Backchat

Clayton Friend: Fearless on the league field

Ex-Kiwis halfback Clayton Friend was often one of smallest players on the rugby league field in the 1980s and 1990s, but had a heart the size of Phar Lap. He played for the North Sydney Bears and English clubs Carlisle and Whitehaven as a professional, prior to returning to New Zealand. When we caught up with Friend, who lives in South Auckland, he was on a roof doing some maintenance.

After the 2011 earthquake in Christchurch you were one of the many tradies who arrived in the city for the rebuild. Are you still in that industry?

No. A couple of years after the earthquakes I kind of gave it up and became a grandad/house husband for a while. And then I ended up as a caretaker for three days at Homai School [in Manurewa]. It gives a little bit of steady money and keeps me out of trouble, I guess.

Do the kids at the school know there is a sporting legend among them?

I don’t think so. A couple of the teachers might. I am just keeping my head down, and doing my job. That is pretty much it.

When you were playing, a newspaper article at the time noted you did some pig hunting. Do you still chase the critters to fill the freezer with pork?

Not any more. We did some pig hunting when I was younger. There was a family, who had a place up in Port Charles which is right at the top of the Coromandel. Neville Denton, Tommy Baxter, Laurie Olliff – all played for the Kiwis – they all ended up on the same beach, and we ended up doing a little bit of pig hunting.

Why did you enjoy rugby league? Was it because you were a tough bloke who never wilted?

My wife might not agree with that [laughs]. Well, we had 50-odd first cousins, and we were all tight. Both the girls and the boys. And we still are to this day. So we competed against each other with games like bull-rush and the uncles let us play, although they went easy on us. There must be a bit of that in the DNA.

Were you ever scared when you were on the field?

No. I was always engulfed in the game. You got butterflies and a little bit edgy prior to the game, which is what you want. You don’t want to be flat. There was a big brawl between the Kiwis and Great Britain at Elland Road in Leeds in the third test in 1985. Ellery Hanley said a few things to me when I wouldn’t give him the ball. The beautiful thing was that once it was done and dusted, you could have a beer and talk about it.

Did you ever play the late and legendary tough nut Tommy Raudonikis?

No. I was probably lucky in that sense [laughs]. But he was a good bugger. A real champion bloke. He was honest, mate. That’s all you ask. Mark Murray (Kangaroos test player) was tough.

Out of all the Aussies I played against, he played the tougher game. The Poms also played tough football.

What was your favourite memory as a player?

When we beat the Kangaroos 18-0 in 1985. It was the third test at Carlaw Park, the home of New Zealand league. We were down and out after losing the second test in the last minute, and we picked ourselves up to play like that. It was pretty special. It was an accumulation of a lot of hard work. Someone has got to lose, someone has got to win.

Could you have a beer with the opposition after your games in Sydney?

Not really. At the awards’ evenings you would catch up with people like the Mortimer brothers. But the amazing thing is that you are on the same page. You just connect. That’s the same as the ex-Kiwis. You went into battle with them and formed a partnership, camaraderie. You can see them 20 years later, and it’s like it was just the day after you were playing with them. It is quite special. Great memories.

Did you retain many of your Kiwis’ jerseys?

I kept a couple and gave a fair few away. I have got the memories, mate. That’s what matters. The body is good. No complaints. I don’t know if I can run, but I can still walk a few miles.