College football is awesome.

@kingfisher7960

Жыл бұрын

Metallica is cooler....

@michals2351

Жыл бұрын

It is for sheeps.

@lassederboss

Жыл бұрын

bread and games so you don't complain about your fascist imperialist apartheid society

@perrycoffey5410

Жыл бұрын

@@michals2351 exactly it's for braindead humans bread and circus you will own nothing and be happy Klaus schwab

@kenhernandez8928

Жыл бұрын

No it isn't. It's boring and unattractive to watch.

As a non American it absolutely blows mind that college sports can be so huge and have stadiums and attendance any professional sport would envy

@Bxconnect

Жыл бұрын

Another form of modern day american slavery.

@Leeper87

Жыл бұрын

This

@sixupsprite5501

Жыл бұрын

Being a sports fan is like smoking cigarettes... They try to get you when you're young because if they don't you'll be in your 20s thinking it's a huge waste of time and money.

@johnblacksmith9505

Жыл бұрын

There a nationalist state. They are all owned and controlled like the little sheep that they are, of course they will turn up in their droves

@B_COOPER

Жыл бұрын

There’s nothing about American stadiums you should envy

Respect to the guys that built that stadium to handle all that jumping.

@swhmetta

Жыл бұрын

Same with University of Wisconsin - 3rd Quarter - House of Pain's Jump Around. It's nuts there!

@cane870

Жыл бұрын

Every stadium can handle that

@Glenhh

Жыл бұрын

@@cane870 Great. Then why are you not thanking them as well?

@larrylindsey1497

Жыл бұрын

@@cane870 Hope they didn't use counterfeit bolts.

@garrytrotter6620

Жыл бұрын

I was thinking the same haha, if thats a 90000 crowd, thats like 7000 tonne of people jumping

no matter the reason, a crowd singing enter the sandman always gives me chills

@JamminClemmons

2 ай бұрын

**The Fall of the West!** Biblically, it was written, "The fall of the western empire will be due to religion." In 2024; "The fall of the west will be caused by sports." - Idiots praising men in tights. Ignoring my-grants who're invading.

@bolatluver29

2 ай бұрын

I liked that they continued the song at the end when the music stopped

@vict4451

2 ай бұрын

​@@bolatluver29like being at one of Metallica's live shows🤘

Former VT student here.. this will never not give me chills! VT football please make a comeback! Fanbase will always be there

Va Tech fan base deserves a better football team.

@ADiaz-ig1re

Жыл бұрын

Such a great entrance and great environment, and an awful Football team. Sad. Gonna be a long time to see a 10 win season again if ever!

@justintime5930

Жыл бұрын

The football team deserves better fans than you. Horrible attitude.

@tthomas4130

Жыл бұрын

@@justintime5930 they packed the stadium and provided a tough environment. They're supposed to have bad attitudes, lol.

@ADiaz-ig1re

Жыл бұрын

@@justintime5930 Will be a homie fan till the day I die but let’s be honest. What Beamer built what they where. We fans do deserve better

@ADiaz-ig1re

Жыл бұрын

Hokie

There's nothing like an energetic crowd singing in unison.

@tonywhitby8602

3 ай бұрын

Queen. Live Aid, 1985. All we hear is, radio ga ga.

@Ahmed-uq2yo

Ай бұрын

I went to conner vs khabib in Vegas and holly shit. When they were all doing the “olaay olaaaay” chant it was insane. Will never forget the energy

Fkn straight up respect from Australia 🇦🇺! That shit would hype me tf up.

I ain’t no Virginia tech fan but man that gives me chills down my spine listening to the crowd sing along with it throughout the whole video especially the end when they cut the song off so the whole crowd can sing the rest

The boost this stuff gives you as a player is absolutely incredible. Shoot, in high school alone, just sitting in the weight room blasting five finger death punch with the boys before a game was enough to make us feel like we're about to rip heads off. I can't imagine what it feels at this scale, crazy.

@Xumal

Жыл бұрын

stuff like that adds a touchdown i swear

@sprayer97

Жыл бұрын

People that say shoot clearly never intended to hurt anyone ever ... let alone rip a head off

@NetherAngelGaming

Жыл бұрын

@@sprayer97 "Don't confuse my silence for weakness" It's the ones not posturing you need to worry about, I don't need to use bad language for people to know. The loud ones are the ones I laugh at because of their lack of control.

