activists, and you know, maybe like a bit more. A bit more. vegans and stuff that support that. Do you like to go to the zoo to see the animals that you obviously love and are passionate about? Or are you against it? Who's like. Yeah. That. I love me by any animal. Yeah. But I looked at that, and I don't. I'm not one. Like I'm being. Like I'm being elephant, but. No, but I mean this in the nicest ways. Well, I'm not one to sit down and be like. Well, I don't know how the animal. Like I've been peaked chasing for and hunting. Yeah. I'm not that kind of person, but just being that environment. I think just. I think just seeing. had to press the. Because what. What Donald for me was. will happily put all these spaces through this for human entertainment. Yeah. That's cruel. they don't take photos and they just keep going. - Right, make a living of it. - Hey, so if anyone's thinking about fucking starting a zoo or own one, think again. - Yeah, maybe at the front. - Hey, how about that? - But yeah, that was wild. - Yeah, it sort of, good week. - By a mad week, I'm so keen to go around too. I think now we've sort of worked at health sort of runs and we're good, I think. - But even still, bro, we'd rocked up Wednesday last day games and like, oh, a new rule, the person who's called is right doesn't have to go off anymore. He's been doing this for 12 years. - He's making, what about that yarn about the fucking extra points in the bonus zone? - Oh, bruh, that didn't exist. - All right, all right, I just want to put this in there and I'm going to clip this up so that we can post on our socials. Yes, the goal posts look different. They're a little bit wider down there. They've got massive pads on the goal post. Whoever's spin and room is around that you get an extra point if you score in between the bonus zone. Stop it, stop it, because the amount of times we scored out wide and the boys ran it in and scored under the post, I checked all the scores and there was no extra points given for bonus zone tries. So just because you're what used to watch the NRL 9s and they had the pain a bit on the grass and you think you get bonus zone tries, I don't think it's the thing. - What it made me realize is how quick yarns to be spread around the place like that. - The Corey gave mine on. - Like seriously, there's like people like, "Oh, you know about that?" I'm like, "Bones, you just sit there over there "I listen to it." - Yeah, wait, he's scoring the bonus zone. - Yeah, bonus zone, I'm like, "Bones, it doesn't exist." - But it's just because the posts are a lot wider so you're for it. - 'Cause I was saying they don't even play fully down there for a weekend. That's not even anyone's field. That's just like for galleries and stuff. - Makes sense, yeah. - So yeah, if you have a bonus zone. - I'm gonna make it more, we should probably at nations but maybe even knock out to spread some sort of yarn and look hopefully it luck. - And see if it gets there. So if anyone could think of any good ones that are believable, maybe luck, yeah, I'll think of one. 'Cause they can get it right up pretty quick. - That's mad. - That's probably nations covered. - That's nations covered. - Yeah. - American. (coughing) - Another yarn. - What was I gonna say? - Yeah, that's nations covered. Shout out to everyone in Volvo's Mabwe. Loved it. But another yarn, it was my birthday last Sunday. And we went to East Bowl for dinner, color beverages. And mums are like, "Oh, I've got a story for your podcast. I'm not gonna leave you fucking guy." - So obviously you heard about the first one, if you'll listen to probably, I think it was the first or second podcast. - Yeah, it was early on. - The old boy, Elis. - Oh, Dactyries. - Elis known for bringing stuff home this and that and usually will not usually, but he has been known to bring a lawnmower home before. And he's brought another one home. And he said, "He drove past it on the way to work." And he said, "If that's still there." Now he's driving the server or something like that. He was driving somewhere and he goes, "If that lawnmower's still there, when I get back, I'm just taking it." Stopped the side road, emptied the catcher bright in their green bean. (laughing) - Hey! - Put it in the back of his car. Mum reckons still hot like it was still hot. - So if you're out there and you've lost a mower. - Right, yeah. - Around the East, man. - And you're really catching their beanies. - So they've probably been like, "Where's me mower? Open the green bean." - The clippings are in there. - Hmm. - You've, they've. - That's hectic. - He's unreal. - Yeah, so yeah, don't leave your stuff behind. They find us keepers. - I'll give a bit of an update 'cause I haven't been, I would say this yet just 'cause we've been waiting for a few things to sort of come to fruition. But today's actually my last day at Youth Express. - Hey. - Moving on. So just, yeah, I guess by, just hang with us while we work out what's gonna happen, obviously we do the podcast here. We will still find a way to create us. - Yeah, still. (laughing) - But what that looks like might be different. So