IN BIG LEAGUE
COULD HESS BE MAROONS SAVIOUR?
COEN Hess will complete a remarkable journey from the humblest of beginnings to rugby league’s biggest stage when he puts on the coveted Maroon jersey in Sydney tomorrow.
Less than 12 months ago the Mount Isa junior was in Ravenshoe playing his fourth Intrust Super Cup match for the Northern Pride and few could have predicted “the next big thing” would be thrust into the State of Origin arena in 2017.
But those who shared the field with him said it was just a matter of time before this man mountain took the rugby league world by storm.
A PALTRY 59m gained in 64 minutes.
These were the unlikely numbers Coen Hess produced for the Northern Pride in an Intrust Super Cup match at Ravenshoe Junior Rugby League Club in July 2016 and yet tomorrow he could emerge as Queensland’s State of Origin saviour.
But ask Pride utility Colin Wilkie, who packed into the second row with the “cheeky country kid” less than 12 months ago, and he will tell you the signs of greatness were there.
The man who came through the grades with the likes of Queensland greats Cooper Cronk and Greg Inglis said Hess was every bit the star in the making in the same vein of his former Norths Devils teammates and just needed an opportunity to show what he could do on the big stage.
The 20-year-old has been breaking tackles and scoring tries at will for the Cowboys this season and while he never set the world on fire at Pride, he was doing just that when he was first thrown into senior football.
“I actually played against Coen when he was 17 in the Townsville competition when I was playing for Herbert River and he was with Townsville Brothers,” Wilkie said.
“What he’s done in the NRL he was doing in the Townsville A-grade competition as a 17year-old.
“In his first couple of games for us it took him a while to find his feet.
“But footy is a bit like that. As soon as you get that opportunity, you’ve just got to take it,” Wilkie said.
“It comes down to the way he was brought up and he’s just a really good kid.
“The way he’s going I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets into the Australia squad for the World Cup.”
Eacham Junior Rugby League chairman Anthony Ball said the fact Hess had come from “not setting the world on fire” in Ravenshoe last year to being 24 hours from his Origin debut was the perfect example to the dozens of juniors who dream big.
“I think it tells kids that if you want it bad enough and you’re willing to work hard for it, anything is achievable, even at such a young age,” he said.
“If you break it down, he was playing in an under-16 competition a few years ago and four years later he’s playing Origin.
“Twelve months ago he was earmarked as the next big thing playing 20s and they put him up in Q-Cup and while he played good footy he wasn’t setting the world on fire, but to where he is now, that’s just what a good player does.”