Former NRL Star Brent Tate On Staying Mentally Strong After Devastating Injuries

Brent reflects on how his lifelong love of rugby league began in childhood, when his mum signed him up to channel his energy, and how the game shaped his identity, friendships, and career. He and the host explore the idea that influence is primarily about daily behaviors and setting an example, especially for children, teammates, and colleagues, rather than just words or status. Brent also speaks candidly about the pressures of professional sport, the physical toll of repeated serious injuries, and how his resilience and self-talk were tests of character he refused to fail, with support from influential mentors like Wayne Bennett, Craig Bellamy, Mick Devere, and his brother-in-law Steve Price.

Takeaways:

1. Influence is behavior, not title Influence shows up in what you consistently do—your routines, discipline, and how you treat people—more than in what you say or the position you hold. Kids, teammates, and colleagues “watch” you more than they “listen” to you.

2. Resilience is a daily test of character Brent viewed his serious injuries as tests of character he refused to fail. Through self-talk, self-motivation, and disciplined action (showing up to rehab, doing the hard work), he kept coming back, building his “willpower muscle” over time.

3. Great leadership creates belief and clarity Coaches like Wayne Bennett, Ivan Cleary, and Paul Green influenced Brent through structure, clear roles, high standards, and genuine care. Strong leaders give people confidence, clear expectations, and a standard of excellence that lifts performance and culture.

Quotes:

1. On willpower and resilience

   “Willpower, it's like they say, it's a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets.” Description: Brent sums up his philosophy on resilience here—treating willpower as something you train every day, especially through rehab and setbacks, not something you either “have” or “don’t have.”

2. On what influence really is

   “When I think about influence, it's behaviors, and people observe and watch behaviors… that's the biggest influence of all, how you act and the behaviors that you display on a daily basis.” Description: This captures the core theme of the episode: influence isn’t about titles or speeches, it’s about the small, consistent actions others see you take.

3. On discipline, standards, and culture

   “When people talk about culture, culture’s behaviors at the end of the day… if you've got good standards and good behaviors, well, you've got a great culture.” Description: Brent boils “culture” down to something practical and controllable—everyday standards and behaviors—making it highly applicable for both sports teams and organizations.

Timeline:

0:00 – Brent on injuries & self-talk Using setbacks as tests of character, daily self-talk, willpower as a muscle.

1:00 – Podcast intro & Brent’s career highlights Anton introduces the Leaders of Influence / Find Your Influence podcast and runs through Brent’s NRL, Origin, and Test career.

4:00 – How Brent fell in love with rugby league Childhood memory in Toowoomba, mum signing him up, watching Bulldogs vs Wests, and never looking back.

5:40 – Rugby league shaping character and behavior Mum threatening to take league away, behavior turnaround, how the sport set him on a better path.

6:00 – What rugby league has given (and taken) him Friendship circles, providing for family, joy of watching footy, and acknowledging the physical costs.

8:20 – Defining influence: behaviors over words Influence as daily behavior, routines, fitness, and how kids and colleagues copy what you do (“monkey see, monkey do”).

10:30 – Key influences and mentors Wayne Bennett, Craig Bellamy, Mick Devere’s professionalism, and being deliberately paired with disciplined role models.

11:50 – Family influence: Steve Price and support network Emotional reflection on his brother-in-law Steve Price, the importance of good people in your corner.

13:20 – The pressure cooker of professional sport Public scrutiny, constant pressure (e.g., Reece Walsh), and the “rope off the chest” feeling when he retired.

16:00 – The magic of the Maroons jersey What it feels like to run out for Queensland, deep emotional connection to Origin and Suncorp.

17:40 – Injuries, pain, and long-term impact Lasting knee issues, being unable to run, and the physical toll of a long NRL career.

18:20 – Comebacks, mindset, and inner drive Doctors and physios helping, but why the hard work must come from within; seeing rehab as a test of character.

20:00 – Self-influence and mental strength Daily self-talk, self-reassurance, discipline to do the work, and strengthening willpower over time.

21:00 – Stepping into leadership at the Warriors Craving a leadership role, Ivan Cleary pushing him to “find your voice,” calling out soft options.

23:20 – Leadership, confidence, and readiness Moving from being ready to lead to actually speaking up and influencing the group.

23:50 – Senior leadership and parenting as leadership Leadership groups at Warriors and Cowboys; parallels between parenting and leadership.

25:45 – Lessons from great coaches Wayne Bennett’s “better humans make better footballers,” Paul Green’s standards and excellence, and structure and routine.

27:05 – Culture = behaviors and standards Simple definition of culture: daily behavior when people walk through the door; the standards and behaviors that drive performance.

29:10 – Hard work, discomfort, and reward Discipline, early mornings, extra work, and the idea that “nothing worth getting comes easy.”

30:55 – Life after footy and corporate ambitions Enjoying the corporate world, board role at the Cowboys, Fox commentary, and wanting to keep making an impact.

32:00 – Staying connected to the game & media Why staying connected eases retirement, pros and cons of media, and rugby league as entertainment and constant storylines.

33:50 – Host’s recap of influence and leadership themes Anton summarizes Brent’s story, early influences, resilience, leadership lessons, and staying connected to the game.

37:30 – Brent’s closing motivational thoughts Willpower as a muscle, controlling what you can control, and the quotes he lives by.

38:10 – Episode close & call to action Anton’s outro: subscribe, share, and mention of the Leaders of Influence book and framework.

Conclusion:

Brent Tate’s story illustrating how influence, resilience, and discipline play out in real life—not as abstract ideas, but through daily choices. From his mum’s decision to sign him up for rugby league, to mentors like Wayne Bennett, Ivan Cleary, Paul Green, and Steve Price, Brent shows that the right people and standards around you can shape your character and career. His perspective that “willpower is like a muscle” and that culture is simply “behaviors and standards” offers a clear, practical blueprint for leaders in sport, business, and at home. Ultimately, Brent’s journey—from an injured player constantly fighting back to a corporate leader, board member, and commentator—reinforces that nothing truly worth having comes easily, and that we each have more control than we think over the person and leader we become.