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How NRL club fumbled a deal with multi-sport talent that sent him to Waratahs
Tane Edmed broke down during an emotional interview at Leichhardt Oval two years ago. After following in his father’s footsteps by playing at the venue in Sydney’s inner-west, Edmed fought back the tears after leading the Waratahs to a famous win over the Crusaders.
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The then-21-year-old had played rugby league as a junior at the nearby Blackmore Oval, and Edmed’s father Steve represented the Balmain Tigers more than 130 times during a distinguished NRL career. There was plenty of meaning and reason behind the emotion Edmed showed that night.
Edmed became an overnight sensation on social media after displaying candid passion, pride and appreciation for what it meant to play in the sky blue jersey in front of family and friends. But the playmaker’s life and professional career could’ve been a lot different.
Tane Edmed’s post-game emotion at Leichardt Oval is everything here 🥹
Will the Waratahs secure another victory over the Crusaders in round 8?#SuperRugbyPacific pic.twitter.com/is8Ca0q1V2
— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) April 11, 2024
As a schoolboy, Edmed was “obsessed” with cricket. The multi-sport athlete had a final scholarship interview as an 11-year-old at Sydney’s prestigious Trinity Grammar School. Edmed went on to represent the school’s First XI as early as Year 9.
But then, rugby union came knocking.
“I just played league and cricket growing up and then was a massive, massive cricketer, I was obsessed. I love my cricket,” Edmed told RugbyPass last month.
“Kind of got into Trinity on the basis of cricket but I played a little bit of rugby and I was still a decent rugby player but it was mostly cricket.
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“I got a bit bigger, a bit stronger in year 11 and then started to play some decent footy in year 12 and get picked in some rep stuff, and then the cricket fell by the wayside.
“I just started taking rugby and rugby league a lot more seriously. I got some good opportunities along the way and here I am I guess.”
Edmed showed signs of promise in rugby union. The young first five would go on to make New South Wales Schoolboys and the Australian Barbarians but appeared lost to the 15-player game at one point.
Before even playing a game in his senior year at Trinity Grammar, Edmed put pen to paper with the Wests Tigers U20s. But there was a problem.
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The Tigers saw Edmed as a hooker/dummy half in rugby league, but the Sydneysider “wanted to play in the halves.” So, when Rugby Australia and the NSW Waratahs offered the teenager a deal, Edmed felt it was a “natural decision” to choose rugby over league.
“I guess that was before I got given some opportunities to kind of progress in union,” Edmed explained.
“Coming out of school I’d made New South Wales Schoolboys and Aussie seconds – Aussie Barbarians – and then got offered a contract from Rugby Australia and the Waratahs to do sevens and U20s for the Tahs.
“I was really enjoying my union, enjoying playing fly-half. I felt like the program at the Waratahs and Rugby Australia was a lot stronger than what was being offered by the 20s at Tigers.
“It was a natural decision for me to have a crack at union just because of the quality of the program I was going into and the fact that I was playing fly-half and really enjoying my rugby.”
After impressing with the prestigious Sydney club Randwick in colts, Edmed debuted for the NSW Waratahs on the 19th of February 2021 against arch-rivals the Queensland Reds.
Edmed played 25 minutes off the pine in the opening round of that Super Rugby AU season, and he played another nine matches off the bench across that competition and Super Rugby Trans-Tasman that year.
Former Junior Wallabies ace Will Harrison was seen as the preferred choice at the Sydney-based club for a while, but after receiving a maiden start against the Reds the following year, Edmed didn’t really look back.
Including Friday night’s blockbuster against the Crusaders –the same side the Tahs beat at Leichhardt Oval – Edmed has started 23 of his last 27 Waratahs matches as the team’s primary playmaker.
Playing against the Crusaders earlier this year, Edmed scored 17 points during an upset win over the defending champions at Melbourne’s AAMI Park. It’s no wonder the Waratah has been discussed as a potential Wallabies bolter in the race for the No. 10 jersey.
“I really try my best to not ignore it but I do my best to keep that out of my thinking,” Edmed explained.
“I don’t follow any rugby pages on social media and do my best not to look at any rugby articles because it’s interesting, you play one good game and people think you’re ready for the Wallabies and then the next week, someone plays good and they think they’re ready.
“I think it’s just all a bit much for me. I really do my best to try and not read into it at all.
“At the end of the day, if you’re getting wins for the Waratahs and you’re playing well then that will then that will look after itself – I guess that’s a bonus.”
Even with all this talk, Edmed’s father is still brought up quite often when talking about his son’s talent and potential as possibly a future Wallaby first five.
They didn’t even play the same sport, and for that, Steve Edmed “hated the fact that he comes up” from time to time, but Tane doesn’t see it that way.
“It didn’t come into my thinking, trying to get out of my dad’s shadow per say.
“But if anything it motivates me to do well because even though he hates it I kind of love it because he’s the reason I’m where I’m at today.
“It doesn’t bother me whatsoever when those comparisons are made because firstly, we didn’t really play a similar position – he was a prop and I’m a fly-half.
“It doesn’t really affect me at all. I actually kind of like it because I like hearing about him and it’s a testament to him and how he raised me and how he’s coached me through the years.”
Since inspiring the Waratahs to a 37-24 win over the Crusaders in round two, New South Wales’ favourite rugby union team has failed to register another win.
Edmed had a chance to beat the Highlanders the following week in Sydney with a penalty attempt after the siren, but the shot at goal missed the mark.
The fly-half has a genuine “love” for the club, so that missed shot hurt. Much like that win over the Crusaders a couple of years ago, but for two very different reasons, Edmed choked up and fought back the tears.
“Obviously as a kicker you want to be the guy that stands up and takes those opportunities by the scruff of the neck. Even though I was extremely disappointed, I’m still proud that I was that guy.
“You want them to go over but sometimes it’s not always the case.
“It was disappointing but then to bounce back and realise that there’s another game of footy to play every week is something that I’ve matured over the years and realised as a goal-kicker it’s not always going to go your way.
“It’s a massive privilege to wear the sky blue every week and you obviously want to do the best you can which is why it’s so frustrating… we haven’t had three wins instead of three losses.
“At the end of the day you can try as hard as you want but that’s how you validate the fans is by getting wins on the board and we haven’t quite done that so we’re looking to do that.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Poetic justice for trying to sell him to Australia as another kiwi saviour coach, not ! Deans was just as bad actually but McCaw and Carter covered up for him. That’s why they didn’t want him as All Black coach, even after Graeme Henry’s bumbling effort in 2007.
2 Go to commentsSACK HIM !
2 Go to commentsSafas are so triggered by Ireland. 3 consecutive losses, incl RWC. 8 losses out of last 12 Tests. Always excuses, of course, with Bok fans. Now Rassie with his “88%” nonsense, the Claytons Excuse is an embarrassment to Bok teams of the past when every test mattered. Their fickle mojo will be on edge for the Ireland tour. Have the referees been appointed yet ? They will need security. Have WR laid out strict guidelines for TMO’s and replays on the stadium screens ? Will the constant stoppages from Bok forwards for cramps and bootlaces be tolerated ? We’re not talking a dominant Springbok team here, they won the LOTTO Cup and they know it whether they admit it or not. The Disney doco has their fans positively fermenting internally, its going to be a nasty hangover if they get beaten on home soil. What will the excuses be then……
87 Go to commentsGreat role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
87 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
87 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
87 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
87 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
87 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
87 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
87 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
87 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
87 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
87 Go to comments