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New member
A bit of a read just to fill in time until season 2015 begins.
From Wests Tigers Official Website.
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By his own admission, the last 12 months have been a little chaotic for Brenden Santi.
Part of Wests Tigers’ NYC squads in 2012 and 2013, Santi made the move to Parramatta Eels for the start of the 2014 season as he sought to try and make his way into first-grade. It was a tough call no doubt, to leave the players and friends he’d made over the last few years, so when the opportunity arose for the second-rower to return to Wests Tigers after he was granted an early release from his contract, the decision was easy.
“To be honest, I felt out of place as soon as I left,” Santi admitted.
“I didn’t really know what was ahead of me when I left, and those first few months trying to make my name in a new team was hard. I didn’t think the opportunity to come back was one that was possible, so I was just so grateful I could make it happen.
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Returning in mid-May, Santi featured heavily in Wests Tigers’ NSW Cup side as they strung together a number of impressive performances and gritty wins.
The Italian international would finally get his shot at first-grade in the Club’s Round 25 clash against the Canberra Raiders — a surprise to himself as much as anything given his focus for the year had rarely drifted beyond making the NSW Cup finals.
“I didn’t think I was going to get a shot at first-grade this year,” he said.
“I came back [from Parramatta] and just knuckled down to try and play good footy with the State Cup boys and do what the Coach there wanted me to do — that was my goal.
“To make my debut wasn’t even on the radar until a few days before the game itself.
“I was more just stoked to be back in Wests Tigers colours… to be able to make my debut just a few weeks after that was unbelievable. It was a dream come true.”
Replacing Jack Buchanan on the interchange bench in the unfamiliar jersey number of 26, Santi didn’t take the field until mid-way during the second half — featuring for just 18 minutes — but still left the ground filled with memories from the night.
“I remember my first run: right at Joel Thompson,” recalled Santi. “It was just a little sinker line, and I got a quick play the ball too which was good.
“Nobody will ever remember that run but me. I’ll never forget it.
“The thing I look back and laugh at now actually has to be when the [the coaching staff] told me to get up and that I was coming on the field.
“They told me to get up, and I just kept asking, ‘Me?’ And they said, ‘Yeah, you, get up, what’s wrong with you’. It’s a little funny now but I remember it just didn’t click.”
“When I finally ran out there, it just didn’t feel real,” the Chester Hill junior admitted.
“I wasn’t too sure what I was thinking; just soaking in the feeling of being out there for my debut and then focusing on what I had to do for the team so I didn’t let anyone down. As you run on, you kind of realise where you are and realise the occasion, and you realise that you’re finally living your childhood dream, which is just unreal.”
Despite all the emotion and feelings that surrounded the night, Santi said that the sweetest thing of all was being able to do it with the boys he’d been with all along.
“It’s amazing to play with so many of these boys in the 20’s and win the competition with them in 2012, and then get the chance to play first-grade with them,” he said.
“That’s what you want and what you dream of when you play in the younger grades — to be there together when you’re making your debut and talking about first-grade. It makes it a lot easier to feel comfortable when you’ve played with the guys so much.
“I just can’t wait for 2015 now,” Santi enthused.
“I know it was a tough end to the year and there’s been so much that’s happened, but having had that taste of first-grade, it makes me hungry and makes me want more.
“It makes me feel like playing that one game wasn’t enough for me. I want to train harder and show next year that I’ve got to play every game and every minute.
“Playing that game makes me want that position in the top 17.
“I want to play every game in the whole year, and continue to do it alongside these boys that were right there with me from the very beginning.”
From Wests Tigers Official Website.
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\
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By his own admission, the last 12 months have been a little chaotic for Brenden Santi.
Part of Wests Tigers’ NYC squads in 2012 and 2013, Santi made the move to Parramatta Eels for the start of the 2014 season as he sought to try and make his way into first-grade. It was a tough call no doubt, to leave the players and friends he’d made over the last few years, so when the opportunity arose for the second-rower to return to Wests Tigers after he was granted an early release from his contract, the decision was easy.
“To be honest, I felt out of place as soon as I left,” Santi admitted.
“I didn’t really know what was ahead of me when I left, and those first few months trying to make my name in a new team was hard. I didn’t think the opportunity to come back was one that was possible, so I was just so grateful I could make it happen.
MembershipOnsaleNow600
Returning in mid-May, Santi featured heavily in Wests Tigers’ NSW Cup side as they strung together a number of impressive performances and gritty wins.
The Italian international would finally get his shot at first-grade in the Club’s Round 25 clash against the Canberra Raiders — a surprise to himself as much as anything given his focus for the year had rarely drifted beyond making the NSW Cup finals.
“I didn’t think I was going to get a shot at first-grade this year,” he said.
“I came back [from Parramatta] and just knuckled down to try and play good footy with the State Cup boys and do what the Coach there wanted me to do — that was my goal.
“To make my debut wasn’t even on the radar until a few days before the game itself.
“I was more just stoked to be back in Wests Tigers colours… to be able to make my debut just a few weeks after that was unbelievable. It was a dream come true.”
Replacing Jack Buchanan on the interchange bench in the unfamiliar jersey number of 26, Santi didn’t take the field until mid-way during the second half — featuring for just 18 minutes — but still left the ground filled with memories from the night.
“I remember my first run: right at Joel Thompson,” recalled Santi. “It was just a little sinker line, and I got a quick play the ball too which was good.
“Nobody will ever remember that run but me. I’ll never forget it.
“The thing I look back and laugh at now actually has to be when the [the coaching staff] told me to get up and that I was coming on the field.
“They told me to get up, and I just kept asking, ‘Me?’ And they said, ‘Yeah, you, get up, what’s wrong with you’. It’s a little funny now but I remember it just didn’t click.”
“When I finally ran out there, it just didn’t feel real,” the Chester Hill junior admitted.
“I wasn’t too sure what I was thinking; just soaking in the feeling of being out there for my debut and then focusing on what I had to do for the team so I didn’t let anyone down. As you run on, you kind of realise where you are and realise the occasion, and you realise that you’re finally living your childhood dream, which is just unreal.”
Despite all the emotion and feelings that surrounded the night, Santi said that the sweetest thing of all was being able to do it with the boys he’d been with all along.
“It’s amazing to play with so many of these boys in the 20’s and win the competition with them in 2012, and then get the chance to play first-grade with them,” he said.
“That’s what you want and what you dream of when you play in the younger grades — to be there together when you’re making your debut and talking about first-grade. It makes it a lot easier to feel comfortable when you’ve played with the guys so much.
“I just can’t wait for 2015 now,” Santi enthused.
“I know it was a tough end to the year and there’s been so much that’s happened, but having had that taste of first-grade, it makes me hungry and makes me want more.
“It makes me feel like playing that one game wasn’t enough for me. I want to train harder and show next year that I’ve got to play every game and every minute.
“Playing that game makes me want that position in the top 17.
“I want to play every game in the whole year, and continue to do it alongside these boys that were right there with me from the very beginning.”
