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Years later he realized it was the complete opposite of coaching.

“The ‘do as I say’ philosophy doesn’t work in coaching, Absolutely doesn’t work. Any tough sport, any sport, the players, the athletes have got to want to do it. Your job is to convince them to want to do the ugly stuff, the real hard stuff.”

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At 16, McDermott applied to join the royal marines.

“By the time I left home, I was this ball of aggression and anger and questions and no answers,” he told the Mantality Magazine podcast. “And guess what. I went and joined the most violent bunch of men that’s ever going to walk planet Earth.”

But he says military discipline saved him.

“It was a brilliant way of life, tough for sure. But it taught you a little bit more than what you imagine the military do normally teach you. A bit of humility, a bit of realism. And you grew up there … I think the essence of who I am is based on what the military has taught me.”

He started boxing in the marines, representing the Royal Navy. He did tours in Northern Ireland and Iraq — “life-changing experiences.”

But being a career soldier was not for him.

McDermott had signed up for a 22-year stint and, after serving just five years, had to pay 525 pounds ($895) to get out.

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After leaving the military, McDermott rolled the dice on a career in rugby league.

All his brothers had been involved in the sport at some level with oldest brother Paul playing for Wakefield, York and Sheffield in the late ’80s.

Brian had played in his younger days, but says he wasn’t very good. After the marines, he was ready to try again.