ITM Cup final: Mooloo throwback ready to finish off the hard graft

Alex Bradley has the hard-grafting ethic of former Waikato stalwart John Mitchell. Photo / Getty Images

It was no surprise to find Alex Bradley sorting out dinner. His wife had prepared the meatloaf, he was finishing off the potato bake and vegetables.

The scene was a snapshot of his life: full, balanced, adventurous and appreciative.

A plumber by trade, Bradley has worked hard at many tasks and never given up on his love of rugby. He has grafted, raised four kids with wife Nicole, travelled and yearned to wear his Waikato provincial rugby colours.

That chance came last year, and tonight the 29-year-old will step into the ITM Cup decider against Canterbury in Christchurch.

He slipped on the provincial colours last season when Sione Lauaki was damaged, then pushed on when others like Liam Messam or Steven Stephano were hurt and away on All Black duty.

In the nicest way, Bradley is a throwback. Someone with the hard-working, hard-grafting ethics of men like Deon Muir or John Mitchell who wore the yellow, red and black colours before him.

A player without ego, but with massive dedication to his team.

"We've got one more game for the big prize," he said. "Our goal was to make the finals and now we have got to finish it off."

It will take some graft, but that is Bradley's modus operandi.

In his job he is out the door early, works a long day then mucks in with running a busy household until he slumps into a chair to watch a bit of TV.

How does he have any time for footy? "I do because I love it, I find time. Otherwise you can always find excuses.

"It also gives me a balance in life, there is no doubt about that. It matures you as a person. You have to experience life because it sorts you out." Out of school, Bradley made the Waikato development squad from his Matamata club but they were not in the premier division.

He was advised to switch to Morrinsville if he wanted to progress higher. He did, but selection remained elusive.

It was close but, when Bradley got an offer to play for the Gorey club in Wexford County in Ireland, he and his family grabbed the chance.

"We just had a ball. Again it was not rugby at the top level but the experience was great," he recalled.

Back in the Waikato, Bradley's provincial breakthrough came last season. That taste fired him even more as he soaked up the experience and advice from the coaching staff.

"Who knows what happens in the future but this is great," the 116kg Bradley said.

"Last week against Auckland we just told ourselves to keep fighting for each other right to the end, and we showed that. To win two games against them this year after the bell, you could see what that meant with all the emotion at the end."

Family, friends and a busload of supporters from the Morrinsville/Matamata district went to that Eden Park match and a number are backing up in Christchurch tonight.

Bradley and Co know that their celebrated 26-6 round-robin victory is history - they have to start again tonight if they are to give Waikato a rare third title in the championship.