@Sean-zr7vs

Жыл бұрын

5 Finger Death Punch for next year's SuperBowl let's get it trending.

@adderon7476

Жыл бұрын

The Stooges or Alice Cooper for next super bowl Lions 2024

That was amazing. Mad respect for VT that's how you hype a whole stadium.

@longshot7601

Жыл бұрын

It's a pity that it was all downhill from there with the Mountaineers winning 33-10.

@CohnmanTheBudbarian

Жыл бұрын

@@longshot7601 🤣🤣

@markusthedrummer8143

10 ай бұрын

Mad respect for Metallica too

I grew up in Blacksburg and get to experience this shaking the ground through the whole town every season. It genuinely is NUTS. If you dont know this song as an incoming student, it doesnt take long. Its not just football either. its soccer, basketball, baseball. its an awesome tradition.

It is so chiliing to listen to the crowd singing and chanting "Exit light!" together. Fabulous.

All the dads must’ve had a great experience watching their son/in-law listening to one of the most bad ass songs

@ethanreed8400

Жыл бұрын

@Repent and believe in Jesus Christ ok

@moe8531

Жыл бұрын

No

@davidflavin

Жыл бұрын

So true! About the Dads.

@tompriceusmc

Жыл бұрын

@@webdev217 There always has to be some religious nut job trying to sell his silly cult off the back of popular comments.

@carsonkelly2123

Жыл бұрын

Wish they’d play the music at Super Bowl!!! I’m sick of what they’ve been playing.

I used to have VT season tickets and was there the first time they played Enter Sandman. We were a little surprised and unsure what to do. The student section started jumping and the rest of us sort of followed. In the years since, it has gotten to be one of the the most awe inspiring spectacles I've ever seen. When that guitar riff starts it's electric. I was a middle-aged man in the crowd and I was ready to rip heads off. I can only imagine how it feels for a teen-aged athlete on the field

@DSTsucks

8 ай бұрын

Good story, if it was true. Nobody was jumping until 2001, the second year of playing Enter Sandman. A VT band member started jumping because they were cold, and the rest of the place followed. A tradition was born. But it wasn't born the first time they played Enter Sandman.

@lynnea1957

7 ай бұрын

@@DSTsucks I do not see where he said the year it was.

@TeslaSpaceXX

7 ай бұрын

Only thing that can top that is a soccer match in Europe Italy, Greece, Spain, nothing like it. But yes for College Soorts VT entrance is epic!

@billblaski9523

6 ай бұрын

​@lynnea1957 but he said the first they played Sandman they were jumping. Other person is saying that's not true

@paulmallon9033

4 ай бұрын

I wonder if they would ever get the actual Metallica to play this at a game

From the UK and can honestly say this is just next level off the scale goosebumps - now that’s camaraderie right there forever !!

@apubakeralpuffdaddy392

2 ай бұрын

You guys got 'You'll never walk alone'.

@cousy65nc61

Ай бұрын

Camaraderie ?? Weren’t he the Italian boy ??? Triggers finest

@adnylang

28 күн бұрын

@@cousy65nc61 now that’s brilliant !!

@adnylang

28 күн бұрын

@@apubakeralpuffdaddy392 yep now that can give goosebumps too

@apubakeralpuffdaddy392

27 күн бұрын

@@adnylang May 25 2005. Ataturk Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey.

As a Mountaineer, easily a top 3 entrance in college football. Tell me again why this rivalry isn’t played more? Thanks for having us this last season BTW. Hail WV!

@ReviveAmericanism

11 ай бұрын

Same, epic rivalry, always fun

@OceanicPearlz1

7 ай бұрын

Ayeee same here go eers💛💙

@michaelwebber968

4 ай бұрын

The the smile on her face ,muskets held high

@CorePathway

2 ай бұрын

Top 3? If there are 2 more half as good I wanna see them.

As a Swede its insane how big collage football is. Would love to go see one!

@pconrz

Жыл бұрын

As an American I would love to see a Swede college girl. It’s insane how big they get.

