‘I never took it for granted’: Freddy reflects on Blues coaching stint 07:21

Let's check in with another one of our colleagues from Channel 9 and the Wide World of Sports, Brad Fittler, because he's on the way up the M1 to call the game between the Knights and the Panthers. And I'm pleased to say he's on the line. Hello, Bradley. Good afternoon, gents. How's the trip, mate? M1 clear? Oh, how boring is that? Well, listen to us. That makes it even more boring.

No, well, you know what? I like to do it in silence. I don't know why. I drive myself crazy. No music, no nothing? No nothing. My little brain, little monkey just running around. Could you imagine? Oh, my God. The only thing worse than that would be if Joey did it in silence. Imagine that. He's got the full orchestra going in here. LAUGHTER

Oh, beautiful stuff. Knights at home in front of a big crowd at McDonnell Jones Stadium. Freddie, do you give them a chance against the Panthers? I do. I do. We're actually just going through their team and they're a funny team, the Knights. They're...

You know they can they can match it with the best of best of the clubs and then all of a sudden they just put in a performance where like against singles the Dragons we just go wow, you know, like where did that come from so Yeah, they're funny to him. I like their bench Sofutti cross learn nothing Brodie Jones and Heatherington. I I sort of always started the bench when I look at time so I feel like

If they're looking for impact and they need the game to be changed, those players are capable. But they'll get tested without a doubt. Penrith just tests you. And they test your fitness and they test your teamwork. So they'll get tested.

Freddie, what about the Newcastle Knights? If they are to pull off a victory up there at home, and I'm just reading here that the Knights have really struggled against the Penrith Panthers. Panthers have not been defeated up there since 2015, so it's a long time. But who do you think needs to stand up for them if they are going to get a victory up there?

Well, it always starts, I think, with your hooker, your halfback. You know, they're the ones that are touching the ball more than anyone. And then also your front rows. They've got a really good front row. They're tough.

You know, they can on their day dominate other teams and hold the middle well. So I think if you get those real basics of the game, then you give yourself a chance. The thing what Penrith do is they just test you, like, you know, get them back on site in those extra efforts because they do it so well. And that's why against Penrith you need to actually try harder than you normally do to win a game because...

They just test your fitness, they test your teamwork and all that sort of stuff. So, you know, outside of them, their key players and the people that have got their hands on the ball the most, they're pretty much the whole thing, the whole teamwork thing that gets Swap 100 for so good. They beat teams, you think, how do they keep doing it? Because they just keep turning up for each other and they ask that of the opposition.

Freddie, talking about head noise, Jackson Hastings looks like he's played with a bit of head noise this year. How does he get it back on track? Well, you know, you don't just see the reactions, you know, when he does something good or scores a try, you know. It's always trying to prove something, you know. I always just want to, you know, get on with it. He's a really smart player. He has done this since he's a kid, like get a team around. He knows the game as well as anyone.

And I just always want to say to him, just get on with it, mate. Just get on with the game and just worry about winning more so than what other people are thinking and talking about. So I think he's one of those players sometimes who gets weighed down by opinions. Mate, State of Origin time. You coached the Blues for the last few years. How are you feeling at the moment? Are you missing it or are you relieved?

Well, you do miss it. It's very inspiring, you know. You wake up and you're motivated and you've got real purpose. So I miss that part of it. I don't miss the lack of sleep and the head noise. What about everyone telling you who to pick? Do you miss that? Yeah.

Oh, you know, that can get punishing. You know, being in New South Wales, it can get pretty tiring, all that, all the garbage that comes with it. But, you know, when you get in camp and you're with motivated people, you have fun. It is fun. And, you know, I think there was a moment there, Darragh, where I walked out, the first time we walked out on our stadium through the tunnel, and you go from silence to 80,000 people shouting,

You don't get to do that anywhere else in life. That was, like, one of those amazing moments where you just go, wow, look what I do, you know? Like, I get to do this. So I never took it for granted. I loved it all. You know, had sort of mixed results, but wouldn't change it for anything. Mate, when you're walking out the tunnel with the boys and, you know, and you hear the fans and everything, did it bring back any memories for you? Did you, like...

Think about, like, whether you were playing. I think the one always that takes me back, Darrell, is the anthem. Yep. Like, I really used to reflect on when I was singing the anthem, whether it was at Wembley or, you know, before a grand final or... Because you sing anthems on big games, so you know you're in a moment.

And it's when the anthem's on when I was coaching, and even when I'm commentating, actually, I think back to the days. I've got a distinct moment at Wembley where my mum was in the grandstand. It was in 1994.

And we were playing a test match there, and I just remember looking up, just going, wow, how cool is this? So, yeah, that's that moment. The anthem's the moment where I always think back to playing, but I then sort of rub my neck and realise it hurts to drive these days, let alone play football. Hey, Freddie, on a personal matter, did your daughter Demi make it to Europe all right?

Wait, I've got to check in with my car pass here while I'm talking to you. Yes. So she's been to Amsterdam. I don't know what she got up to there. I know she got up to there. I like it, Dad. I know what she was doing, but...

While he's parking, so Freddie's daughter Demi and my daughter Juliet are friends and they've both gone to Europe for a year to study. See, Bruni's been whinging here about all the Uber rides and stuff his daughter's using over there. Juliet's on my Uber account and you should see how many Uber rides I've had in Europe in the last three days. LAUGHTER

Mate, I've just... It was a different type of cafe. That central bill for me, I'm not sure what it was. LAUGHTER He was in Amsterdam and was buying some... Some South American ganja. All right, Freddie. It sounds like you got to the footy. We'll let you go. See you on the telly this hour. You and your lads have a good day.