NRL 2021: Jake Friend happy for son to play rugby league, Roosters to honour retired co-captain

Although head knocks cut short Jake Friend’s NRL career, the former Roosters co-captain admits he would have no problem letting his son play rugby league.

Jake Friend wants his own son to play rugby league.

That the former Roosters captain was recently forced into retirement after 14 seasons of NRL because of repeated concussions doesn’t matter.

“I love rugby league,” Friend said. “It’s made me who I am and has given me my values, my character and built friendships for life.

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“I’ve just become a parent and I’d have no problem with P.J. playing the game if that’s what he wants. It’s the greatest game of all.”

The Sydney Roosters on Saturday night will salute one of the toughest and most inspirational players to wear their jersey. Eight-week-old P.J. will be there with his dad when Friend leads the Roosters out against the Broncos.

Former Roosters hooker Jake Friend and his son PJ (Peter Jacob). Picture: Toby Zerna

Although head knocks cut short his career, Friend is hoping the NRL’s gross over-reaction in Magic Round is not repeated this weekend.

Eight games, 14 sin-bins, three send offs, 24 charges and 25 weeks of suspensions.

“Concussion is definitely an issue but what the NRL did last weekend was the wrong way to go about it,” Friend said. “To throw it up mid-season and go so hard didn’t give clubs or the players the opportunity to practice and adjust.

“It was hard to watch. Too many in the sin bin, too many blowouts. It was over the top.

“There’s evidence of guys having issues later in life but there’s also evidence of a lot that don’t.”

Still, there is much more to the Jake Friend story than the head knocks and the early retirement. The troubled rookie whose life went off the rails as a wayward teenager, his sacking at the Roosters in 2009 and the comeback a year later.

Jake Friend suffered a string of concussions during his career. Picture: Alix Sweeney

“I got carried away as a young bloke new to Sydney and new to the life of an NRL player, thrown straight into first grade,” Friend said, “We partied hard and played footy. You’re a teenager and thrown into the limelight. It got a bit out of hand.”

So out of hand that the Roosters had no choice but to rip up his contract.

“I had to get professional help but I didn’t need a psychologist to tell me that I was drinking too much and using the prescription drugs,” he said.

“It was pretty simple. I knew what the problem was and had to fix it if I was going to keep playing professional rugby league.”

Friend actually turned to another old rugby league bad boy for help.

The most unlikely recipe for his own recovery.

“The year I came back in 2010 I lived with Toddy Carney,” he said, “We made a pact not to have a drink for a year. Toddy had been through it all. It was a big part of my comeback. He’d been under a lot of scrutiny and it was a huge help.”

Todd Carney helped Jake Friend get his career back on track in 2010.

It was the year after Friend had been sacked for repeated indiscretions. There were often more stories about his off-field misbehaviour than his football.

Then came the reality check.

Signed on the recommendation of rugby league immortal Arthur Beetson, the young hooker lost his $6000-a-week salary ($300,000 contract) and the glamour life of being an NRL pin-up boy.

“I went from the Roosters to earning $410-a-week working in a Surry Hills sandwich shop,” Friend said. “It wasn’t much money, even if I did a bit of overtime.

“I was washing dishes and doing all the food prep.

“It was an important stage because it helped me understand what I had thrown away with footy. I missed the boys like hell every day.

“I will always be grateful to Jimmy at the café for taking me on.”

Jake Friend was given a reality check when he worked in a cafe after losing his NRL contract.

He also had old footy stars Laurie Daley and Joe Thomas overseeing his training to stay fit and focused.

“I learnt some really important life lessons,” he said, “It’ not easy in those initial years. You come to Sydney on your own. It’s a tough game, even tougher now.

“If you want something you’ve got to go after it. There will be some hurdles and you can’t burn it at both ends if you want to be an NRL player.

“At the same time, if you go through your entire life without making a mistake I’m not sure you’re having a decent crack. As long as you learn from it.

“Mistakes will always happen with young guys taken out of home and a young age and thrown into a big city and professional sport.”

Friend has done so well with his career at the Roosters since his comeback and the second chance. Three premierships, the club captaincy, last year’s State of Origin triumph and being named Maroons player of the series. Plus the plumbing business and café that he now owns.

Jake Friend won three premierships at the Roosters. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Lewins

“I was lucky I had the Roosters,” Friend said, “If I was at another club I might have become one of those boys that don’t always make it and end up falling through the cracks.

“To have Nick, Trent and the Roosters’ support network … I’ll be forever grateful.”

No one is prouder than Roosters supremo Nick Politis.

“Jake’s one of the most inspiring stories in all my time,” Politis said.

“He is an outstanding person and a great advertisement for all young footballers in that you can make a mistake but also work hard to rectify it.

“It is a proud day for our club to honour such a great player at the SCG.”