Chad Redman reflects on Gold Coast Titans NRL stint, talks about playing bush footy for Singleton
In simply reaching the NRL, Chad Redman achieved his lifelong goal – but things could have been so different if not for an ill-timed move away from the Gold Coast.
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IN simply reaching the NRL, Chad Redman achieved his lifelong goal – but things could have been so different if not for an ill-timed move away from the Gold Coast.
Redman, a hooker, broke into first grade in 2015 at the age of 22 when he was called up by his hometown club Newcastle.
A month later, he was making a whirlwind switch to the injury-ravaged Titans: He relocated within 24 hours of signing a contract and had just one training session before making his club debut against the Warriors at Cbus Super Stadium.
“I always wanted to experience living up there,” Redman reflected. “I always holidayed up there as a young fella.”
He earned five games under Neil Henry but did not win a contract renewal for the following year.
Instead, he signed with Titans feeder club Burleigh, though personal matters saw him headed back to the Newcastle region before the season kicked off.
NEWEST TITAN’S JOURNEY FROM ‘THE SHADOWS’
“Looking back now, you sort of think “what if” … but I have got no regrets about anything,” he said.
“I did what I set out to do as a young fella, which was to play NRL, so I’m happy with that.”
In moving back, Redman missed out on playing in what turned out to be a premiership-winning campaign for Burleigh, who he had helped sign his former Knights teammate Paterika Vaivai.
At Titans level, as he moved on, his best mate Tyrone Roberts joined.
“I was the best man at his wedding and he is the godfather of my daughter so it would have been nice to extend my stay up there with him but it wasn’t to be,” said Redman, who travelled to Tamworth last month to watch Roberts run out as Titans captain for the first time.
Then, Garth Brennan signed as coach: “Garth was my only football coach up until I was about 21,” Redman noted.
TAYLOR’S TRUE TEST, PROCTOR’S IRONIC TIMING
All in all, the father-of-one remains satisfied by his NRL experience and is now focused on giving back to the game at the Singleton Greyhounds club.
CHAD Redman is still only 26 years of age but he is already looking at the next chapter of his footy career in the form of coaching.
Redman and former New Zealand international prop Frank-Paul Nuuausala form a dynamic one-two in an otherwise young Singleton Greyhounds list.
“We have a handy side,” Redman said.
“It’s a bit different footy-wise but we have got a lot of young kids, which is good to have them blokes looking up to me. It’s about passing on my knowledge.
“I eventually want to get into coaching as well.”
The Greyhounds hold a 1-1 win-loss record thus far in the 2019 Hunter Valley Group 21 competition.
Redman had previously been playing for Wests in the Newcastle league.
“It’s my first year with Singleton,” he said.
“I just wanted to give back to rugby league and I ended up getting employment in the mining industry up at Singleton with Pirtek.”
Born: Newcastle
Age: 26
Position: Hooker
N RL games: Seven (two for Newcastle, five for Gold Coast)
Debut: Round 10, 2015, Newcastle v Wests Tigers
Last game: Round 20, 2015, Gold Coast v Brisbane
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