Sam Walker has vivid memories of growing up alongside Kurt Capewell, despite the latter being nine years his senior. The fact the two Ipswich Grammar School alumni are now lining up together in the Queensland Maroons jumper is a reality yet to sink in for the young halfback.
โWeโve been family friends with Kurt for so long, I spent a lot of time with him as a kid,โ Walker said, recalling his backyard battles with Capewell.
โTo be able to play against him a fair few times now and finally be able to run out together will be something really special. Itโs something Iโm sure after the game we can look back on which will be pretty cool.
โBut for now, itโs all systems go, Iโve got a job to do.โ
The inclusion of Walker and Capewell makes Ipswich Grammar the equal-most represented school in the Queensland side for Wednesday nightโs game.
The college, as well as Ignatius Park (Kalyn Ponga and Gehamat Shibasaki), are the only schools represented more than once among the 19 players to step onto Sydneyโs Accor Stadium.
It is a similar case with the New South Wales squad, with only Sydneyโs Newington College โ Tolu Koula and Cameron Murray โ boasting more than one player in the side.
Of the junior clubs, Mascot Jets (three) dominate for the Blues, while Brisbaneโs Easts Tigers is the only club represented more than once in the Maroons.
Schools such as Keebra Park on the Gold Coast have become established nurseries for rugby league talent, to the point where Maroons debutant Briton Nikora could not make their top team.
David Fifita, Reece Walsh, Benji Marshall, Payne Haas and Ben Teโo are just some of the leading names to emerge from the schoolโs rugby league academy. And it was Teโoโs name that caught Nikoraโs eye, and convinced the edge forward to take his football more seriously.
โI was sort of a late comer, I wasnโt too into all the open teams and the boys making the schoolboys teams. I was just cruising playing with my mates enjoying footy,โ Nikora said.
โHe [Teโo] went to Keebra Park as well, and when you come up through Keebra Park you hear of all those players on the wall who have made it.
โAt the time, I didnโt really take much notice of players back then, but once I enjoyed my footy and got into it, Iโve seen the way he played, the physicality, and the way he carried himself. I looked up to him, I havenโt really told him that.โ
The selections of Nikora and Blues rivals Addin Fonua-Blake and Victor Radley have been met with some criticism in sections of the rugby league world, given the trio are only eligible due to NRL rule changes made this year.
Under the new policies, athletes who have represented tier one nations outside of Australia โ New Zealand and England, as the three have โ can be chosen for their respective states provided they began playing junior rugby league there before their 13th birthday.
Nikora, who first played rugby league at Parkwood Sharks, wants to silence the naysayers.
โI moved over here at nine years old, obviously thereโs been some things going on about eligibility, people donโt like it, but Iโve done all my schooling growing up here, and Queensland gave me and my family the opportunity,โ Nikora said.
โThey gave me a better life, and thatโs what I carry close to my heart. I just want to prove it to them, prove this means a lot this game.
โIโm not just here to take part, Iโm here to put this jersey in a better place.โ
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