@amaze_z1953

Жыл бұрын

@@pconrz 🤨

@pconrz

Жыл бұрын

@@amaze_z1953 😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣

@johncarlson5636

Жыл бұрын

At LSU they cause earthquakes with the cheering, college football gets pretty crazy

@mattperciful8970

Жыл бұрын

@@johncarlson5636 yep, I mean when Garth is there singing Callin Baton Rouge, you gotta kinda expect the earthquake

Respect to the fans for showing up and out for their team

@AllCanucks

Жыл бұрын

Thanks

@Shiny101

4 ай бұрын

​@@AllCanucksAll to lose 33-10 to WVU

Hands down the greatest intro to any sporting event

@giovannicoppola1738

5 ай бұрын

Look europe or argentine

@orangecobraEU

5 ай бұрын

Just look at france bringing world cup to paris😅 more than 200k poeples was on the streets in paris that day.

@JasonRyanWilson410

3 ай бұрын

A town of 45k in Virginia being compared to countries and continents. I love it!

@orangecobraEU

3 ай бұрын

@@JasonRyanWilson410 we mean about an intro not a stadium. A thing you will never do is driving a bus with players and the trophy throw the town with your fans🤭 watch for: paris world cup 2018 parade France won world cup 2018 in soccer/football and drive in paris

@twk281

Ай бұрын

@@orangecobraEU watch cavaliers parade in cleveland 2016....

That’s why I love US NCAA.The passion for these major sports is real.I love basketball but also following American Football and Baseball.. and I am glad we are doing the same here in the Philippines.. not as grand as that the love for college sport is real.

I'm feeling it! I am not a football fan, I am not even American ... but I am feeling it!

This was our pregame locker room pump up song back in 94` during high school. Glad to know that the taste hasn`t changed.

@ImThe5thKing

Жыл бұрын

I graduated HS in 2017 and our locker room song was For Whom The Bell Tolls, I promise it's not going anywhere yet

This has to be a scary level of adrenaline dump man. I can’t even imagine how pumped up you must get coming out to something like this. There’s nothing quite like it in any sport let alone college football

Le sport universitaire américain c'est incroyable. Nous n'avons malheureusement pas cela en France.

for a European, to see 60 or 70,000 people for a university match is another dimension for having participated in college matches in France, there was no one except the substitutes and the leaders of the teams

@CorePathway

17 күн бұрын

The US has 8 college football teams with 100,000+ seats. Bigger than any pro stadium over here. 😂

@chabirandjeanmarc7032

17 күн бұрын

@@CorePathway ok it's insane

My wife and started going on an annual football trip and this game was one of our stops last year! It is a football bucket list experience for sure! VT/WVU for this on a Thursday then that Saturday we were at Neyland Stadium for the Tennessee/Florida game! Both places have an electric atmosphere! Later last year we were in Fayetteville for Arkansas/LSU.This year we will be at the white out game for Penn St/Iowa followed by another trip south for Arkansas/Auburn! Love college football!

I’m Ukrainian . And it’s amazing when college league better than many professional soccer leagues. USA great country 👍 btw love American football great game👍

I'm in Thailand, and I love College Football, but this just takes it to the next level...what I would give to be at a game like this.

@efaciler2462

10 ай бұрын

Bang cock ay bang cock

@lynnea1957

7 ай бұрын

SAME!

@rickterry8991

4 ай бұрын

Make it happen

@chrisatkins7959

4 ай бұрын

Just imagine if America put this enthusiasm into actually learning instead of sports. I’m American and will not support any sports.

@jordanturner5278

4 ай бұрын

You sound fun​@@chrisatkins7959

The only highlights of Virginia Tech football these days.I remember being a respected football program in the 1990s and 2000s

@tmurph247

Жыл бұрын

I feel you WVU was as well... oh how the mighty have fallen.

@bojan7506

Жыл бұрын

as a Hurricanes fan, i totally agree. we were so dominant

@DamianBadalamenti

Жыл бұрын

Pre SEC killing NCAA football

@pbenga

Жыл бұрын

The Michael Vick era was incredible (1999-2000)

That’s definitely been added to my bucket list. If watching a video on a phone screen can give you goosebumps I can only imagine what it’s like in real life

having attended both NFL and NCAAF games, college games hands down are the best to be at.

I love how good that song is that NO ONE attending that school was even close to being born when that record came out and it still BANGS!!!!

@JD-pi1xu

3 ай бұрын

It's the worst Metallica song ever.

