Blokes lunch leads Danger to Warriors
JUST over two weeks ago, two old flatmates caught up for lunch in central Melbourne. Food wise, it wasn’t anything too over-the-top – they weren’t those sort of blokes.
Like old cobbers often do, ‘‘Danger’’ and ‘Jimmy’ talked a bit about the old times, before, as mates also do, talking about the future.
The night before, one of them, Storm centre Dane ‘‘Danger’’ Nielsen, scored two tries in his side’s 32-14 victory over the team of his mate James Maloney, the Warriors, in their annual Anzac Day clash.
Over lunch however, Nielsen, off-contract at the end of the year and being courted by the Warriors, was full of questions for Maloney, who he lived with when the two were young charges in Melbourne in 2008 and 2009.
‘‘I went and caught up with him and [Storm winger] Will Chambers while I was over there, just to see them again really,’’ Maloney said.
‘‘He told me it was on the cards and that the Warriors were keen to get him over here. He asked me what it was like and I tried to be as honest as I could.’’
‘‘I didn’t want to try and influence him either way but I did tell him honestly how I had found it. I said I’d loved it over here but admitted the flying to Australia every second week was a pain in the arse.’’
‘‘I said he’d get over that pretty quickly. But at the end of the day, it’s really good, the boys here are really good and we’ve enjoyed our time here.’’
The words of Maloney, the Warriors chief prankster, may not have been the tipping point in his decision to sign with the Warriors for three years last week, but there’s little doubt they would have helped the man known as ‘‘Danger’’ make up his mind.
Prior to signing with the Warriors, the Mackay-born centre, who made his Origin debut for Queensland last year, had five other clubs, including the Storm, interested in signing him.
From the first approaches by the Warriors Nielsen had two weeks to make his decision, canvassing the likes of Maloney, Warriors prop Jacob Lillyman, and former Australian Warriors Jeremy Latimore and Brett Seymour. Every word he heard was positive about the Mt Smart club.
‘‘They had a strong opinion of the club, of the playing group,’’ the 26-year-old told Sunday News.
‘‘Of Ivan Cleary last year and also Bluey Mcclennan this year. They were really big ticks for some of the questions I had, and like I said, I had a long chat with Jimmy and got some really good insights to what it would be like to go over there.’’
‘‘Because I’m going over there for three years, I made sure I asked him about everything. They’ve got a really good club culture. Jimmy was saying that if anyone can get along with him, I should be no worries.’’
Nielsen, who is of Torres Straight Island heritage, grew up in the Northern Queensland side of Mackay, where he was good friends with Kiwis fullback, and second cousin, Josh Hoffman, and Bulldogs No 1 Ben Barba.
After making his first-grade debut for the Sharks in 2007, he moved to the Victorian capital where he has found his footballing niche.
Ever-present in Storm colours over the past two seasons, Nielsen has forged a reputation as a hardworking centre who tackles with vigour and has the ability to puncture defensive lines – his eight line breaks are the second most for the Storm this year after star fullback Billy Slater.
Often underrated by
critics, Nielsen isn’t concerned with the jibes, nor is he worried that a move to Auckland might hamper future chances of making the Queensland side.
‘‘If you’re going to make the side, you’ve got to be playing good footy, no matter where you are,’’ he said. ‘‘My attitude towards this club and the way I perform on the weekends come game time is not going to change.
‘‘Just because I’m going to a new club, I’m not going to change my standards or what I’m going to expect for myself. It’s a goal I have, now that I’ve been there and done that, I’d love to have that opportunity again, this year, next year, whenever it pops up,’’ Nielsen said.
Maloney, who ironically is moving in the opposite direction over the Tasman to play with the Roosters next year, thinks he’ll fit in well at Mt Smart Stadium.
‘‘He’s going to fit right in,’’ the standoff said. ‘‘He’s very easy to get along with, he’s very funny and he’ll fit right in. He’s also a very good footballer and quite underrated in my opinion.’’
‘‘He flies under the radar a bit and doesn’t get too much of the limelight but he’s definitely a very good footballer. He’s a very good signing for the Warriors.’’
As for that nickname – check out the Clint Eastwood-directed film Million Dollar Baby.
‘‘It’s based on that bloke Danger, who gets flogged. I’m not entirely sure what the story is behind it but that’s his nickname and it’s stuck,’’ Maloney said.
And while its exact origins are beyond the yappy standoff, one thing’s for sure – it’s an appropriate adjective for an underrated footballer who may be the perfect ingredient for success in the Warriors backline.