INTERVIEW

“You don’t see too many captains playing on the wing! As a hooker, you have to be a leader regardless of whether you’re the captain as well, managing the forwards and making decisions from the middle, so it does fit in.”

HORNETS ARE WE — Friend’s Fox hunts

Fox Memorial wins in 2011 and 2019 made many a local proud to be (or have been) a Hornet. The Howick Hornets have their tails up again this season chasing a third Auckland Rugby League title. Ahead of the business end of the season, the squad’s playmaker and captain, Jethro Friend spoke with JON RAWLINSON.

Jethro Friend. Growing up, my brother, a former

Howick Hornets’ senior, had a poster of legendary Kiwis’ halfback Clayton

Friend on his wall, whereas Hornets’ captain, Jethro Friend, was raised in the shadow of the real thing.

“Both sides of my family have strong rugby league connections. One of my cousins (Bronson Harrison) played in the NRL and for the Kiwis, as did a few of my uncles as well as my dad [Clayton Friend],” Jethro explains.

“I guess there has been a bit of pressure from myself to live up to the name and do my family proud. Sometimes I had to, maybe, work a little bit harder to prove myself because people expected it because of my last name.”

From Clayton to his cousin (Warriors’ foundation captain) Dean Bell and more, Jethro’s extended family has such strong connections to the game that it’s a veritable ‘who’s who’. Even his grandmother, Cathy Friend (who passed away in June this year) was practically rugby league royalty, receiving a Queens Service Medal (QSM) for services to the sport in 2008.

However, to Hornets’ fans Jethro was a Friend indeed (not to mention player of the season) when captaining the club’s premier squad to victory in the Fox Memorial Shield in 2019.

The final was a nail-biter decided in extra time, with Jethro contributing two tries to the tally during a man of the match effort; it couldn’t have been scripted any better. However, being 20 points up after a cakewalk certainly would have been easier, I suggest. Jethro laughs:

“Yeah, I suppose so! When you’re playing it is better not to have that kind of pressure, but in terms of creating memories it’s not too bad, aye? It was pretty special, definitely.”

EastLife went to print, to make the playoffs – the club’s premiers were (technically) the reigning champs, since the 2020 edition was cut short by the pandemic.

“I don’t think we’ve been favourites [this year] but we have had the talent,” he says. “You have to have the belief otherwise there’s no point playing. Whatever happens, we have to forget about the past, not think too far ahead and just concentrate on being in the right mindset.”

Regardless of how the remaining regular season games go, the right mindset will continue to be essential for Jethro. Playing at hooker and as dummy-half, he is ideally positioned to captain the squad.

“You don’t see too many captains playing on the wing! As a hooker, you have to be a leader regardless of whether you’re also the captain managing the forwards and making decisions from the middle, so it does fit in. I started as a halfback, like my dad, but one year my coach decided to change things up and I’ve stayed at hooker ever since.”

Coming up through the grades in south Auckland, Jethro joined the Hornets in order to further develop as a player.

“I felt like I needed a change. I was still young, 19 or 20, and looking for a good environment to grow as a player. I went to one training each for Otahuhu, Papakura and Howick and decided from there. I already knew a few of the boys [at Howick] and felt welcome straight away. There was a good culture, good people and a mix of youth and experience.”

When the Howick club’s premiers first won the Fox Memorial Shield in 2011, it established a legacy of success which still appears to be bearing fruit. It’s fair to say that the savvy acquisition of talent from beyond east Auckland has been valuable in this regard but it has also helped the Hornets attract more young locals to the game. [from east Auckland] and half and [from elsewhere]. We have local boys and some from Pakuranga as well as from outside the area. It’s important to have a balance. You want a core group but you need to bring in fresh talent as well if you want to keep improving.”

Beyond club competition, as captain of the Counties Manukau Stingrays, Jethro is looking ahead to the upcoming New Zealand Rugby League National Premiership; last year, the ‘rays were unceremoniously knocked aside by Akarana (64-18) in the final.

“I dislocated my shoulder in the first five minutes – we just didn’t start well overall. We had a lot of confidence heading into it but, against a quality team with a lot of experience, it’s hard to come back from [a bad start],” he says. “Akarana has a lot of quality players every year. If we can go the whole way this year it will mean a lot for our region.”

Despite including teams from throughout New Zealand, the National Premiership tends to be dominated by Akarana (Auckland) and Counties. However, Jethro says it is still a useful stepping stone for emerging players.

“You get a lot of support playing local rugby league, for your club – we have a lot of passionate supporters – but that doesn’t quite translate to [regional football]. Traditionally, the game’s not as big outside Auckland but it still has a place elsewhere.”

In addition to the Hornets and Counties, Jethro was also in the Warrior’s Under 20s and represented New Zealand Maori against an England team. Now, at the ripe old age of 29, he’s realistic about his playing future.

“You never say never but, realistically, it’s a young man’s game. I’m just trying to enjoy my football now,” he smiles. “I’m not sure how much longer I’ll play, but as long as I’m enjoying it, have the drive and I’m at my best, I’ll keep going for a while.” When it comes time for that ‘final final’ whistle playing-wise, Jethro Friend is unlikely to give the game away entirely. Although he isn’t ruling out assisting the Howick Hornets’ premier squad from the sidelines, it seems as though he has been keeping an eye on how current head coach, Shaun Clark, goes about his business.

“It could be a possibility in future [coaching at Howick] but I want to see how junior football goes first, before looking at other levels,” he says. “I’ve been drawing on the example of other coaches and watching more football to see what I can use, while understanding players’ strengths.”

A teacher at Manurewa High, the Hillpark resident is coaching at school and age-grade provincial level (Counties under 16s) where his on-field leadership skills are well placed.

“A year before I left university, Peter Olivetti [former Hornet and Warrior] hit me up to help out at Manurewa High; it’s now my fifth year working there. We’re a smaller school but have some strong talent and I’m doing what I can to develop them further.”

Auckland, in general, and Counties, in particular, make quite the factory when it comes to generating rugby league talent. And yet, there is power in ‘Union’.

“It’s hard [competing for players] with private schools offering rugby scholarships,” Jethro confirms. “From the families’ point of view, it can be a very good option and they need to do what’s best for their kids. However, a lot of boys who go to rugby come back to league later on, so they’re not necessarily lost completely.”

Talk has recently ramped up again regarding a second New Zealandbased franchise joining the NRL; Jethro agrees this could help retain players at school and club level but only as part of a wider development strategy.

“When the Warriors or the Kiwis, are thriving we get more kids wanting to play,” he adds. “Wherever they come from, we need more opportunities, something for children to aim for, to keep the game growing.”

Howick Hornets Premiers v Pt Chev Pirates