Hola chuffed with late call-up

NRL COWBOYS’ young gun Peter Hola was just hanging out in his room preparing to help the Northern Pride break a fourgame losing streak when his phone started ringing.

It would be a phone call that would quickly turn his weekend on its head.

Cowboys coach Paul Green was on the other end, informing the 20-year-old prop he needed him at 1300SMILES Stadium the following night.

Club vice-captain Jordan McLean had gone down with a calf injury in the captain’s run training session, and Hola was drafted into the 17 at the last minute as cover.

His first phone call was to his father in Auckland, New Zealand.

“(Greeny) gave me a call at about 1.30 in the afternoon, I was sitting on the bed and I just got emotional. As soon as he called me I just started crying, it was good to get the call-up,” he said.

“I called my dad straight after Greeny called me. I told him I was playing first grade and he just started crying too. There was not much talking, just more crying.

“(My parents) flew over the morning (of the game), the Cowboys got them to the ground. It was great, everything out there was for them so it was good to have them come up from their jobs.”

In a short 11-minute stint in the second half, Hola made three carries averaging over 10m each time and effected six tackles.

He has been a shining light for the Northern Pride in an otherwise bleak season, averaging 11.4 hit-ups and more than 123m per game.

“Hopefully, I get the opportunity to play more games but I have to be patient and wait for my time to come,” he said. Thursday 7.50pm: Manly v Wests Tigers (Brookvale Oval) Friday 6pm: Gold Coast v Parramatta (Cbus Super Stadium) 7.55pm: Brisbane v Penrith (Suncorp Stadium) Saturday 3pm: Newcastle v North Queensland (McDonald Jones Stadium) 5.30pm: Melbourne v Canberra (AAMI Park) 7.35pm: South Sydney v Canterbury-Bankstown (ANZ Stadium) Sunday 2pm: Roosters v Warriors (SCG) 4pm: Cronulla v St GeorgeIllawarra (PointsBet Stadium)