From his mum and partner, to the many friends who tried to coax the secret out of him, Jake Friend has a lot of people to make up with this week.
But the Sydney Roosters co-captain insists he had no choice but to keep his grand final status locked in a safe until one hour before kick-off on Sunday night.
“I didn’t tell mum, I didn’t tell the missus, I had mates messaging me. I brushed everyone,” Friend said after the Roosters’ triumphant NRL premiership win.
But if coach Trent Robinson refused to let chairman Nick Politis in on his final line-up for the biggest game of the year, then no one else could know.
“I felt bad, but I would’ve felt worse if… Trent didn’t tell Nick, so if Nick doesn’t know, I can’t tell anyone. I didn’t write back to a lot of people,” Friend revealed.
“I got plenty of well wishes but I’ll spend the next, maybe not tomorrow, but a few days after, getting back to everyone who wished me luck.
“There was plenty of questions, but I brushed them all.”
The 29-year-old said he also felt for teammates Zane Tetevano and Lindsay Collins, both of whom just missed the cut for the match.
Tetevano was especially unlucky, having played in 24 of the Roosters’ 27 matches this season and was initially named in the 17.
He was dropped just before kickoff to make way for Friend.
“I’m stoked to have the spot in the team,” Friend said.
“But I feel for the guys like Lindsay and Zano, who I’ve watched from the sidelines through injury, bust their backsides for this team. They’re the reason we’re here.
“I come in and I had to play my part, but some guys missed out.
“I definitely feel for them. I’ll get to them this week and I’ll buy them a couple of beers. I’m sure we’ll have a good chat and good time.”