Podcast with Willie Tonga

[TK1982]

hey guys,

I had Willie Tonga on the podcast this week. Some really interesting insights into his time the Doggies. Podcast free to listen to at https://www.talkingwithtk.com/single-post/Willie-Tonga or search Talking with TK on your podcast app. Enjoy

Full topic list is below

3:00 – Welcome Willie Tonga

3:28 – His real name and how he became William

5:13 – His Indigenous and Tongan background

8:10 – Being embraced in Cherbourg, Queensland

9:00 – Eye opener as a youngster growing up

10:16 – His brothers Esi & Sione and how discipline was the game changer

13:20 – State of Origin his first rep jersey

15:41 – His love for Rugby Union

17:00 – Being spotted by Noel Cleal

17:26 – How he learnt his in and away

19:52 – His explosive first 15 metres

21:50 – Why he rejected rugby union for the Parramatta Eels

25:49 – Coming down to Sydney and wanting to repeat year 12 at Terra Sancta

27:58 – His shyness

30:00 – Adjusting to Sydney and nearly going home

31:15 – Being scared of the mind games of Brian Smith

34:01 – Driven by people that you can’t make it

35:29 – First grade debut against the Roosters

40:29 – Moving to Bulldogs without ever winning a game of first grade

42:17 – Steve Folkes

44:12 – Why the Bulldogs culture was so special

48:30 – His combination with Matt Utai

50:17 – Finally winning his first game

52:11 – Getting called up to his first State of Origin

55:13 – Playing with Queensland legends

56:30 – Darren Lockyer

1:01:22 – Mark O’Meley weirdness

1:02:55 – Why he didn’t drink till he was 20

1:05:33 – The pact to not speak about Coffs Harbour

1:07:41 – Feelings towards Johnathan Thurston releasing his book

1:09:34 – His body post retirement and dark days

1:12:45 – The challenge to make a comeback

1:13:50 – Reni Maitua situation and how he handled it after

1:18:27 – The comeback with the Cowboys

1:23:45 – Mal Meninga, the man manager

1:26:25 – Why he should of got dropped from the Queensland Origin team

1:32:30 – Why the fire and love for rugby league has be reignited

1:40:33 – Flashbacks and coaching

1:42:11 – Will Chambers & Latrell Mitchell

 

[Scoooby]

Sweet mate, thanks for the listen

 

[TK1982]

No problem at all hope you enjoy

 

[Alex Hunter]

Would like to know his thoughts on what is going on today...

 

[TK1982]

This podcast is more about his journey, he was on Willie Mason's show last week though if you want more of an opinion on the game today

 

[Wahesh]

hey guys,

I had Willie Tonga on the podcast this week. Some really interesting insights into his time the Doggies. Podcast free to listen to at https://www.talkingwithtk.com/single-post/Willie-Tonga or search Talking with TK on your podcast app. Enjoy

