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Q & A With Greg Florimo
By
TORTURED SOUL
WWW.RLFANS.COM
FORUM - 22/12/2004
Firstly, I'd like
to
thank Greg for taking the time to answer our questions at this busy
time of year.
Secondly, a thank you goes to the posters who supplied the questions in
the first place.
Enjoy it, and leave your comments on the other thread.
Mighty Bears Forum
thread - http://www.jumbles.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=851
rlfans.com Forum thread - http://boards.rlfans.com/viewtopic.php?t=100913
What do you actually do at the North Sydney Bears?
My role is as General Manager, and
Gary Freeman is head coach.
Can you explain what a ‘Leagues’ club is?
The leagues club was initially
formed to support the football club, via
income from poker machines. It is a community club providing support to
over 20 ‘intra clubs’, including squash, soccer, baseball, etc.
Do you do any coaching at any level?
I coached the Italians u15’s side
this year, and we are due to play in
a world youth tournament in Russia next October.
Is there anything that you can tell us about Ben Black and Ben Fisher
that they would rather we didn’t know?
They are both champions.
Was playing in the Green and Gold the pinnacle of your career?
Without a doubt. To play alongside
of Mal Meninga, Laurie Daley and
company was a true honour.
What made you sign for Halifax when leaving Wigan?
I had spoken to Gary Mercer a
couple of times, and I had fond memories
of Thrum Hall from the ’94 tour.
How emotional was it for you to hang up your boots?
Very emotional. To dedicate
yourself to one pursuit for all of your
life, and then to realise that it’s over is very difficult.
Was it a difficult decision to make?
My body made the decision for me!
Can you tell us who you would have in your ‘Legends’ team from 1 to 13?
1) Darren Lockyer
2) Jason Robinson
3) Mal Meninga
4) Laurie Daley
5) Les Kiss
6) Wally Lewis
7) Andrew Johns
8] Shane Webcke
9) Steve Walters
10) Arthur Beetson
11) Gorden Tallis
12) Gary Larson
13) Peter Jackson
Can you give us a run down of your Rugby League career, (who you played
for, etc., international appearances, State of Origin)?
Origin – 4 games between 1988 and
1995
Tests – 4 games between 1994 and
1995
North Sydney – 285 games between
1986 and 1998
Wigan – 1999
Halifax – 2000
Who do/did you admire in the game, and why?
I admire all players for the
courage and commitment.
Can you explain the different RL competitions in Australia, other than
the NRL?
Most clubs have 5 sides – NRL,
Premier League (reserve grade), Jersey
Flegg (u20’s), S.G. Ball (u18’s), Harold Matthews (u16’s). Then there
is also a second tier opens competition called the Jim Beam Cup.
What were your favourite watering holes in Halifax?
I didn’t spend much time in
Halifax socially, but my favourite pub in
Eccleston (Lancashire) was the Brown Cow.
What, if anything do you miss about living in the UK?
I definitely miss the friendly
people, the fantastic shopping and my
kids miss the hot lunches at school.
Can you actually see GB getting a series win against the Aussies in the
near future?
Definitely. The GB side went so
close in the Tri-Nations that it is
important they stay positive and keep building on the foundations they
have made.
Were you a fan of the Tri-Nations tournament before it began, and did
the tournament alter your original opinion after the way it went?
I think that the tournament is
vital for International RL and should
continue to be played every two seasons.
Is your nation ready for a flogging at cricket by England next summer?
Bring it on!!
Do you fancy a run out as A. N. Other at some point during the season?
I reckon I’d be good for two
hit-ups and a tackle.
It was said in the trade press that you were considering legal action
against Halifax Blue Sox over money owing. What’s the story behind
that, and can you tell us how it worked out?
I ended up missing out on a few
match payments, which I half-heartedly
pursued. There are no hard feelings.
You gave Ben Fisher a glowing reference, saying that he can regularly
make forty tackles a game and is capable of scooting from acting half
when the chance appears, but which modern day British hooker would you
most compare him to?
Ben is small in stature, but big
in heart – I’d probably compare him to
Mark Smith.
To what extent are/were you involved with the Italian RL adventure?
(NB: the questioner believes that you played for Italy against the
Greeks in Sydney)
I played last season in a one-off
v Greece, which we won on the bell. I
am currently coaching the Italian u15’s.
Who got your boots after you left them on the centre spot?
Not sure.
How does someone’s hero affect your life? Does it mean that you have to
act differently in different scenarios?
???
What was the highlight of your playing career, and also the low?
Highlights were playing in several
finals series for North Sydney and
also winning an ashes series with Australia. Low point was never
playing in a Grand Final.
What made you sign for Halifax?
My very first club in Australia
was the Macquarie Field Hawks, and
their colours were blue and white! So I started as a four-year-old and
ended as a thirty-one year-old in the same colours.
According to the Bears website, it would seem that your ‘enthusiastic’
coaching of your kids from the touchline has resulted in a ban or two.
Is this true?
Not true.
Do you have great expectations of your children to follow in your
footsteps?
I encourage my kids to participate
in life, be it Rugby League or
ballroom dancing. It’s their choice.
What’s the best piece of advice that you’ve been given?
Don’t sneeze when you’re hiding.
It has been said in the past that Australian players only ever came to
play in Britain in the twilight of their careers, and for a nice
retirement package. Do you believe this to be true, and what was the
motivation for you to come to Britain?
My motivation was that I couldn’t
bring myself to play for another NRL
club side other than Norths, and I had great memories from the ’94
tour.
How did you feel on your last game at the Shay, (you looked just a
little emotional)?
Very emotional.
Were you surprised at the send-off given by the Fax Faithful?
Very sad.
Do you watch any of the British games on TV? (Are they televised?)
I love to watch the British game
on Foxtel.
If you could change any of the rules for RL, which would you change?
I think that every tackle needs to
be a contest for the ball, so I
would do away with the two-on-one strip rule. This would encourage
players to be more conscious of ball security and slow the game down a
fraction.
Which three players from any team in the world would you sign for the
Bears, and why?
Andrew Johns, Darren Lockyer, and
Jason Robinson – because they’re the
best.
What is your take on the lack of promotion and relegation to the NRL?
I would like to see a similar
concept in the NRL, and I think we’re
moving towards that with a strengthening of the domestic competition,
(Jim Beam Cup).
Do you follow the results of Halifax at all?
I constantly follow the results of
Halifax, and would dearly love to
see them back in the top comp. Are they looking for a coach?
You’ve played at many venues throughout both hemispheres, but where is
your favourite ground?
North Sydney Oval. It’s beautiful!
Final question: What are doing for Christmas?
We’ll be feasting in fine seafood,
and spending most of the time in the
pool.
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