0
I thought I would post this article though it over 2 years old just to give you a clue as to how cheeky these two (Giteau and Henjak) are and what Perth really is in for.
From: THE SUN HERALD - 2nd May 2004
MEET THE TWO MATTS
Meet the two Matts. Best Mates. A pair of crazy-haired, wide-eyed Brumbies from Canberra with the football world at their feet.
Of course, we’re talking Giteau and Henjak, rugby’s generation next. And lets start with their feet.
Henjak is wearing odd shoes. Same style, but different colours. On this occasion he owns both shoes but often one will belong to his good mate “Gits”.
Giteau and Henjak say it is a trend they have started and express feigned annoyance that the young punk of the Australian cricket side, Michael Clarke, is trying to claim their look.
The pair, despite their size difference, also swap items of clothing. They are always after the latest trends or hoping to create their own. Today Henjak is wearing a multi-coloured sweat band, one third of the way up his forearm.
Their style is inner-city cool meets skateboard chic. There is no tweed coat or leather patch in sight.
Exactly how the conservative set in rugby view them will become better known in the coming years. It’s doubtful either of them will tone down - more likely they will become more out there as their respective stars rise. And it’s not just their dress sense that is full of attitude.
“His hair,” Giteau says, “it’s like his personality. Outgoing and blond.” Actually it’s black.
Henjak replies: “Git’s hair . . . Well, you look at whatever mine was a couple of weeks ago and you’ll see his latest style. If Git’s can’t get his own ideas, he comes to me.”
Giteau says: “Look, we swap some clothes. Shoes especially. I was watching TV the other night and they were talking about Michael Clarke doing it.
“I want to set the record straight that we were wearing odd shoes a long time before him.”
The pair don’t mind having a lend of one another. They’ve known each other for about a dozen years, and having lived in one another’s pockets ever since they were in fifth grade.
“We lived about three houses away,” Giteau says. “ We went to the same school (St Edmunds College in Canberra) and we were always at each other’s house, usually playing sport, usually backyard cricket.
“Matty cries a lot and he was always a bit of a sook if he got out. I think the first time I met him he was getting bashed and I came over and said, ‘Boys, leave him alone’. He was in our hood and he was just trying to fit in.”
Henjak chips in: “Put this in the paper. I’ve known him since that time and I still don’t call him a mate. I’d never associate myself with him.”
Giteau hits back: “Matty was a good bloke before the Highlanders game (Henjak started in front of George Gregan) and ever since then, I’ve noticed a bit of a change in him.”
Henjak leaves that comment alone, but says: “We both played league. I guess it’s in our blood, but every day after school, we’d be at each other’s house. It would be either cricket or athletics or swimming or training or triathlons.
“Matt (Giteau) used to rate himself when we were young. There were some mad magpies on a street parallel to ours and we used to try and see how many times they could swoop us.We told Git’s the record was 16 swoops so he had to rundown this street and get swooped 16 times. He was young and stupid but he got the record. There was plenty of blood, there was blood coming out of his ears. He got pecked plenty of times."
“We have been close the whole time when we have grown up. We’ve always been pretty outgoing. It’s just the way we have been brought up. . . Not taking things seriously. Our families are muck-around types.”
The pair have played significant parts in each other’s playing careers on the field as well.
Giteau says, “my career is a bit of a fluke. Matty is older than me and was obviously ahead of me at halfback. That meant I got a chance at five-eighth for the Canberra Vikings. I stayed there and it was good for my game. Then we both got picked up by the Brumbies. That’s kind of weird when you think about it, two kids growing up on the same street and taking the same steps we have.”
Giteau had a key supporter when he made his Test debut in England a threw a couple of passes he’d like to forget. “I was the first person in Australia to switch on the TV when Gits was making his Test debut,” Henjak says. “I think I was the first person on the phone to him afterwards and I gave it to him. I said ‘nice bounce passes’ and was ripping into him. But really I was very proud of him.”
Giteau is equally encouraging about Henjak: “Henners has the ability to play for the Wallabies, but I don’t want to say too much because he’s sitting right here. He’ll get a big head.”
One item of clothing they hope to swap in the coming years are the gold No.9 and No.10 jerseys. But they say they have rarely talked in those terms.
Henjak says: “We’ve played Vikings and Super 12 together and if it goes on more from there it would be great.
“Gits is already there and I’d love to be there one day next to him. If it happened it would be great, but if it didn’t we’d still be mates and that’s what matters.”
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Coach