Full topic list is below

3:00 – Welcome Willie Tonga

3:28 – His real name and how he became William

5:13 – His Indigenous and Tongan background

8:10 – Being embraced in Cherbourg, Queensland

9:00 – Eye opener as a youngster growing up

10:16 – His brothers Esi & Sione and how discipline was the game changer

13:20 – State of Origin his first rep jersey

15:41 – His love for Rugby Union

17:00 – Being spotted by Noel Cleal

17:26 – How he learnt his in and away

19:52 – His explosive first 15 metres

21:50 – Why he rejected rugby union for the Parramatta Eels

25:49 – Coming down to Sydney and wanting to repeat year 12 at Terra Sancta

27:58 – His shyness

30:00 – Adjusting to Sydney and nearly going home

31:15 – Being scared of the mind games of Brian Smith

34:01 – Driven by people that you can’t make it

35:29 – First grade debut against the Roosters

40:29 – Moving to Bulldogs without ever winning a game of first grade

42:17 – Steve Folkes

44:12 – Why the Bulldogs culture was so special

48:30 – His combination with Matt Utai

50:17 – Finally winning his first game

52:11 – Getting called up to his first State of Origin

55:13 – Playing with Queensland legends

56:30 – Darren Lockyer

1:01:22 – Mark O’Meley weirdness

1:02:55 – Why he didn’t drink till he was 20

1:05:33 – The pact to not speak about Coffs Harbour

1:07:41 – Feelings towards Johnathan Thurston releasing his book

1:09:34 – His body post retirement and dark days

1:12:45 – The challenge to make a comeback

1:13:50 – Reni Maitua situation and how he handled it after

1:18:27 – The comeback with the Cowboys

1:23:45 – Mal Meninga, the man manager

1:26:25 – Why he should of got dropped from the Queensland Origin team

1:32:30 – Why the fire and love for rugby league has be reignited

1:40:33 – Flashbacks and coaching

1:42:11 – Will Chambers & Latrell Mitchell

Good stuff mate.

That game against the Roosters in 2004 when we won 40-12 will forever be etched in Bulldogs folklore. We got smashed by them earlier on in the year, so to turn it around like that 10 rounds later was amazing. He absolutely owned them that night - I'll never forget his 3 try haul.

 

[Raysie]

Good stuff mate.

That game against the Roosters in 2004 when we won 40-12 will forever be etched in Bulldogs folklore. We got smashed by them earlier on in the year, so to turn it around like that 10 rounds later was amazing. He absolutely owned them that night - I'll never forget his 3 try haul.

One of my all time favourite regular season Bulldog games. That game kicked off a 9 game winning streak and we won the next 14 of our 16 games after that (Including GF). We forget that we'd come off 2 losses in a row leading up to that Roosters game too.

 

[Phalangist]

That was good to listen too!!

 

[ajay78]

Yep, Hodges was lost, didn't know what hit him

 

[Bad Billy]

Good stuff mate.

That game against the Roosters in 2004 when we won 40-12 will forever be etched in Bulldogs folklore. We got smashed by them earlier on in the year, so to turn it around like that 10 rounds later was amazing. He absolutely owned them that night - I'll never forget his 3 try haul.

Made Hodges his bitch, then took his origin spot.

 

[Wahesh]

Yep, Hodges was lost, didn't know what hit him

Hodges was deadset owned by Tonga in that game and the GF. I know that Tonga didn't score in the GF but still paid brilliantly.

@TK1982 I'm not sure how you get these guys over to the pod cast, but if you can manage to get Jamahl Lolesi over in one, that would be awesome - he was superb for us in 2004 up until his injury - or even someone like Dennis Scott. Both guys were great but suffered season-ending injuries.

 

[Wahesh]

Made Hodges his bitch, then took his origin spot.

Yep - that added insult to injury.

I'm actually glad the Roosters smashed us in round 3 looking back... because it made our round 13 victory, and then the GF, all the more sweeter.

 

[alchemist]

Willie Tonga could be a game changer when on song and as the left sided centre... unfortunately, could not play on the right and was injury prone with us --> from memory, in his 5 seasons with us, 3 were cut short with season ending injuries

that said, his performance in the 40 - 12 win over the Roosters was stunning... I still remember the commentator stating that it was quite a battle between Harris and Cross on our right, only for Sterling to jump in with it maybe being a battle on one side of the field but Tonga was giving Hodges an absolute bath on the other side

 

[coach]

Hodges was deadset owned by Tonga in that game and the GF. I know that Tonga didn't score in the GF but still paid brilliantly.

@TK1982 I'm not sure how you get these guys over to the pod cast, but if you can manage to get Jamahl Lolesi over in one, that would be awesome - he was superb for us in 2004 up until his injury - or even someone like Dennis Scott. Both guys were great but suffered season-ending injuries.

Yup lolesi was unreal, Ben Harris played really well in his absence but Jamal was a class above him
I think a lot of people forget how good he was

 

[ash160]

That was a brilliant interview with Willy Tonga, I enjoyed it so much...Willy Tonga, what champion bloke.

 

[086]

Wish the Coffs incident would come out from someone with nothing to gain/lose from it!

 

[Horse]

Will give this a listen. Used to love watching him play for us.

For some reason he ended up bulking up to 105kgs and wasn’t the same player for the back half of his career.