Sterlo hurt in Dare Devil Dudes shoot
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MOLLYMOOK Beach was a hive of activity on Wednesday morning as the stars of Channel 9's Footy Show shot their "fun" Dare Devil Dudes segment.
In town to film the Footy Show live last night at Mollymook Oval, Paul "Fatty" Vautin and the boys faced the test of surfboat racing at the Mollymook Surf Lifesaving Club.
A fine, sunny morning greeted Fatty, Peter Sterling, Paul Harragon and Matty Johns as they lined up against the Mollymook women's crew Denise Lofts, Lenelle Hollywood, Stacey Siegert and Rebecca McKay.
But things didn't all go to plan.
The boys were given a chance to get a hang of the art form of rowing and after a slow start did pretty well.
But in a race against the girls disaster struck with former champion half-back Peter Sterling suffering a leg injury after both he and Fatty Vautin fell out of the boat while attempting to start the race.
Sterling suffered a lower leg injury and although willing to continue, shooting was ended and he limped from the set.
"My team let me down again," he said.
"When the boat tipped I caught some metal part of it.
"I normally lead the way and they tried to drag me back down to their level and it worked.
"What hope have I got, look who I'm working with!" he joked.
"It's not hard to look that good against them really, the Chief he's got nothing, the Fat's just old and Matty, he's still trying to work out who he is, so not much opposition.
"But I'll be right, I'll soldier on."
Host Paul Vautin said it is important to bring the Footy Show to regional areas like the Shoalhaven as a large number of its fans are country people.
"I've heard stories of whole towns closing down at 9.30 to go home and watch the show, it's a chance for us to meet the people who watch the show and rugby league in general needs more focus on the Country Rugby League."
He admitted to being amazed that the Footy Show has lasted more than 10 years.
"I honestly thought it would last two weeks," he said.
"It's become tradition, it's a lot of fun, it's the best hour and a half the four of us have each week, we love doing it."
Sterling agreed it is great to take the game to the regional areas.
"We have taken the show to a number of places now, Gosford a few weeks ago, Foster Tuncurry last year and it's great to be in Mollymook," he said.
"It's always well received, people are friendly, it's something different for them and for us a win win allround.""
Paul "Chief" Harragon admitted it was the furthest south he had been and was amazed at the beauty of the area.
"I've never been here before, but it's stunning, some of the best beaches in Australia," he said.
"A fantastic place and it's great to get the game out to regional areas and promote the game."
Harragon admitted some of the show's Dare Devil Dudes are quite extreme.
"The Vomitrom, the paintball or eating chillies, but these ones are tough and we get a few injuries," he said.
"I got poked in the eye and Sterlo hurt his leg tough stuff, but that's the way we like it, we love it!" he said.
He admitted the Vomitron was the worst task they had tackled.
"It's just the worst feeling when you are out of control and you know they aren't going to stop it," he said.
"You have Matty Johns down there in control, it's one of those things we were sick for the whole day even two to three hours later and WE WILL NEVER BE DOING IT AGAIN!"
Matty Johns agreed it was a tough morning at the office for the Footy Show boys.
"Pete's hurt his knee and hip, the water was a bit icy, and I think the Chief's got hypothermia, but we came through again."
Sterlo blames you guys that you all let him down?
"Sterlo's good at that, he's good at pushing the blame, but with the surfboats as the girls showed, you have got to work as a team, but we were every man for themselves," he said.
"We were a very poor team!"
Denise Lofts who was one of the organisers who managed to win the competition to bring the NSW Blues to the area and she rowed against the Footy Show Boys, said it was great for the town.
"It was tough, I couldn't see how they were going so I thought they were beating us so I was trying hard not to let them beat us," she said.
Do they have any form in the boat?
"Well, their technique was a bit rough around the edges, their starts, they definitely need to work on them.
"But it's great for the area to have visits from the Footy Show and the Blues it's great for the kids at school, we are a country area and to have this type of exposure is fantastic."