This article originally appeared in Tah Time, the Waratahs official match day programme. 

By Mark Cashman

Jed Holloway seems to have been around forever but at 24 he feels he is only just maturing into the footy players he wants to be. 

TAH TIME: The win over the Queensland Reds wasn’t a thing of beauty but it was important for the team at this stage of the season?

JED HOLLOWAY: To grind out that win was something that you could take a lot of positives from I suppose. But still we dropped a lot of ball, made a lot of mistakes and our set piece wasn’t where it needs to be. But we were lucky enough to get a few things go our way at the end and you never say no to that sort of fortune.

TT: The scrum got knocked around a bit early but came back into the game at Suncorp Stadium as it wore on. Tell us about the effort that is going into that away from game day?

JH: We’ve talked about this a lot and it’s not a technical thing that is letting us down. Guys are really good scrummagers but it just seems that when we become fatigued as a pack we’re just lacking that edge. You’ve probably seen it at different stages of games but we need to become a lot more consistent with the delivery of that. It’s not just the front rowers, it’s the entire eight.

TT: The penalty count right across the park is probably not acceptable at the moment?

JH: Definitely not. ‘Hoops’ (Michael Hooper) has a lot of pride about the discipline in the team and he as our captain has high expectations in that area. We have to be better because if you come up against a side that kicks their goals you can be 12 points behind in a short period of time and be chasing the game for the rest of the match. In some ways being a little bit too eager in different situations has hurt us and we need to temper that to stop leaking the penalties.

TT: I got the feeling that there were times in that game against the Reds that the team was pretty close to clicking and rattling up a score – that can be exciting and frustrating at the same time?

JH: Yeah it is. Against the Reds I got held up over the line when I scored and then after that there were a couple of times if a pass had gone to hand we were over and the game is a lot safer. Our shape we feel is not that far away from clicking and the coaches are recognising that in our weekly reviews of games. We’re close but we need to keep working away at that and let everything flow.

TT: Are you starting to feel a bit more comfortable about playing the game at this level?

JH: You know all those years that I was at the Tahs (up until 2016 he had played four games in three season) without playing I still had the belief that I would break through and step up at some stage. But there were times when the self-doubt did creep into my thoughts. It takes some time for you to mature as a Rugby player and a person and at stages I wasn’t the person that I needed to be. I was a bit complacent in what I was doing I suppose but I’m at the stage now that I know what sort of person that I want to be and the footy player in me is following that lead. I’m showing Daryl (Gibson) what sort of Rugby player I want to be and I’m confident about putting that into action on the field.

TT: Was there ever any thought about this Rugby thing ever coming together?

JH: You have your dark days that’s for sure. Those sort of questions constantly rattle through your head but you’ve got to be hard mentally and you’ve got to put all that sort of stuff and believes that it is possible. That’s starting to happen for me now but the pressure is always there to improve. The support from the coaches is there and I am sure that if they see any sort of slippage from me they will be right on to it.

TT: Wycliff Palu’s been ever present in your time at the Tahs – what sort of influence has he been on what you are doing now?

JH: Cliff’s a guy who I have tremendous respect for and he was always my favourite player growing up. He’s not that big on the chat but when he came back at the start of this year (from Japan) he just had the right sort of words of encouragement and that has been special for me. Anything he says I take on board and run with it and whether he’s starting or me I just know that we have the ability to get the job done.

TT: Southern Districts have been an important part of what you have done in recent years. What role have they played in making you the Rugby player you are today?

JH: Southern Districts have been huge for not only me but also my family. When I came down from Yamba after school to play Rugby they helped my family find a house and help me transition from colts through to grade. Guys like Cam Blades and John Aloungi knocked a lot of the brash edges off me and made me appreciate the joy of footy when things weren’t going my way in the early years at the Tahs. Seeing guys turn up for fourth grade and get such enjoyment and comradeship out of a game make me realise how blessed I am to be doing what I am doing. There’s a good hard working culture down there but when it’s time to have a good time that’s exactly what happens.

TT: And the leadership role with the Greater Sydney Rams in the NRC?

JH: That was an enjoyable challenge. I’m not a big talker out there on the field and I can remember talking to Brian Melrose (Rams coach in 2014) and saying the best way for me to lead this team is to play well. He was happy with that and it seemed to work quite well.

TT: Tonight’s charity partner the Starlight Foundation has a special part in your life. Tell us about that?

JH: My cousin Liam was diagnosed with leukemia when he was nine and he battled it right through until he was 21. The Starlight Foundation was huge around Liam and his family through that time. Hanging around hospitals is never easy and they just brought a bit of light and fun into their lives. Liam was an ambassador at the Sydney Olympics and they also paid for a holiday for his family in Sydney. I recognized that and I put my hand up to help whenever I can whatever that might be. I can’t help out as much as I want to but I like them to know that I’m here to help. I don’t know much about the pain some of these kids have to go through but it’s great to see the smiles on their faces when you came in to visit them.