Between Two Beers podcast: How Awen Guttenbeil survived horror start to career

Awen Guttenbeil joins the Between Two Beers podcast.

You may know Awen Guttenbeil as one of New Zealand’s greatest rugby league players, with 170 caps for the Warriors over a professional career that spanned 15 years.

What you might not know, is that in the first five years of his career, he spent more time under general anesthetic than he did on the field.

In this episode of the Between Two Beers podcast Guttenbeil talks about the mental toll of 60 hours under the knife at the start of his Warriors career and how he fought his way back onto the field.

He also opens up on his childhood battle with rheumatic fever and how it shaped his determined mindset.

Guttenbeil also reflects on the Warriors’ most famous on-field fights, the best end-of-year trip stories, why he didn’t fancy a career as a broadcaster what he’s learned as a dad, golf, what the next chapter looks like and much much more.

He also tells a remarkable story of the first time the Kiwis did the Haka for the Queen.

Guttenbeil is an eloquent speaker with a lifetime of important lessons to share. We asked him some ‘big picture’ questions at the end, and the impromptu, thoughtful, articulate answers blew us away.

Show notes | Episode 119 | Awen Guttenbeil

1:44: DB Bitter, Mad Monday, and 100 days without drinking

3:25: A set of six: Nicknames, Pals, Bruce the campervan, Barry White, teenage lyrics, and Mike Tyson

11:23: Growing up in Whangarei and overcoming rheumatic fever

22:37: A shift to Auckland and a run in with Sir Graham Henry

28:12: Super League v ARL: The rugby league war

36:26: More time under general anaesthetic than on the rugby league field

47:20: The Eric Watson era: physicality, win bonuses, team trips, and the Grand Final

1:03:16: The dramatic downfall of the Warriors

1:08:59: From Tonga to New Zealand and back again

1:13:10: Punditry at Sky Sport

1:16:47: A hustler’s mentality: the shift into business

1:20:10: Friday the 13th Club

1:24:00: The journey to establish Passive Fire NZ

1:31:34: Not living up to your potential

1:34:22: Reflections on marriage

1:36:30: Thoughts on fatherhood

1:39:44: Favourite failure

1:41:33: A stint with the Point Chev Pirates

1:45:18: A haka for the Queen at Buckingham Palace

1:49:49: Golf chat

1:51:55: Last words from Steve, Seamus, and Awen

Between Two Beers is part of the Alternative Commentary Collective - NZ’s Home for Sports Entertainment. Check out more podcasts, events, details on live commentaries and sports watch alongs here.