@siedod1

3 ай бұрын

​​@@JD-pi1xushut up mo ron

The most electrifying feeling in all of sports. Adrenaline filling the atmosphere!

@jesusangelpuentefernandez9255

11 ай бұрын

Yes, sure...Just check San Lorenzo fans and then come back and write me

@christopherh4653

10 ай бұрын

@@jesusangelpuentefernandez9255 No one knows (or cares) who or where that is.

@cymen1

7 ай бұрын

In Europa the 2nd Germany league had a louder crowd. You haven't seen much of the world did you?

@BrisbaneBroncosfan67

5 ай бұрын

@@christopherh4653more people know that then people know NCAA.

@Shmancyfancy536

4 ай бұрын

​@@cymen1 Doubt you’ve been off your continent.

Mis respetos!!! En Argentina algo similar hacemos en Córdoba IACC , en cada partido celebramos el nacimiento de nuestro club en el minuto 19 del 2do tiempo que fue en 1918

I'm admiring the stands engineering that withstood all the jumping from the crowd. Way to go. Great video!

nothing is better than sitting in that crowd the energy is like no other i get chills remembering when i was seven and went to my first game in lane stadium seeing this makes me miss home a hell of alot. GO HOKIES!!!

I'm not American but I always hear college football is bigger then the NFL in the USA and now I understand!!!!! This is AWESOME!!!!!

@shay5839

Жыл бұрын

Yes! I don’t watch the NFL but love college football! Go Dawgs! 🥳

@slickvik4508

Жыл бұрын

its not bigger but it gets better crowds

@ht82smash42

Жыл бұрын

Maybe not bigger but WAY more exciting

@mga74

3 ай бұрын

It's also crazy if you like hockey - then you realize there are universitiy teams / legaue in US and Canada with stadiums/arenas of 10-12 tsd. peeps capacity which are "always" full ... in Austria where i live and hockey is a bit present there is no bigger stadium than 5-6 tsd. capacity ... 😀

Absolutely love it. Much love from Fife, Scotland 😎. What epic energy 😍

This gets me every time. The fans jumping, then the band, then the team, climaxing with their entrance. So much energy. It's beautiful.

A Turk here, as a Beşiktaş fan I believe our fans are unique for supporting their team, meanwhile I deeply respect BVB Dortmund, OM Marseilles and Liverpool fans. But honestly this is something PEERLESS! Oh God. I really envy that atmosphere.

@foxycinquantuno3361

Жыл бұрын

Maybe you guys need more Metallica!

This is the American dream incarnate. In certain points of time when the sport, music, and community of our culture conglomerates and bursts in a solidarity of celebration, America simply becomes one massive party.

I can’t even begin to imagine the energy in that stadium at that moment. I bet it was epic.

I’m not a football fan, but that gave me goosebumps, absolutely incredible fans!

Even here in Germany I can feel this energy!

Va Tech found a new fan today. Cheers from Germany!

Wow. This is amazing!!! I have no knowledge about this sport but that was one hell of a pre game hype session.

Damn ..this was intense...God Bless America...Luv from Canada!!!!

As a Badger fan having enjoyed Jump Around for years... this is phenomenal!

Funny that this song is older than pretty much majority of the crowd and players, however, music knows no age when it comes to presentation 💯👍

How fun VT! Young people deserve to have this fun like we did so many years ago. I feel warm and alive to watch this.

Awesome experience being there live. All night games in Lane Stadium are pretty much like this regardless of VT's opponent. Go Hokies!!

that extrance is way better then 98% of most professional football teams ... and this is a university team incredible how big it is in US

If you're ever angry at the us, remember that no one else in the world could you have a spectacle like this for kids playing sports. Nowhere is perfect. But be grateful for experiencing stuff like this. This is awesome

@mrcrowley109

Жыл бұрын

Canada with hockey is about the same, to be fair, lol

@ImYourHuckleberry205

Жыл бұрын

@@mrcrowley109 Not with 90,000 fans in the seats

@kevinmoore9635

10 ай бұрын

Men*

I love it because that music was a classic relic even a decade before they were born

American Energy for life is Beautiful to watch! Great Human beings with the ability to think and act Large!! Thank you USA

As a Brit. I’m in awe of the support for American football 🏈

@Sagosmurfen

Жыл бұрын

For sure! Especially since it's such a shit sport... xD

@bennoakes2477

10 ай бұрын

it's either or basketball or baseball, so all just horrendously shit sports for dull ppl. Naturally the US embrace these.

