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The Muster- Jayden Henderson: A Season To Remember. · The Muster on Hokonui

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: I don't care what you say anymore. This is my life.
• 0:07
  Speaker 2: Go ahead with your own life.
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: This is the muster on Hokanui. Jaden Henderson. I think
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: it's fair to say the guy's had a pretty exceptional year.
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: Starting off not really with any expectations regarding his rugby
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: career and ending up Um, he's going away to join
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: the Crusaders, uh, wider training squad later on this month.
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: He joins us this afternoon to give us, well, from
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: his perspective, I suppose, how the season's all gone. Jaden,
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: good afternoon. You must be still pinching yourself at the
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: way things have unfolded.
• 0:37
  Speaker 2: How you going, Andy? Uh, yeah, thanks very much for
• 0:40
  Speaker 2: having me on the show. Yeah, definitely pinching myself at, um,
• 0:43
  Speaker 2: how everything's unfolded this year, but, um, yeah, pretty, pretty
• 0:47
  Speaker 2: grateful for the opportunity and, um, Pretty cool to first
• 0:50
  Speaker 2: and foremost be back down south, back home in Southland,
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: playing rugby here and then, yeah, heading up the road
• 0:56
  Speaker 2: to cross-stretch. Yeah, very exciting.
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: Because you're an absolute southern boy at heart, aren't you?
• 1:02
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I grew up in Riversdale. Yeah, did my
• 1:06
  Speaker 2: schooling here at Riversdale and went up to Target Boys
• 1:10
  Speaker 2: there for a few years, then up to Lincoln. So, yeah,
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: a bit familiar with cross-stretch as well. And, yeah, obviously
• 1:17
  Speaker 2: moved back down here, Worked as a livestock rep for
• 1:21
  Speaker 2: about four years before heading overseas to play some rugby. So, yeah.
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: So going overseas to play rugby, had you given up
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: on that stag's dream more or less? Did that come
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: into the equation, Jaden?
• 1:34
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah. I sort of was looking for an opportunity. Yeah,
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: wanting to push myself past club level. And, yeah, obviously
• 1:42
  Speaker 2: MPC didn't happen at the time. So, yeah, I went
• 1:47
  Speaker 2: to Ireland. I went over there for about four months.
• 1:52
  Speaker 2: The rugby over there wasn't really what I was expecting,
• 1:54
  Speaker 2: but yeah, it was a pretty cool experience. Got a
• 1:58
  Speaker 2: good look around Europe and then come back to Australia,
• 2:02
  Speaker 2: played in the shoot shield in Sydney. Yeah, learned a
• 2:05
  Speaker 2: lot in Sydney and it was a really big step
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: up from club rugby here. And yeah. Did that for
• 2:12
  Speaker 2: two years and then sitting at home one day at
• 2:15
  Speaker 2: my flat and got a text from Scotty to come
• 2:19
  Speaker 2: back to Southend and jumped at the opportunity. So yeah,
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: I've been a bit all over the show since I
• 2:25
  Speaker 2: think it was about 2024 when I left to go overseas.
• 2:30
  Speaker 2: But yeah, it's pretty awesome to be back.
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: Interesting you say the rugby in Ireland wasn't as anticipated.
• 2:36
  Speaker 1: What was the story there? Different structure?
• 2:39
  Speaker 2: Oh, I sort of picked up an opportunity off Facebook
• 2:42
  Speaker 2: and they talked it up that it was going to
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: be a really good level of rugby. And yeah, it
• 2:47
  Speaker 2: wasn't sort of what I was after. But yeah, I
• 2:50
  Speaker 2: sort of saw it as more of an OE, a
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: bit of an experience over there. Yeah, rugby's obviously not
• 2:57
  Speaker 2: the number one sport in Ireland, but the level I
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: was playing was not quite as high as I would
• 3:04
  Speaker 2: have liked to have played. But, yeah, awesome experience. Learned
• 3:08
  Speaker 2: a lot about myself, actually. Did a bit of coaching
• 3:10
  Speaker 2: while I was over there. And, yeah, you gain an
• 3:13
  Speaker 2: appreciation for coaches in that sense because, yeah, it was
• 3:17
  Speaker 2: quite tough teaching kids that had never held a rugby
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: ball before how to play rugby. So, yeah, pretty humbling experience.
• 3:23
  Speaker 1: Playing in the shoot shield, though, that's a decent level
• 3:26
  Speaker 1: of rugby as well. That's not to be ignored.
