Latest news with #BudgySmuggler
The Age
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Big Papa: A mullet, his face on a pair of Speedos, and above all, an entertainer
That immortal 2020 chase earned both of them commemoration in a pair of Budgy Smuggler speedos, and still sees Fogarty, with good humour, stopped in the street as the 'the guy who Josh Papalii ankle-tapped'. A year earlier, he gave us 'Air Papa' - a social media shot Papalii cooked up with Canberra's digital department when he realised he hadn't given New Balance any love in a while, 'and I couldn't just give them a shit photo of me or shoes or something.' Raiders teammates, privy to Papalii's training exploits, have long marvelled at his ability to kick long-range field goals from both feet, then soar where no front-rower should, all while lagging at the back of fitness drills. Even the off-field indiscretions Papalii spoke of this week are beyond the rugby league norm. Really, who throws a bottle of moisturiser in a fit of road rage? Who gets mugged on their very first night on tour with the Kangaroos? Papalii's famed 2013 backflip on then-Parramatta coach Ricky Stuart to stay in Canberra saw Sticky deliver the bluntest 'f— off' to Don Furner - his best mate, but still rival CEO - when the news was relayed. Furner was just glad Stuart didn't take a swing with the putter he was holding at the time. The combative ex-halfback ended up back at his hometown club and coaching Papalii within months in any case. The first day Stuart walked back through the Raiders doors, he turned to Furner and told him 'Geez, I'm glad Papa flipped on that contract'. Coach and front-rower have shared the tightest of bonds since, with a few sprays just to keep things interesting. Above the iconic haircut, highlights, stories and social media though, is one hell of a player. Only a handful of props have played 300 or more games in rugby league's engine room. Papalii is the most explosive of them - his match-winning, 2019 preliminary final try against Souths will live forever in the lime green annals, the most timely of so many close-range efforts where he stepped and shimmied with the skill and pace of a smaller man. Papalii has long joked that he can't read or write. He can. He can also analyse a game like few players Canberra's coaches have seen - because he will watch each match he plays three or four times, committing to memory the most minute details and then building improvements into his game. Through 23 Origins for Queensland, Papalii's impact among the game's elite forwards meant you could never look away. Loading His role as a leader - softly spoken, as always - in Samoa's rise on the international scene endures just as profoundly. Fittingly too, given his family - that central tenet of Polynesian culture - is the only thing that matters to him more than Canberra. At 33 and most likely in his last season for the Raiders, Papalii's cameos from Stuart's bench simply boil the fun of a 319-game career down into 30-odd minutes each week.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Big Papa: A mullet, his face on a pair of Speedos, and above all, an entertainer
That immortal 2020 chase earned both of them commemoration in a pair of Budgy Smuggler speedos, and still sees Fogarty, with good humour, stopped in the street as the 'the guy who Josh Papalii ankle-tapped'. A year earlier, he gave us 'Air Papa' - a social media shot Papalii cooked up with Canberra's digital department when he realised he hadn't given New Balance any love in a while, 'and I couldn't just give them a shit photo of me or shoes or something.' Raiders teammates, privy to Papalii's training exploits, have long marvelled at his ability to kick long-range field goals from both feet, then soar where no front-rower should, all while lagging at the back of fitness drills. Even the off-field indiscretions Papalii spoke of this week are beyond the rugby league norm. Really, who throws a bottle of moisturiser in a fit of road rage? Who gets mugged on their very first night on tour with the Kangaroos? Papalii's famed 2013 backflip on then-Parramatta coach Ricky Stuart to stay in Canberra saw Sticky deliver the bluntest 'f— off' to Don Furner - his best mate, but still rival CEO - when the news was relayed. Furner was just glad Stuart didn't take a swing with the putter he was holding at the time. The combative ex-halfback ended up back at his hometown club and coaching Papalii within months in any case. The first day Stuart walked back through the Raiders doors, he turned to Furner and told him 'Geez, I'm glad Papa flipped on that contract'. Coach and front-rower have shared the tightest of bonds since, with a few sprays just to keep things interesting. Above the iconic haircut, highlights, stories and social media though, is one hell of a player. Only a handful of props have played 300 or more games in rugby league's engine room. Papalii is the most explosive of them - his match-winning, 2019 preliminary final try against Souths will live forever in the lime green annals, the most timely of so many close-range efforts where he stepped and shimmied with the skill and pace of a smaller man. Papalii has long joked that he can't read or write. He can. He can also analyse a game like few players Canberra's coaches have seen - because he will watch each match he plays three or four times, committing to memory the most minute details and then building improvements into his game. Through 23 Origins for Queensland, Papalii's impact among the game's elite forwards meant you could never look away. Loading His role as a leader - softly spoken, as always - in Samoa's rise on the international scene endures just as profoundly. Fittingly too, given his family - that central tenet of Polynesian culture - is the only thing that matters to him more than Canberra. At 33 and most likely in his last season for the Raiders, Papalii's cameos from Stuart's bench simply boil the fun of a 319-game career down into 30-odd minutes each week.
