Jared Crouch on former charge Michael Dickson - Super Bowl bound (29.01.26)

(upbeat music) - Wightly on SEM. - Yeah, yeah. No, it did, it definitely started at this one's academy. It's been, my time in Seattle was definitely flown by, but my time at the, this one's academy definitely prepared me for a lot of this stuff, moving over here and how to be a pro athlete and how to be a professional. So yeah, I know it's crazy. - Michael Dixon recounting his days at the Swans Academy, next week he will line up in the Super Bowl as the punter for the Seattle Seahawks. So Jared Crouch has done a lot in his time in '40. He's a premiership swan. He's played a guiding hand at the academy. He's prepared the careers of what future Brownland medallists and I was like, can you lend up a captain one day? He can also lay claim to the best punter in the NFL. Jared, it's great to have you on the program. Welcome. - Yeah, thanks, Jared. - Tell us about Michael Dixon as a youngster. - Fantastic young man, look I was, it was just before I went into the head role of the academy role but I used to coach the Swans reserves. And so we'd have a big link 'cause all the reserves are coming in and all the academy players and make up their numbers and the reserves. And he's probably, I was out there, Isaac was standing out and everyone was talking about him in terms of recruiting. But Michael was someone that we always wanted. He was, you know, a great defender, disciplined, athletic, probably didn't know he could kick the ball that far. I guess it's not something you really tell the kids to kick it as far as you can, you know, try and find a teammate. But he was a great young man. And I've been lucky enough just to, you know, stay in contact with him. I remember him coming back from, after he won the MVP of the bowl game when he was finally Texas. Like I haven't heard of for a punter to be MVP of a bowl game and down chatting to him, you know, trying to learn a little bit about how they actually teach in the college system. But no, he is a, he is and still is a great young man. And yeah, he's, it is that funny, that group. We had Isaac, we had Michael Dixon. And someone who doesn't get to talk about enough too was Tom Tavoy that choose the, you know, manly, seagull star. So all of them were at the academy at the same time and all went on different parts. And, you know, I guess we're up here. We're just trying to help kids get a start in AFL. But, you know, I guess that professionalism that Michael spoke about, we're just trying to teach any kid what a triumvirate that is to come through. So, Jared, just remind me, did you coach the 2014 Neful Grand Final team? I, yes, yeah, I would have been, I think, yep. And so that he plays in there that it's a two point defeat. And a lot of, a lot of these players are sort of part of that at the time. Yeah, absolutely. Again, yeah, I just try to remember, again, yeah, again, the swans reserve bounce around is so many different. You know, we're in the Sydney con for the while. We're down in Canberra. We had then the former Nefuls, again, trying to work out where he, which group he was in. But yeah, he would have been part of that Neful Grand Final. So, I'm looking, he may have been in AFL football. It's, you know, the unfortunate case of, you know, the Isaacs there, the Errols that tell him new standout. He's probably could have been a Sam Wicks. He could have been a Jordan Ford too. You know, guys, he just needed a chance. But, you know, full credit to him. I think he went down to pro kick, you know, went did some punting. And I'd look, he probably chose the best pass out of all of it anyway, hasn't he? Yes, he's an amazing house. So those young men who came through your care, just what the opportunities end up being from a pathway that's set towards the AFL. And you've got one of the best in the NRL and the best punter in the NFL. The world's a bigger place, isn't it? Absolutely. It's funny, you know, if I was two weeks a week, I bumped into another boy, Oscar Bird, who's another kid from the academy, who's a current punter at Ole Miss, you know, again, someone else who wanted the journey. It just happened to be, I was just on the beach in my kids. And he had one week off and just happened to be at North Carly Beach the same time I was. And another one, again, always, just always follow these boys on Instagram and or any social media and just, you know, any again, if I feel like they're doing anything like that. And they don't give me a little reminder that the academy tried to the rest of it. But, you know, he's Michael and Oscar, probably one of about, you know, seven or eight that we've had gone over and tried and punt and all the rest of it. That there is, you know, there are different avenues, as we've seen, we've made some flexure and, you know, Eddie's son and all the rest of it. That did get over there and get an opportunity. It kicks the ball so beautifully, Jared. And he has one of the key moments in the conference game, which helps the player. Yeah, he hadn't necessarily seen that at the academy, but my goodness, you'd have seen it in the NFL plenty of times, you know, I think is that double punk that he sort of had one time where he sort of got blocked. He picks it up with one hand, like a ground ball and he kicks it further down the field, you know, in early days, even there's a great play that Pete Carroll talks about, where he's in the end in the end zone and he took it and he saw the opportunity around. And he ran and got the first down. He goes, it's just Pete Carroll was talking about that's he's just a football player. He just sees things differently and all the rest of it and, you know, we've seen it, you know, the rocker days and all those boys that they do like the physicality, which is, you know, I guess I'm unpunk to like for Americans. And, you know, they're not afraid to put a shoulder on his after-lay attack. Or is it, yeah, obviously a number of the boys that have gone over. They've been in our academy or have come through other footballing systems who have done that. So it's it's it is fun to watch. And I do love I always make sure I put the Seattle game on, watch the highlights. And you probably probably less highlights is probably going through and finding his kicks. It is, you know, that it is one of those great moments from the recent industry championship game where a punter, you know, does actually get the full credit. You know, he is shown, you know, we're a boy for that great punter. I'm fortunate is the the fumble from the, from the the Rams player. Yeah, I'm excited to watch him in the Super Bowl. I am. I'll be honest with Sam Torn. I'm a Patriotsman. I fell in love with him when I saw a young Tom Brady in a Bill Pellichick talk. When they were winning the first lot of Super Bowls, talk about nuts. My team mates is the team, which I thought was so un-American. You know, you see them talk about I am the greatest. And and that's in my early days at the swans. That's what I dreamed of, you know, having that real team. And eventually, you know, we did we got that that oh five and we got the culture right. And that's what we ended up having. But I watched them and that's what I crave for. So I am torn. My wife had said I could go, but you know, I don't have a couple of spare $10,000 to get the ticket. So I'll be cheering. I want him to be the MVP like he was in the ballgame. And maybe a close Patriots win. I can't lose. So you'll be a great game. That's great, Jared. Just maybe a closing word. Tom Mitchell was part of your cohort as well. He's been on the station this morning. He's drawn a close to his AFL career. He goes out not only decorated with great distinction. Yeah, that's absolutely. Tom was again ripping young man. I do have to work with it more in those development days. And I was with the swans. And it probably wasn't learning about how to be defense. It's that finest game where in camera where he did pick, I don't know what it was. Six positions or something crazy where he just had the ball on the string. But you know, turning himself into the ultimate professional. And then, you know, ultimately got the, you know, the greatest individual award. So great, great young man and wish you all the best. Jared, great to have you on the program this morning. Thanks a lot for taking the call and enjoy the Super Bowl on Monday week. Oh, well, thanks Jared. Jared Crouch swans great to play the key role in development around Sydney and Michael Dixon as part of his cohort as he goes on to play in a Super Bowl. One, three hundred seven, three, six, seven, three, six to have your say. This morning in the 40 Wings, tempered text is zero, four, double, three, ninety eight, eleven, sixteen.