yeah, but I just decided, I could realize, probably been thinking about it for a few months but I realized that the trajectory that I'm on now and I'm very grateful for my experiences and I've worked my way out from the bottom to get to a position where I'm a coordinator. And what I've kind of learned is that, as I keep working my way to the top, I'm doing less of the stuff that I actually love and I understand that in every job there's paperwork and there's reports and it's not about that but I guess some people work their way up and they go, like, thank Christ, I don't have to work with kids anymore or whatever but I'm not that kind of person. I actually could see over in Nations and stuff. I love working with young people in the ground and I feel like I have a real strength in that and really identifying the support that they need and the guidance they need and building relationships probably better than none other. - Yeah. - And I was kind of like, the trajectory I'm going at, I'm gonna work my way up to some high-rol before I'm 30. I'm gonna be sitting in an office putting people in places for the rest of my life and I don't really want to do that. So yeah, teaching something that I wanted to do when I was in Year 12 and PE teaching, going to that and I'd never applied for it because I didn't really know how to apply for it to be honest and I did a non-A title on Year 12 so I knew I would have had to do open foundation but since then I've done a diploma so that will get me into uni and then no one in my family has really done it at all. I have one of my cousins in that, they've done it, all they're doing it now but that's not immediate family really, I never grew up around anyone that had done it degree or anything. So that's probably what kept me back from it and I had it as an 18 year old but then I fell into work and I'm getting $3,540, $4,550 an hour as a young person or whatever I work on my way up. I'm like, yeah, I'm not going to uni, I own all that money but yeah, I did apply and I did get accepted which is mad to that start on the 17th of August which obviously means I have to move on from here because I need to look at something that's a little bit more flexible for me so I'm going to go to Biraban, look at Aboriginal lands council and like he's close with the CEO there, Jamie and I'm going to manage one of their projects but I'm excited, I've never worked for a lab before it's going to bring a different set of challenges and since Beers Point so it's going to make it easy just to duck over to Newcastle if I have to and obviously I'm probably going to be a lot of changes and a lot of stuff and then I'm going to have to say no do in the next four years really but more specifically the next six months to be able to just get my head around this and do it but yeah, I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be, it's going to be different but I feel like if I was to do this 18 I probably wouldn't have been able to do it. Coming in with that kind of life experience is important and one of my mates said to me like, you know you want to be around kids and you know your passions in education, why not do it? Some people would do it for you, you need to go to your come out and be like actually, hey kids. - Yeah, yeah. - Yeah, no and that's the difference between you and some young person that's coming straight out of school, like you've done it, you know what you love and I think the biggest thing as well is like, as you start to get a bit older, like I'm getting a bit too old but if you don't start now, you know what I mean, any years time like four years ago, I'm going to come anyway. - No, it's not and Brian, two years time like four, what I mean two years down now. So, and Brian shout out to one of the boys from Nations, Bronson, on the bus on the way home he was like, he was like, what's your dream? And he said something like that and then we were having like a mad young about life and I said to him, I was like, brah, I was like the biggest thing is, like you just got to go and do whatever it is that you feel like you want to do it. Even if people say it's silly and you'll never make it and it will never happen. And I know this is cliche and a lot of people say it, but go and do it. If it fails, if it costs a lot of money and you waste a lot of money, if it's not a good experience, if you hate it, who cares? Because my biggest fear, or reckon and the worst possible thing you can ever do is get to an older age in life and be like, we should have done that 10 years ago. - Yeah. - Right, 100%. - And never got to do that, which I said yes to that. - But yeah, and even if you do try it, it does fail, at least you know that you've tried it. - Yeah, you know, all right. - Because I have a crack, I gave him 100%. - If it's something like this, for example, and I decide, you know what, I'm in a good position now, I'm not gonna do it. I might move into another role and then I'm gonna constantly be thinking, should I go and do it, should I go and do it? I might end up doing it in 10 years time. - Yeah. - And then I'm a teacher at 40 or 36, like you know