Gulf Today
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Australians sizzle on election day with 'democracy sausages' and 'budgy smugglers'
Australians fired up barbecues and wore tight-fit swim trunks called "budgy smugglers" to voting centres as they welcomed election day on Saturday with some unique and quirky traditions. Voters across the country grabbed a "democracy sausage", which is sausages, burgers or other barbecued meat sold by volunteers at polling booths, as they turned out to cast their ballots. This Australian election day ritual was a talking point on social media as voters posted pictures and videos with their snack in hand under the #democracysausage. "You do your democratic duty, you get a snack while you wait, and you also raise a bit of money for charity," said Nick Fabbri, a voter in the Bondi area of Sydney, adding that money from the sales would go to the local surf club. Sue, who moved to Australia from Wisconsin in the United States in 2019, said that although early voting was available she decided to vote on election day to get the full experience. "People said vote early but we wanted to come and get a democracy sausage,' said Sue, who did not give her full name. She was voting at the Bourke Street Public School in Sydney. Democracy cupcake By afternoon the sausages were running out as more voters tried to get a quick snack. "The perfect democracy sausage is one that's available," said Andy H, a voter in Melbourne. "I missed out today but my daughter got a democracy cupcake – does that count?" Meanwhile, at polling booths near Australia's famed beaches, including Bondi, some swimmers cast their ballots after a dip wearing brief-style swimming trunks locally called "budgy smugglers". An Australian swim wear brand called Budgy Smuggler ran a campaign offering a free pair to the first 200 people who voted in smugglers. "It's a very Australian thing," said Fabbri. "It's a little bit revealing and may be confronting for some of your viewers. But a lot people here come out of the water and come and vote. I think it's a nice statement of Australian democracy." Voting began on Saturday in Australia's national election that polls show will likely favour Labour Prime Minister Anthony Albanese over conservative challenger Peter Dutton, with voter appetite for change dampened by worries over US tariffs and global economic uncertainty. Reuters
AsiaOne
03-05-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
Australians sizzle on election day with 'democracy sausage' and 'budgy smugglers', World News
SYDNEY - Australians fired up barbecues and wore tight-fit swim trunks called "budgy smugglers" to voting centres as they welcomed election day on Saturday (May 3) with some unique and quirky traditions. Voters across the country grabbed a "democracy sausage", which is sausages, burgers or other barbecued meat sold by volunteers at polling booths, as they turned out to cast their ballots. This Australian election day ritual was a talking point on social media as voters posted pictures and videos with their snack in hand under the #democracysausage. "Voted and did my civic duty of buying a #democracysausage," one voter said on social media platform X. Meanwhile, at polling booths near Australia's famed beaches, including Bondi beach in Sydney, some swimmers cast their ballots after a dip wearing brief-style swimming trunks locally called "budgy smugglers". An Australian swim wear brand called Budgy Smuggler ran a campaign offering a free pair to the first 200 people who voted in smugglers. Voting began on Saturday in Australia's national election that polls show will likely favour Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese over conservative challenger Peter Dutton, with voter appetite for change dampened by worries over US tariffs and global economic uncertainty. [[nid:717623]]
Straits Times
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Australians sizzle on election day with ‘democracy sausage' and ‘budgy smugglers'
A voter puts ketchup on a so-called "democracy sausage" on the day of the Australian federal election in Sydney, Australia, on May 3. PHOTO: REUTERS Australians sizzle on election day with 'democracy sausage' and 'budgy smugglers' SYDNEY - Australians fired up barbecues and wore tight-fit swim trunks called 'budgy smugglers' to voting centres as they welcomed election day on May 3 with some unique and quirky traditions. Voters across the country grabbed a 'democracy sausage', which is sausages, burgers or other barbecued meat sold by volunteers at polling booths, as they turned out to cast their ballots. This Australian election day ritual was a talking point on social media as voters posted pictures and videos with their snack in hand under the #democracysausage. 'Voted and did my civic duty of buying a #democracysausage,' one voter said on social media platform X. Meanwhile, at polling booths near Australia's famed beaches, including Bondi beach in Sydney, some swimmers cast their ballots after a dip wearing brief-style swimming trunks locally called 'budgy smugglers'. An Australian swim wear brand called Budgy Smuggler ran a campaign offering a free pair to the first 200 people who voted in smugglers. Voting began on May 3 in Australia's national election that polls show will likely favour Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese over conservative challenger Peter Dutton, with voter appetite for change dampened by worries over US tariffs and global economic uncertainty. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
