‘A fresh start’: Behind Braith Alexander’s move away from his famous dad’s club

The son of Panthers legend Greg Alexander is quick to point out that that couldn’t be further from the truth – no matter how much he admires Anasta.

“Nah, definitely not!” Alexander tells CODE. “I always get asked that, but nah, definitely not named after Anasta.

“Me and him are the only Braiths I know, there’s not too many others. I don’t know what the story is, but they’ve told me it wasn’t Anasta. Even though Braith Anasta is a great guy, I love Anasta.”

As of this season, Alexander becomes the second Braith to play in the halves for the Roosters after an off-season move from Penrith to play Jersey Flegg.

A versatile half and hooker, Alexander came through the Panthers’ age group systems, playing in the club’s SG Ball and Jersey Flegg teams, while making the long trip from the northern beaches to the foot of the mountains for training.

The Panthers won premierships at NRL, NSW Cup, Flegg and Ball last year, but a move to the Roosters sees Alexander join a similarly impressive pathway system.

“I just did it for a fresh start,” Alexander said of the move. “I felt there was a bit of pressure out at Penrith for me, and I wanted to make a name for myself – just not at Penrith.

“I don’t have anything bad to say about Penrith, it was great, but being at the Roosters now is definitely a good move.

“We actually played Penrith in a trial two weeks ago, and I got some grief, but it was fun.”

The 20-year-old says the move away from the Panthers was more about him than his famous father.

“I don’t let it get to me,” he says of comparisons to his old man. “But it’s not about that. It’s about me and just doing what’s best for me and having fun playing footy.”

Alexander lined up at halfback for the Roosters’ season-opening win over the Tigers at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday afternoon. Similar in build to Harry Grant, he largely played on the right, with five-eighth Tyler Colley doing the bulk of the playmaking.

Alexander kicked well though, had a hand in a couple of tries and proved his versatility by slotting in at dummy half when impressive hooker Alan Holten was sent to the sin-bin in the second half.

“I know his family connection, and it must be hard on him sometimes to live up to that,” Roosters Flegg coach Dean Feeney tells CODE Sports.

“But he’s worked hard and he’s just one of us now.

“He just needs to back himself a little bit and build confidence. He can go into his shell a little bit, but once we get that out of him, he’ll be a really good asset for us.”

Feeney isn’t sure yet where Alexander might play long-term, but is certain he has a high ceiling.

“He’s got a really good footy brain, and he gets us around the park well,” he says. “He’s sort’ve stuck between a nine, seven and a six, but he can easily play that 14 role the higher he goes.

“He’ll be a really good 14 with the way the game’s going and the interchanges.

“But the more he learns, the more he takes control of a team, there’s nothing to say he can’t be a really good half.”

Greg Alexander was able to catch the first half of his son’s Roosters debut at Leichhardt before rushing off to Fox Studios to call the Dolphins-Roosters clash later in the day.

Father and son talk about footy “all the time”, but Braith says Brandy isn’t too overbearing.

“He doesn’t like to talk too much about (my games),” he says. “He just tells me to do what I can do and get after.”

That’s exactly what he has planned for 2023.

“I just want to enjoy my footy and keep getting better.”