• 3:29
  Speaker 2: No, really good level of rugby. Yeah, big step up
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: speed-wise and... Physicality, the biggest shock to me was actually
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: the heat. The first game I played there was 37 degrees,
• 3:41
  Speaker 2: so we're having 20-minute water breaks. Yeah, I lost a
• 3:46
  Speaker 2: lot of sweat that day, so a few powerades after
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: to get the body right. But yeah, it was a
• 3:53
  Speaker 2: big change. And yeah, very good level of rugby. Yeah,
• 3:58
  Speaker 2: I think 12 teams in the competition. and everyone's pretty competitive,
• 4:02
  Speaker 2: and you're playing against Wallabies or Super Rugby players most weeks, so, yeah.
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: Would you say the Wallabies, results aside, haven't been favourable,
• 4:11
  Speaker 1: but would you say they're in a good place heading
• 4:13
  Speaker 1: into their World Cup year, being held on home soil?
• 4:17
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think so, yeah. Yeah, they're building something nice. Yeah,
• 4:22
  Speaker 2: they've got some quality world-class players there at the moment, so... Yeah,
• 4:26
  Speaker 2: but I think it's going to be an interesting World Cup.
• 4:28
  Speaker 2: Everyone's looking good building into next year. So, yeah, but
• 4:32
  Speaker 2: I think, yeah, the Wallabies will be competitive.
• 4:36
  Speaker 1: And you get that text, come back to Southland. Of course,
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: Jack Taylor had his injury. But this is where the
• 4:42
  Speaker 1: script falls into place for you. This is where it
• 4:44
  Speaker 1: all started.
• 4:47
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, sort of opportunities, like they present themselves when
• 4:50
  Speaker 2: you least expect them, so, yeah. you've got to be
• 4:53
  Speaker 2: prepared to take them, I guess, and, yeah, I guess
• 4:56
  Speaker 2: your best abilities, availability, so made sure I was fit,
• 5:00
  Speaker 2: ready to go, and, yeah, pretty unfortunate for Jack, and
• 5:03
  Speaker 2: he was still involved in the environment, so he was
• 5:05
  Speaker 2: really good to learn off, and, yeah, helped me a
• 5:08
  Speaker 2: lot in the environment, because I'd never experienced being a
• 5:13
  Speaker 2: full-time rugby player before, so, yeah, he was really good
• 5:15
  Speaker 2: to learn off, and, yeah, great group of guys and
• 5:18
  Speaker 2: coaches around me, which helped as well, so, yeah.
• 5:23
  Speaker 1: Is there a good chance of the core of that
• 5:24
  Speaker 1: group being retained for next season, would you say, or
• 5:27
  Speaker 1: is it too early to predict?
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: I'd like to think so. We're building nicely throughout the year,
• 5:35
  Speaker 2: regardless of the results, I think. We were ticking some
• 5:38
  Speaker 2: boxes and a good step in the right direction for
• 5:41
  Speaker 2: Southland Rugby, I thought. There were some highs and lows,
• 5:45
  Speaker 2: but we had a couple of really good wins there
• 5:47
  Speaker 2: throughout the season and some close losses, but Yeah, a
• 5:50
  Speaker 2: young team, I think, 21 debutantes throughout the year. So, yeah,
• 5:55
  Speaker 2: there's a big improvement to still happen, but, yeah, we're
• 5:59
  Speaker 2: going in the right direction, I think.
• 6:01
  Speaker 1: So describe the moment when you see yourself out on
• 6:04
  Speaker 1: Rugby Park, you're looking on the terraces and it's jam-packed.
• 6:07
  Speaker 1: That must have been the real moment that everything hit
• 6:09
  Speaker 1: home for you properly.
• 6:11
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, no, it was a dream come true, to
• 6:14
  Speaker 2: be honest. Yeah, pretty passionate about this province and... Yeah,
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: growing up here, standing on the terraces with a lunchbox
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: and supporting the boys and running out there on the
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: field was pretty awesome. So, yeah, still sort of pinching
• 6:28
  Speaker 2: myself that it's happened in the first place. And, yeah, just, yeah, really,
• 6:33
  Speaker 2: really awesome experience.
• 6:34
  Speaker 1: And it just goes to show how many more Jaden
• 6:36
  Speaker 1: Hedisons are out there in Southland as well, you know,
• 6:38
  Speaker 1: almost like a trailblazing moment.
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, definitely there's some quality rugby players around
• 6:46
  Speaker 2: at the moment. So, yeah, it'll be interesting to see
• 6:49
  Speaker 2: who's involved in the coming years.
• 6:51
  Speaker 1: So how did you manage to get picked up in
• 6:53
  Speaker 1: the Crusaders environment?
• 6:56
  Speaker 2: There's a draft system that happens for the wider training group.
