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What would be your last meal?
It would have to be some kind of steak dish, with a bit of salad, maybe some mash or some chips. My favourite cut is a Scotch fillet (ribeye) and I have it cooked medium-well.
What song do you listen to most?
At the moment I’m a big fan of the New Zealand band Katchafire. You probably don’t hear them too much in this part of the world but they’re a dub-reggae band, they’re pretty cool. Sort of like Jack Johnson, Ben Harper type stuff.
What is your biggest fear?
Heights. I don’t like being up too high, especially if I’m exposed. I don’t like flying very much either.
Tell me one thing you wish you were better at.
I wish I was really good at golf. I play OK at the moment, I probably play off about 12, but if I could be a professional golfer I would love that. Phil Mickelson is my favourite golfer, he’s a champion player. He seems like a really decent guy, too.
Are you tidy or messy?
Tidy, definitely. Extremely, in fact. My wife thinks I have OCD. It’s a mild case, I’d say, I just love everything to be tidy – they don’t have to be colour co-ordinated or anything.
What do you do in your spare time?
Besides family life, training and golf, I am doing a part-time diploma in management. I’m trying to up-skill myself, it’s hard to gain experience when you’re playing and training full-time so this is the best way for me to improve myself.
Who is your favourite fictional character?
I was a big Spiderman fan when I was a kid, I’ve seen all the movies. I loved the fact he could climb buildings and things like that. As a kid I thought that was pretty cool.
Who is your best friend in Rugby League?
I have a few, it’s hard to narrow it down to one really. I’m probably closest with Wade McKinnon, who played in the NRL and with Hull for a year, and Nathan Fien – I played a long time with him at New Zealand Warriors.
Who has the worst dress sense in the Saints squad?
I would have to say Mark Percival. He’s got some interesting ideas, his combinations are a bit funny – he wears running shoes with jeans, for example. It’s quite comical.
And who is the joker?
Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook is always making us laugh. You can hear him from across the room!
What do you hate more than anything?
Really bad traffic – I’m not a patient guy at all. I don’t get road rage, though.
Do you have any guilty pleasures?
Chocolate, I have it a lot. I eat a lot of dark chocolate because I know it’s better for you than the sugary stuff, but I’ll eat any type of chocolate.
What is your most embarrassing moment?
I was on tour with New Zealand in 2002 playing against Great Britain. I was pretty young, 21, and our first-choice kicker Stacey Jones had gone off injured. I offered to take over and said that I had it covered, no dramas. I teed the ball up, took my time, lined everything up, and slipped as I was about to kick the ball. It ran into the dead ball area and the whole crowd erupted with laughter. It was on national television so it was pretty embarrassing. It was at the Huddersfield ground, we ended up drawing 14-14.
Have you ever been starstruck?
Not exactly starstruck, but I met David Beckham when he came to New Zealand to play an exhibition match with LA Galaxy. He was a massive star at the time but also a really nice guy, very down to earth. He was surrounded by security but he had time for everyone which I thought was pretty cool for a guy of his stature.