@cockandballtortureisfun1897

8 ай бұрын

@@Sagosmurfenalright mr disc golf😂😂😂you’d get killed on the football field by some high schoolers. Let alone college or pros

@Sagosmurfen

8 ай бұрын

@@cockandballtortureisfun1897 yes I would! It’s still a garbage sport :)

@cockandballtortureisfun1897

8 ай бұрын

@@Sagosmurfen everyone has their own opinion ig lol🤷🏽‍♂️

As UofA fan i can honestly say this is dope asf energy there must've been out the fkn roof 🤣💯🔥

God damn that would be an incredible experince!! You lot love your college American football! Very good indeed 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻🏈🏈🏈🏈

This is the first time, I actually enjoyed watching american fans 👍🏻 Greets from Germany 👋🏻

From S.A my niece is at VT, I have seen videos before and it blows my mind how passionate these games are!

From a Sooner fan, THIS is my favorite entrance of all time. OU fans will never be this loud. Ever. And I love how steep VT’s stadium is designed

I am a British Raiders fan….Loving this.

Entered to “Enter Sandman” and exited to Country Roads.

Mean entrance amazing here in new Zealand in the final of college we ran out to thunderstruck by acdc gives you so much energy the first 5 minutes was brutal

as a michigan fan, this is the best intro in college sports

Just wow. I've seen a couple of these vids, and attending a Virginia Tech home game is definitely a bucket list item. Nothing beats College football for atmosphere, and I don't think anything in college football beats the VT entry.

@vicentegutierrez2203

8 ай бұрын

I was at this game. It is quite the experience for sure. Go Hokies

@carlcapossere4903

7 ай бұрын

I saw video a few years back and went. Worth every cent. And now, I’m a VaTech fan.

@vincenta1382

5 ай бұрын

Me too, I’m French but I love college football and I got to see Michigan and Notre Dame home games, incredible atmospheres, but this song and this entrance is the coolest thing I have ever seen still. Gotta go to VTech and Penn State’s whiteout next year.

@milomaster1959

5 ай бұрын

@@vincenta1382 haha guess we're both coming to this video so late

It always amazes me that US college football is larger than some other countries national sports, I played in the Final of my high school soccer match and there was maybe 50 people lol

I also really get pumped up for the start of the football game when they play 'Welcome to the Jungle'. I've heard that song a thousand times (like this one) and it never gets old - Sarcasm

Imagine if you could stick penn state and VT in the same stadium and bring both atmospheres to their fullest potential. That would be amazing

@iamawesome889

8 ай бұрын

2024 NCAA Make it happen Penn State vs Virginia Tech Lane Stadium National Television game on Saturday night

Being from Belgium 🇧🇪 i must say this ... Woooow! 💪

The crowds at these collage football games blow my mind! Here in the uk, most Premier League soccer teams couldn’t fill that stadium! I’m a photographer and once covered the finals of the UK collage basket ball championship. Apart from some family and friends there was no one there! The standard was pretty good and they were great games, such a pity no one saw them.

@Scalvoo

Жыл бұрын

Ok but do you really want to compare the atmosphere and the enviroment of Premier league crowds with US College ones??

@Yosser70

Жыл бұрын

@@Scalvoo I can’t because I’ve never been to a collage game in America unfortunately. I’ve been to many premiere league games as a photographer and it varies wildly.

@lam8138

Жыл бұрын

@@Scalvoo pretty even tbh. Premier league wipes the floor w US pro sports though

@krashd

Жыл бұрын

@@Yosser70 As a photographer you of all people should know the difference between the words college and collage.

Ich bin kein Football-Fan aber das ist mein neues Motivationsvideo. Einfach geil, Gänsehaut pur.

This is in my top 5 of college traditions to see in person

This is beautiful to watch, man. Electric atmosphere. Can I get a Va Tech fan to confirm that the games have been this well attended and that the fans are all in their seats when the team takes the field all season long? I’m trying to see something. - Signed, A Louisville fan

@jackthomas9478

Жыл бұрын

Current student, can confirm that while WVU was definitely the peak, every game (mostly noon or 3pm kickoff) has been a full house. Highest attendance percentage-wise in the ACC if I remember correctly..

