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Courtesy of Wayne Cousins and the Official Wests Tigers website
'THE ROARING 20s' : SHAUN SPENCE
11/04/2011 5:33:22 PM
Supporters can now enjoy another exciting new segment to weststigers.com.au called ‘The Roaring 20s’.
Each Monday, a Wests Tigers U20s player will be featured on weststigers.com.au to give supporters an insight into this exciting young team.
To kick off, Wests Tigers Media Officer Wayne Cousins caught up with Captain Shaun Spence to ask him about his background, his childhood heroes, and who would last on ‘Wests Tigers Survivor’.
WAYNE: Welcome Shaun to ‘The Roaring 20s’. Tell us about your junior background and the Spence family?
SHAUN: I grew up in Griffith, six hours south west of Sydney. I was lucky enough to make a few rep teams down there and came up to Sydney to play a game. The great Warren McDonnell (recruitment manager) signed me up and put me into boarding school at St Gregs at Campbelltown for a few years. My family still live in Griffith.
WAYNE: What are your first junior rugby league memories?
SHAUN: I played for Griffith Black and Whites. There are some strange memories. I use to get penalised for shepherding. I thought I was really good because I scored plenty of tries but the truth was I use to run behind the players. I was a bit of a rover. I use to think of myself as a full-back but I put on too much size and the coach put me in the second-row straight away.
WAYNE: Did you ever fancy yourself as a goal-kicker?
SHAUN: I did. I use to think I was the Balmain full-back and the goal-kicker, so I use to pretend I was Shannon Nevin and then later, Joel Caine.
WAYNE: So growing up you were a Balmain Tigers fan?
SHAUN: When I was young, my family and I use to always make the road trip each year to Canberra to watch the Tigers and the Raiders. That was our one game for the year. As I got a bit older, we started going to Leichhardt Oval and that’s when I really fell in love with the Tigers. I used to enjoy watching Mark ‘Buckets’ O’Neill, big Shane Walker, Darren Senter…they were as tough as nails.
WAYNE: I see you haven’t followed Shane Walker in running with your socks down.
SHAUN: The people I use to live use to always take photos of me and if my socks were ever down, they would give it to me after the game so I now make sure they stay up.
WAYNE: Turning to your U20s team-mates, who is the strangest guy in the squad?
SHAUN: I have to say Jesse Sue. He is a quiet bloke but every now and then, he would pop out with some strange stuff.
WAYNE: You are playing ‘Wests Tigers Survivor’ . Which 5 team-mates would be on the island with you?
SHAUN: I would choose Liam Ayoub, Neil Begovich, Sebastian Vourlos, Curtis Sironen and Tim Simona.
WAYNE: Who would leave the island first?
SHAUN: (laughing) Liam Ayoub would last 3 minutes. He can’t even tie his own shoe laces. Gone.
WAYNE: Who are the dangers to you winning Wests Tigers Survivor?
SHAUN: Neil has his own construction business so he would be able to build a hut. Sebastian is a landscaper so he would know which plants to eat to survive.
WAYNE: You know you have made it when you have your tribute banner. What about the ‘Spence-sational’ banner. How much input did you have into it?
SHAUN: I had a 100 per cent input (laughing). I get to the ground early and put it up myself behind the goalpost. It is all about self promotion. No, the people I use to live with were always joking about making banners. The first banner they made read ‘Spencey for Origin 3’ and then they came up with ‘Spence-sational.’ I must thank them for it.
WAYNE: If you had to make a banner for a team-mate, what would it read?
SHAUN: I think (centre) Tim Simona should get one. How about ‘My Sharona, Tim Simona’.
WAYNE: Sensational stuff, Spencey. Thanks for your time.
SHAUN: Thanks Cuzzo.
'THE ROARING 20s' : SHAUN SPENCE
11/04/2011 5:33:22 PM
Supporters can now enjoy another exciting new segment to weststigers.com.au called ‘The Roaring 20s’.
Each Monday, a Wests Tigers U20s player will be featured on weststigers.com.au to give supporters an insight into this exciting young team.
To kick off, Wests Tigers Media Officer Wayne Cousins caught up with Captain Shaun Spence to ask him about his background, his childhood heroes, and who would last on ‘Wests Tigers Survivor’.
WAYNE: Welcome Shaun to ‘The Roaring 20s’. Tell us about your junior background and the Spence family?
SHAUN: I grew up in Griffith, six hours south west of Sydney. I was lucky enough to make a few rep teams down there and came up to Sydney to play a game. The great Warren McDonnell (recruitment manager) signed me up and put me into boarding school at St Gregs at Campbelltown for a few years. My family still live in Griffith.
WAYNE: What are your first junior rugby league memories?
SHAUN: I played for Griffith Black and Whites. There are some strange memories. I use to get penalised for shepherding. I thought I was really good because I scored plenty of tries but the truth was I use to run behind the players. I was a bit of a rover. I use to think of myself as a full-back but I put on too much size and the coach put me in the second-row straight away.
WAYNE: Did you ever fancy yourself as a goal-kicker?
SHAUN: I did. I use to think I was the Balmain full-back and the goal-kicker, so I use to pretend I was Shannon Nevin and then later, Joel Caine.
WAYNE: So growing up you were a Balmain Tigers fan?
SHAUN: When I was young, my family and I use to always make the road trip each year to Canberra to watch the Tigers and the Raiders. That was our one game for the year. As I got a bit older, we started going to Leichhardt Oval and that’s when I really fell in love with the Tigers. I used to enjoy watching Mark ‘Buckets’ O’Neill, big Shane Walker, Darren Senter…they were as tough as nails.
WAYNE: I see you haven’t followed Shane Walker in running with your socks down.
SHAUN: The people I use to live use to always take photos of me and if my socks were ever down, they would give it to me after the game so I now make sure they stay up.
WAYNE: Turning to your U20s team-mates, who is the strangest guy in the squad?
SHAUN: I have to say Jesse Sue. He is a quiet bloke but every now and then, he would pop out with some strange stuff.
WAYNE: You are playing ‘Wests Tigers Survivor’ . Which 5 team-mates would be on the island with you?
SHAUN: I would choose Liam Ayoub, Neil Begovich, Sebastian Vourlos, Curtis Sironen and Tim Simona.
WAYNE: Who would leave the island first?
SHAUN: (laughing) Liam Ayoub would last 3 minutes. He can’t even tie his own shoe laces. Gone.
WAYNE: Who are the dangers to you winning Wests Tigers Survivor?
SHAUN: Neil has his own construction business so he would be able to build a hut. Sebastian is a landscaper so he would know which plants to eat to survive.
WAYNE: You know you have made it when you have your tribute banner. What about the ‘Spence-sational’ banner. How much input did you have into it?
SHAUN: I had a 100 per cent input (laughing). I get to the ground early and put it up myself behind the goalpost. It is all about self promotion. No, the people I use to live with were always joking about making banners. The first banner they made read ‘Spencey for Origin 3’ and then they came up with ‘Spence-sational.’ I must thank them for it.
WAYNE: If you had to make a banner for a team-mate, what would it read?
SHAUN: I think (centre) Tim Simona should get one. How about ‘My Sharona, Tim Simona’.
WAYNE: Sensational stuff, Spencey. Thanks for your time.
SHAUN: Thanks Cuzzo.
