NRL great Willie Mason doesn’t ‘give a f**k’ what ‘anyone thinks’ of his top-rated podcast

Former NRL enforcer Willie Mason has opened up about his podcast success, and why his take no prisoners approach - leading to some fiery clashes with current players - resonates with fans.

NRL great Willie Mason pictured at the VIP Body Science launch event on Sunday at Bondi Beach, in a room full of sports stars and media personalities. Photo: The Daily Telegraph.

NRL legend Willie Mason “doesn’t care what anyone thinks” of what he says on his top-rated Levels podcast, which he co-hosts with Justin Horo.

“I don’t look at social media. I’ve been on social media about 20 weeks. I’m 43-years-old,” Mason told The Daily Telegraph.

“By the time Instagram came about I was in my 30s, I don’t get influenced by anyone, I’m not that sort of guy. I’m influenced by the people around me, my close friends.”

Mason made his name in the NRL as a tough, uncompromising forward who never took a backwards step from anyone — and he does the same on his NRL podcast.

A war of words with Knights five-eighth Tyson Gamble kicked off in September when Mason said on the podcast Newcastle had “the worst f**king spine in the game” without Kalyn Ponga.

Willie Mason pictured breaking the ice sculpture at the end of Body Science’s party on Sunday. Photo: Supplied.

Gamble responded to the statement on Twitter, telling him to: “Get f**ked”.

Mason tweeted back: “There could not be a bigger hole that Tyson Gamble wants to crawl into right now. Pick ya battles boy. You are below average.”

Speaking from the Bodyscience VIP event hosted at North Bondi Surf Club on Sunday, Mason said he started the podcast because he didn’t want to be “typecast” into a commentator role by mainstream media.

Willie Mason playing for the Bulldogs in 2004. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“If some current player wants to come at me, I’ll come straight back at him and hit him with some facts. It’ll ruin his career, not mine,” Mason said.

“I don’t care. I don’t look at comments and go ‘oh my god’ this guy said I’m a wanker, I’m so hurt. I don’t give a f**k what anyone thinks.”

His podcast also made waves in August, when the Bulldogs legend, who was still employed by the club, labelled some players “soft” in an extraordinary rant.

“People like it,” he added of the show’s success. “It’s like a bloke talking down the pub and having a good yarn.

Willie Mason also played for the Newcastle Knights. Picture: Brett Costello

Willie Mason at Canterbury Bulldogs NRL training session at Belmore Sports Ground in Sydney.

“The average Joe, they just want to hear that. They don’t want to hear the scripted bullshit.

“I know the big dogs of the game, I understand how it is, I know the politics of the game. It’s not like I’m talking out of school.”

Mason, who played 148 games for the Bulldogs between 2000 and 2007, including being named Clive Churchill medallist in the 2004 NRL premiership-winning team, said “podcasting is my jam”.

“I can sit there and say whatever I want and it can’t get taken out of context.”

He was enjoying the hospitality on Sunday, taking the opportunity to catch up with friends of “20 plus years”, including the supplement and sport nutrition company’s founders.

Other attendees included James Tedesco, James Magnussen, Danny Clayton, Layne Morgan, Lincoln Lewis, Sam and Luke Burgess and Chris and Sam Walker.

“All the guys that I played with and played against,” Mason said. “Good spirits. Good music. Good people. It makes you feel old but it’s been great.”