@TacoKing97

Жыл бұрын

The games have been well attended this whole season. I had season tickets and this game was so loud. Lost my voice by the end of the first quarter.

@XRay101

Жыл бұрын

While the games have been well attended, a lot of hokies had difficulties staying for the entirety of the games this season. (A hokie who went to nearly every home game)

@mister_bailey

Жыл бұрын

Appreciate the perspective you guys! Can’t wait to make my first trip to Lane. Hope you all can make the game here in Louisville this coming season. We don’t play each other enough.

@TGK02

Жыл бұрын

I was raised as a Hokie (both parents went and my older and younger brother go there) and I can confirm my siblings, friends, and myself lose our shit. I mean we go absolutely ballistic. Shirts off waving it around like jackasses losing our vocal chords in the process kind of losing our shit. We might be more hyped than the team. We just need to be good at football again…

I flew down from Alberta Canda to watch this, it was amazing

What a memory for those being there. Holy hell. Amazing.

Just jaw-dropping!!!! The atmosphere is INSANE!!! The crowd and Metallica can be proud!!!

This has got to be the best build up song alive

When James Hetfield, and Lars Ulrich got together, and started playig for the first time, they never would have imagined the influence they would have on the entire world for decades to come.

In Canada we never come close to anything like this. I can feel this now

If you don't want to fight a Sasquatch after this entrance you are DEFINITELY DEAD

1:30 went pretty hard ngl

That is how you get the crowd into the game. AWESOME

Listen to this first thing getting up this morning..!!!...Put me in a Great Mood...!!!!

This is what great music and great crowds/ fans are all about!!!

I have goosebumps sitting on the couch, imagine being there!

I know very little about Football but that whole vibe atmosphere and support is next to none 🙌🏾🙌🏾

this is awesome...look at the people, both teams and the troops!

Auburn fan here, this is absolutely beautiful. Great fan base.

Just incredible vibe! The U.S.A. know how to turn it on like nobody else!

@KingElmo83

Жыл бұрын

😂 never seen European or South American football (soccer) fans ? Even some European basketball fans are better

@japsley6172

Жыл бұрын

@@KingElmo83 yes I have. The effort of the band, the energy being channeled to the team, the sheer joy of the crowd is something to behold here!

@KingElmo83

Жыл бұрын

@@japsley6172 did they win?

@japsley6172

Жыл бұрын

@@KingElmo83 I don’t know!

As a WVU fan, I love VT's entrance!

@NealBrownsFavoriteNaysayer

9 ай бұрын

I loved the part where we won 33-10

Proof that people can get along...epic stuff... goosebumps man

Okay I gotta admit that was an awesome entrance plus singing the lyrics to Enter Sandman was amazing...JP

After 4 decades this song is still the bomb! Nobody makes music no more like the 80s!😢

@nielsdegroot9138

Жыл бұрын

Enter Sandman was released in 1991...

@JSauer21

Жыл бұрын

Music's better these days, just don't listen to the radio. Metallica also still makes pretty good music

@WeSRT4

Жыл бұрын

@@JSauer21 That is definitely your opinion. The music industry is a shell of its former self.

@JSauer21

Жыл бұрын

@@WeSRT4 That's what I'm getting at. The major labels are worse than ever, but these days music is more accessible than ever and major record labels aren't as necessary. There's tons of independent artists and small labels. The sheer amount of music and in result diversity is greater than ever, anyone can find anything they like or are looking for. You just have to be willing to go out of your way to find it instead of expecting major labels to get their act together and do it for you. Regardless of what anyone listens to they can find new music in that style in the current climate, so it's not really opinion based no

@JSauer21

Жыл бұрын

@@WeSRT4 But my actual opinion is metal got a hell of a lot of better and more badass after the 80's haha

WOW......that was killer! Would love to experience this!

absolutely crazyyyy! electric atmosphere, insannee! chills downs the spine everytime

Every team should be so hyped entering the field. I love this

As a Hogs fan, this is why college football is infinitely better than Professional. Stay up Hokies. #WPS

Man I envy this, I’d have loved to experience this in my amateur rugby league career.