Alan Lee/Photosport
Tony Iro is working on bringing young juniors through to the NRL level at the Warriors.
Tony Iro had an incredible footy career, playing in the NRL, Super League and making 25 appearances for the Kiwis. He transitioned into coaching roles and continues to work for the Warriors. Stuff caught up with him to ask about his unusual nickname and why he was the kiss of death to so many clubs.
Your job title is Future Warriors coach. What does that mean exactly?
I’m looking after the under-17s down. We’ve got the Harold Matthews squad and have around 45 boys running around at the moment four days a week. We’ve also got an academy of under-15 boys, which will start in a fortnight and that will be another 25 kids. I’ve got a few boys staying with me at the moment from Christchurch. That’s been interesting, because I had three daughters. So to have four or five 16-17-year-old boys in my house is a bit different, but it’s been good and we’re learning to live with each other.
How fulfilling do you find this role compared to other things you’ve done in rugby league?
I’m really pleased parents and players have now got this opportunity. They don’t have to go overseas if they want to see what the junior rep system looks like. We can now offer it and we’ve got the pathway of five men’s teams right up to the NRL. There is a genuine opportunity for the kids to stay at home and finish their schooling here. These young men keep you on your toes, but they’re all grateful for the opportunity, are working hard and we’ll find NRL players out of it.
What are the keys for any young player who wants to make it into the NRL?
You’ve got to be tough and want to compete. That’s what the NRL is about. We’re putting our boys through a pretty rigorous preseason. They’re all sore at the moment, but the ones that will push through at the other end will be the ones who are resilient, mentally tough and are prepared to feel a bit of pain, which is what our NRL game is like.
Joanna Caird
Tony Iro, John Timu and Mark Ellis during the national anthem before the New Zealand v Papua New Guinea test at Rotorua International Stadium in 1996.
During your career you played for two clubs that no longer exist, Hunter Mariners and Adelaide Rams. Do you have any of their jerseys still?
I might have given my Hunter Mariners one away. I think I’ve still got a Rams one. I had a year at both of those clubs. I think I should have worked for News Ltd as a contractor because they were trying to get rid of clubs at the time and everyone I seemed to go to at the back end of my career disappeared. I even got rid of South Sydney for a couple of years. One of the foundation clubs, so I must have had something going for me!
What was it like playing footy in Adelaide?
We loved it. It’s obviously an AFL city, so we were left to our own devices. As a footy team in Adelaide, no one really cared about us. So we used to mix socially a lot. We’d all travelled to be down there, so we enjoyed it. It was a bit like Hunter, although in Newcastle they had the Knights. But we were looked upon as the Super League baddies. We used to mix with the Newcastle boys, but fans weren’t fond of us. We developed good friendships which helped us on the field. At the Mariners, we were only alive for two years, but we made the World Club Challenge final and that was based on the boys sticking together through the year. I had fantastic years at both clubs and the fact they were wine regions was an added bonus.
Your nickname is Sponge. Where did that come from?
Because I soak up information. Not really, but that’s what I tell all the boys! I picked up Sponge because I used to be able to have a beer and not get drunk or inebriated, I just stayed the same. I used to soak it up like a sponge, but now they should call me The Rock, because I sink like a stone. But I’m quite happy to have that moniker.
What was your stand-out test playing for the Kiwis?
Probably when we beat Australia back to back at North Harbour Stadium (1997-98). We played the first one in the Super League days and everyone was saying it was only half the Australian team. A year later, when the game had got back together, we played what people were calling one of the best Australian teams they’d seen and managed to get over the top of them that day too. That was at the back end of my career and to do that with a lot of great icons in rugby league, like Stacey Jones, the Paul brothers and my brother, those were two special games.
What do you like to do away from footy?
I spend a bit of time in Mount Maunganui. I’ve got a place down there. I don’t surf but I swim a lot and find that’s where I relax a lot. I’m not a golfer any more, but when I can I get out fishing. I’ve got a boat with a couple of my mates and that’s how we relax.
