Eddy’s crucial advice
Guiding light to others
INJURIES crippled his chance to make a mark on the field for the Gold Coast but that didn’t stop Eddy Pettybourne from being one of the most popular figures around Titans headquarters for three years.
The prop or back-rower brought plenty of experience from stints at South Sydney, Wests Tigers and Wigan – not to mention representing both Samoa and the USA on the Test stage – but managed just 34 NRL matches for Gold Coast between 2015 and 2017.
His influence tended to come more in the form of guiding young Titans forwards such as Agnatius Paasi and Leivaha Pulu to break through into the top grade.
“It was just good to get amongst the boys and try to help them out, sharing a bit of my knowledge,” Pettybourne said.
“They’re doing really well, especially Agnatius. He is flying (with the New Zealand Warriors in 2019).”
As for his own injurystricken run: “At the time, yeah it was frustrating but it’s what comes with footy.
“When you look back, everything happens for a reason and it just got to that time where obviously as you get older you start to think about life after footy and how you can provide for your family.”
For Pettybourne, once his three-year contract expired, a season came up in the French city of Toulouse, where his daughter Isla Storm – now 14 months old – was born.
The 31-year-old has since moved to Rockhampton to be closer to family and is mixing playing footy for the Central Queensland Capras with working as a teacher aide and indigenous liaison officer at St Brendan’s College.
The Yeppoon-based rugby league nursery has produced the likes of Matt Scott, Ben Hunt and Corey Oates and Pettybourne intends to share his wisdom where possible.
“If you can be a step ahead of everyone else, you’re closer to being there,” he said.
“That’s on and off the field, not just in footy but in school – if you get a good grade and are doing the best you can in class and behaving well.
“It has been good to give back to the kids, that’s the best part.”