Matt Klitscher
Signing a contract with the Brisbane Broncos at just 16 was a dream come true for promising league star Micah Marsh, who was still at Auckland Grammar when he inked the deal.
Now 22, the Treasure Island: Fans V Faves contestant recalls, “I had two years left at school, but they said, ‘Finish your education, then we’ll relocate you.’ So as soon as I turned 18, I moved to Queensland by myself. I loved seeing what the world had to offer.
“The pre-season training sessions were absolute torture – it was crazy how they’d just hammer us with conditioning, strength work and weights – but I enjoyed working with the Broncos and then the Wests Tigers. Rubbing shoulders with the guys you see on TV, tackling them and getting to know them as normal people definitely made me a bit starstruck.”
However, the shine of a glamorous sporting career started to wear off as Micah suffered injury after injury.
With fellow Fans Jessica Waru (left) and Katie Middleton.
Gesturing over his 2m-tall body, he tells Woman’s Day,
“I broke this bone here, thatone there, a hand, two fingers and my jaw. I’ve also had two shoulder reconstructions – very nasty stuff. I’ve had six surgeries total from age 21.”
Micah played his final game of league in 2020. Reflecting on his days as an athlete, he muses, “It made me into the man I am today, but it started to feel more like a job than something I enjoyed doing. If you want to go down that career path, you have to really love it, but it wasn’t what I wanted in the long-term and I didn’t want to miss any more time with my family.”
Having moved back to Aotearoa late last year, Micah is in a long-distance relationship with his girlfriend of four years, Aussie gal Amy. “I can’t say I enjoy it, but we’re stable,” he admits, adding an engagement may be on the cards. “But at this stage, we don’t need a ring to say we love each other.”
Now working as a gym membership consultant, Micah – who idolises former Treasure Island contestants Richie Barnett and Johnny Tuivasa-Sheck – hopes his league background will help him out on Treasure Island’s Fans team.
“I’m pretty good at figuring out everyone’s strengths and weaknesses, and implementing them into challenges. But I’m more of a workhorse than a leader. Give me a task and I’ll do it all day – as long as it’s not a puzzle!”
Treasure Island: Fans V Faves premieres 7.30pm Monday, 30 January on TVNZ 2