• 7:00
  Speaker 2: I'm not entirely sure how it works, but throughout the season,
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: I think each Super Rugby club can sort of pick
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: players and then it goes to a draft system at
• 7:11
  Speaker 2: the end of the year and they sort of get
• 7:14
  Speaker 2: a pick goes in a rough order from my understanding
• 7:19
  Speaker 2: I think the Crusaders had a pick before the Highlanders
• 7:24
  Speaker 2: and yeah they obviously chose me which I was pretty
• 7:28
  Speaker 2: wrapped about and yeah I was very unexpected it was
• 7:32
  Speaker 2: quite funny I actually got a text from Jamie Joseph
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: I had been speaking to him previously and he sort
• 7:38
  Speaker 2: of congratulated me and wished me all the best up
• 7:39
  Speaker 2: the road so yeah, that's sort of how I found out.
• 7:42
  Speaker 2: It was very unexpected, and yeah, a few phone calls
• 7:47
  Speaker 2: from coaching staff at Crusader shortly after confirmed it, so yeah,
• 7:51
  Speaker 2: it was pretty awesome.
• 7:53
  Speaker 1: A bit bizarre, but surreal at the same time. JB Joseph,
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: the Highlanders coach, telling you that you're going to the Crusaders. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 8:01
  Speaker 2: I'd sort of been in touch, and he was interested
• 8:04
  Speaker 2: in having me come to the Highlanders, but yeah, it
• 8:06
  Speaker 2: was yeah, that's sort of how it panned out, really.
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: They they had the pick before the Crusaders did, so yeah,
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: it was a bit of a surprise.
• 8:18
  Speaker 1: Have you had to reassess your goals after this season?
• 8:23
  Speaker 2: Yeah, definitely, yeah. Oh, I never thought I'd be playing
• 8:28
  Speaker 2: for the Sags, let alone playing Super Rugby this time
• 8:32
  Speaker 2: at the start of, well, this time last year, so yeah. Yeah,
• 8:36
  Speaker 2: reassess the goals. Yeah, obviously, it's a big step up
• 8:40
  Speaker 2: and what I'm used to with rugby and training. So, yeah,
• 8:45
  Speaker 2: it's a big change getting to do rugby as a job. Like,
• 8:48
  Speaker 2: I've never looked at it that way, but it's, yeah,
• 8:51
  Speaker 2: it's an awesome opportunity and something that I love to do. So, yeah.
• 8:55
  Speaker 1: Well, it will be a full-time job for you effectively now,
• 8:58
  Speaker 1: won't it? Yeah, yeah.
• 9:00
  Speaker 2: A wee bit different to tailing lambs or drafting sheep,
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: or digging holes over in Sydney. So, yeah.
• 9:06
  Speaker 1: But Ethan DeGroote did the same thing, the tailing run
• 9:08
  Speaker 1: around Riversdale, and he's gone pretty well. So all the
• 9:12
  Speaker 1: Southern lads, you know, you get a bit of a
• 9:13
  Speaker 1: grounding in rural work, and that gives you a bit
• 9:15
  Speaker 1: of backbone, to coin a phrase, I suppose, eh?
• 9:18
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, it definitely does. It makes you appreciate having
• 9:22
  Speaker 2: the opportunity to go and do what you love and
• 9:26
  Speaker 2: playing rugby, so yeah.
• 9:28
  Speaker 1: Hey, good on you, Jaden. Thanks for the chat this afternoon. Congratulations.
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: You've had a hell of a year in the Stags jersey.
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: All the best up the road there, even if you
• 9:36
  Speaker 1: are going to be in Christchurch. But Southlanders are proud
• 9:39
  Speaker 1: of what you've achieved. Thanks for your time.
• 9:40
  Speaker 2: Thanks, Andy. Cheers.
• 9:45
  Speaker 1: Laugh out loud with Ag Proud, because life on the
• 9:49
  Speaker 1: land can be a laughing matter. Brought to us by
• 9:52
  Speaker 1: Shearwell Data, working to help the livestock farmer. A neighbour
• 9:56
  Speaker 1: asked the question, does your dog bite? The man replied, no. never.
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: So the neighbour bent down to pet the dog, but
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: immediately he got bitten. The neighbour shouted, you said your
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: dog doesn't bite. The man calmly replied, that's not my dog.
• 10:11
  Speaker 2: You're only human.
• 10:13
  Speaker 1: That is us done and dusted for the afternoon. The
• 10:16
  Speaker 1: podcast will be up shortly. Thanks to iHeartRadio. I'm Andy Muir.
• 10:19
  Speaker 1: The muster is proudly brought to you by the team
• 10:21
  Speaker 1: at Peters Genetics. Enjoy the afternoon. See you tomorrow at
• 10:25
  Speaker 1: 1 o'clock.