what I mean? - Yep. - Like if you may as well do it. - There's no better time than right now. - That's it. - That's it. - No better time than right now. - That's the title. - That's the title. - No, I just want to say, bro, like I know we've spoken about it a lot for a bit too, and you sort of come to the party, like one of the first ones you know, I can't be thinking about, I'm like, just do it, bro. - Yeah. - You know what I mean? Like, and I know it'd be hard because no one in your family has been through it, or done it, but that's what I wish you, bro. I just break those struggles and show the future generations that you can do stuff. You know what I mean? There's nothing more powerful than I think you said at the other day than an educated black fellow. And I think. - Yeah. - And also like, you know, I wasn't silly, and I'm gonna explain this in detail. It's gonna bore the absolute crap out of a lot of people. but I think it's important and hopefully you can take it into your own and Apply it to whatever you're being thinking about but like I didn't just wake up one day I'm gonna go and apply. Yeah, when I first thought about it being in real possibility I was like sweet what I need to do is I need to Research the course research university research the requirements research all that so I did all that I found I found I researched all other universities online universities universities everywhere I research Western Sydney University where you can go down there if you're an Aboriginal person You can go down there for a block do you need come back to full-time go for a block? There's a lot of opportunities if If you research it so research it I found the best pathway for me then I decided full-time part-time part-time He's up to 10 years. I don't want to do it in 10 years. I'm gonna do it now So full-time and then I found my best path I'm very grateful and very lucky that my partner is she's got an internship left and she's finished uni for primary teaching So I have that in my corner, but then think about the people you have like on the new class of NATO Went and spoke to World of Two guys spoke to Zoe who I know has been there and done that spoke to other people So the advice is research all the pathways all the possibilities find the one that works for you Then go and talk to people that have done similar Involve you that or do that get the advice from them apply it to the pathway and then decide everything goes on the outside So then decide like for work for example do I need to leave do I need to stay things like that? And I think that's probably the the advice is just don't go into it blind just use your resources Bro like you I know me as a person if someone sent me a random DM and I don't know from a bar of soap and they said hey I know you're all podcast can I please ask you a few questions bang on helping my or hey, I know you do youth work Can I please bang like you have you're so lucky to have social media where you can just Search someone up ask him a question and they'll help you You know back in the day when they didn't have social media you'd have to go to different Info nights and things like that and call one that rock up. Yeah, just rock up or or you know randomly ask people So if you don't have anyone in your family that has done that then create a network and a and a friendship group or Allies or people that you have a call that has done it. Yeah, no that's mad and I think Even by starting that research and stuff you start those first steps right yeah, so you're like oh Yeah, I'm actually working towards something right at down bra. Yeah, right at down And then yeah, like you said you start moving and that's what that's what I knew because I'm researching on the content This is me So yeah, that's mad but you should be proud of yourself and like you said it's gonna be challenging probably trying to Probably the biggest thing like you said will be saying notice the huff. Yeah, but yeah You've got to put yourself first bra and yeah look you're gonna smash it, but I'm really proud of you Thanks, bro. I see you know anything else you want to add now. I've actually probably got to get going Well, you know, I just want to add something is here a fucking So if you're swearing, but is it as there being one week ever that hexham has not a crash? Yeah, what's going on there? But it's like what and it's for me it's always when you got to get somewhere like I want to Pretty strict time frames. Oh, he can't be on to me all week. Don't be late. Be there by 30 Sorry, but I'm not gonna be See you at nine. Yeah, but yeah, gonna head down to strength back to the paints a mum Fuddy boots with some of the boys for Indian history on second a cruise down there me. Neve. Zolly do some better Matt the yarns and Maybe have a bit of his yarn to some staff down there how me and Neve can potentially run some programs Yeah, in the center bra So now be good to get down there and he's keen to go down there as well. So I got to get crews and bra But that's us that's us. It's been a hectic week for us, but I hope everyone stays out of the weather and I rip sin Let's soge