Reni Maitua on the 2004 Premiership, Off-Field Incidents, His Biggest Life Lessons & The Bulldogs 2024 Season Review!

In this episode, I sat down with Canterbury Bulldogs legend, Reni Maitua. Reni played 174 games in the NRL, representing Australia, Samoa and NSW City in the process.

In this episode:

• What is was like joining the Bulldogs in 2002 while the club was in the midst of the salary cap scandal that saw the team stripped off all their points and sent to the bottom of the league.
• What is was like coming through the grades with Sonny Bill Williams, Jonathan Thurston & Braith Anasta.
• The situation that led to him making his first grade with less than an hour notice.
• A behind the scenes look at the 2004 season and what made that group so special.
• The 2004 grand final experience - the fatigue levels, his disbelief and the celebrations that followed.
• The biggest "alpha" and best players Reni ever played with or Against.
• How his off-field behaviour got him sacked from the Bulldogs in 2008.
• His 2 years suspensions - the truth behind what happened, the behaviours that led up to it and how it trigged a year "off the rails".
• His mission to return to the NRL and prove everyone wrong.
• How he almost ended up back at the Bulldogs and why that deal fell through.
• Joining the Parramatta Eels and being named Co-Captain.
• The burden of leadership: How speaking up led to Reni falling out with Ricky Stewart.
• The homecoming - Reni's final stint at the Bulldogs before heading of to the Super League.
• The night Willie Tonga saved Reni's life and the impact that Reni going public with the story.
• "I only had $8 in my bank account" - the post retirements struggles Reni faced and how he found his feet.
• Finding passion in podcasting – Why Reni turned to podcasting and how it gave him a platform to share his story and connect with others.

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