Show Notes
Jahrome Hughes is one of the biggest names in the NRL, a Dally M Medal winner, premiership winner with the Melbourne Storm and proud New Zealand Kiwi. His rise to becoming one of the best halfbacks in the game is an incredible story of resilience, hard work and making the most of opportunities.
In this episode of What a Lad, Jahrome takes us through his journey from growing up in Wellington to reaching the very top of rugby league. It's a career that has had some incredible highs but also plenty of setbacks, tough lessons and moments where things could have gone very differently. What makes Jahrome's story so good is how open he is about the mistakes he made, the people who helped him along the way and the mindset that changed everything.
Some parts that stood out for me in this episode were… - Growing up dreaming of becoming an All Black before finding his way into rugby league. - Making his NRL debut at just 18 and getting too comfortable too early. - Losing his Titans contract and going from full-time NRL player back to Queensland Cup and pouring pints. - Going through back surgery and the challenges that came with that. - Almost giving the game away before getting another opportunity with the Cowboys. - Why he initially didn't want to join the Melbourne Storm and how he ended up there. - The brutal Craig Bellamy spray after returning to preseason overweight. - Being told he wasn't good enough to play halfback for the Storm. - Winning the Dally M Medal and the emotional haka that followed. - Having his childhood idol Benji Marshall present him with his Kiwis jersey. - Revealing just how close he came to signing with the Warriors!
It's always an honour having one of my favourite players can on the podcast and this episod is just that. Jahrome is such a humble, genuine lad and it's awesome to see someone who has achieved so much still be so grounded. There are plenty of laughs, some incredible stories and some great lessons in this one. Let me know what you thought of it in the comments Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from What a Lad
Cam Howieson has one of the most incredible journeys in New Zealand football. From making his first-team debut for Burnley, becoming an All White and going to the Olympics all by the age of 18, to nearly walking away from the game completely.
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Five years ago Louie Chapman first came on What a Lad with a very different story to where he is now. Back then, Louie was still trying to establish himself in professional rugby in his first season with the Tasman Mako. Since then, he’s experienced the highs and lows of chasing a career in the game, become a key player for Canterbury, fought his way into the Crusaders, and is now preparing for the next chapter of his career with Edinburgh in Scotland. What I love about Louie’s story is hearing just how much perseverance has gone into getting to this point. Louie has always been a classy player, but nothing has come easy for him. He speaks openly about the periods where opportunities weren’t coming, the pressure of trying to prove himself whenever he did get a chance, and how doing anything you can to help the team can ultimately give you a better chance of getting your own crack. We also get into why he has decided to leave New Zealand at a point where he is playing some of the best rugby of his career, what excites him about joining Edinburgh, and what the move could potentially lead to in the future. Some parts that stood out for me in this episode were… Nearly going 1,000 days between Super Rugby appearances Being told there might not even be a fourth halfback spot for him at the Crusaders, and what that meant for him Why leaving Tasman for Canterbury changed his career The emotional moment he found out he had earned a full Crusaders contract His parents driving six hours just to watch him sit on the bench The Dave Havili moment that taught him an awesome lesson about being a good teammate His decision to join Edinburgh and move to Scotland His Scottish family connection and ambitions for what the move could lead to His advice for young halfbacks trying to make it Plenty of quality stories from along the journey As you’ll hear, Louie is one of the genuine good buggers of New Zealand rugby. He has a massive impact on his teams both on and off the field, he speaks so well, and it was awesome to catch up again five years on. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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