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Australian man gets greatest Warriors-related tattoo ever
The Warriors – a constant source of disappointment for many New Zealanders, have had precious few moments in the sun. One of them was in 2002, when the team made their first NRL grand final.
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However, while the Warriors were swept aside by the Roosters 32-8, that night will always be remembered as being one of the most bizarre in pre-match entertainment history. 80’s rocker Billy Idol was the hotly anticipated act before kickoff, and made his entrance on that most practical of vehicles, a hovercraft.
A stunning entrance, but little did Idol know that someone had forgot to plug in his band’s amplifiers.
It was a seminal moment in grand final history. Now, 15 years on, Sydney journalist Steve Zemek has commemorated the moment by having Idol’s hovercraft ride tattooed onto his leg. I talked to the Sydney-based journalist about his courageous move to immortalize this piece of rugby league history.
Don’t want to oversell it, but I just got the world’s greatest rugby league tattoo @BillyIdol @sydneyroosters @NZWarriors pic.twitter.com/W2SUkHkqon
— Steve Zemek (@stevezemek) November 6, 2017
Jamie Wall: Steve, would you describe yourself as a diehard league fan, Billy Idol fan or just pre-game entertainment enthusiast?
Steve Zemek: In a way, yeah, I am a diehard league fan. I played the game since I was six. Growing up in Brisbane, watching the Broncos win the 1992 premiership was one my earliest memories. I’m very fortunate in that I was able to go on and carve out a career for myself writing about rugby league. It’s always been a passion of mine. I didn’t get the tattoo because I’m a Billy Idol fan, it’s because the incident itself was just so ridiculous, it kind of summed up rugby league.
JW: So clearly Billy Idol’s big moment in 2002 is something NZ league fans will never forget. However you’ve doubled down on this by having a reminder of it tattooed on your body. What was the reasoning behind your decision?
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SZ: Rugby league is obviously a part of my life and a passion, and the Billy Idol incident was possibly the most rugby league thing that has ever happened. What do I mean by that? I don’t just love rugby league ‘cause it’s the greatest game of all. What I love about it is the characters, the mishaps, the narratives, the soap opera that surrounds it. Think Nate Myles defecating in a hotel hallway or Julian O’Neill defecating in his mate’s shoe at the casino. “Never change, rugby league” is one of my favourite and most common sayings. Sometimes I think the game and its off-field incidents are scripted – they’re that good. And I think that’s what I was trying to capture with this tattoo, the absurd theatre of it all.
JW: It’s a bit drastic though, did you consider simply buying yourself a hovercraft and listening to White Wedding?
SZ: You know, this is going to sound weird, but I’ve kind of always wanted a hovercraft after the 2002 final incident. It was just so absurd, it captured my imagination. Luckily, sanity has so far prevailed and I’ve never really looked into purchasing one. I thought the tattoo was an easier and cheaper way to commemorate this.
JW: What are your memories of the evening of the October 6, 2002? Where were you when Idol made his ill-fated hovercraft journey to the middle of ANZ Stadium?
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SZ: I have no strong memories of watching the 2002 grand final itself. I would have been at my family home in Brisbane (I would have been 19 at the time). But I remember that moment stuck with me. I’m not sure why, but I thought it was the greatest thing ever.
JW: Do you know why his set never ended up starting? What is your take on how/why the power was cut?
SZ: As for why Billy never got his power … this is a really great question that I’d love to have confirmed. But as I understand it, the NRL didn’t supply Billy’s band with the proper voltage converters. Now I’m no musical expert, but as I understand it, because Billy and his band are from England, all of his equipment is a different voltage to Australian equipment. The same as when you go overseas, you’ve got to buy a converter so you can plug your phone charger or hair dryer into overseas power sockets. This begs a couple of really good questions. How could the organisers not realise this was going to be a problem and address it? And more pressingly, how was this not picked up in sound check?
JW: Would you rate Billy’s appearance as the most memorable of all grand final entertainment performances?
SZ: Billy’s performance is absolutely the number one grand final performance of all time. It tops Meat Loaf absolutely slaughtering his back catalogue at the AFL grand final a couple years ago, Angry Anderson singing ‘Bound For Glory’ on the back of the Batmobile at the AFL final a few years earlier, and the Optus TV exploding and falling to the ground during the halftime entertainment during the Canterbury-Manly grand final in 1995.
JW: Do you think that Billy Idol should one day return to the NRL grand final, on his hovercraft and complete the set?
SZ: There is nothing I would love more than to see Billy Idol back at ANZ Stadium on the first weekend in October. Memo to [NRL chief] Todd Greenberg: make it happen. At the very least, next year’s entertainment should come out on the back of a hovercraft.
JW: What do you have to say to Warriors fans here in NZ, who are still waiting for not only Billy Idol, but a grand final win?
SZ: OK, here is where this interview is getting contentious: I don’t think the Warriors will ever win a premiership. There is something very deep-seated and wrong within the club. But their failure to win outside the State of Origin period every year – when every Australian club is robbed of their best players – is a disturbing long-term trend. They are the worst underperformers in the competition and it’s been like that for a long time. If the club was located in Sydney, they would have faced far greater scrutiny. If they couldn’t make the top eight with an all Kiwi international spine this year, what hope is there for them going forward? Sorry, but I don’t think I’ll see a Warriors premiership in my lifetime.
Comments on RugbyPass
True Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
21 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
10 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
78 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
21 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
10 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
2 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
16 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
21 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
21 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
3 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
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