Napa set to bring some ‘ranga rage’
“He’s not too quiet, big Dilly, he doesn’t lack confidence,” Lillyman said.
“He is wired a bit differently, the big fella. He is a bit mad. He has been awesome, obviously he brings a lot to the side, he has been waiting for his shot for a while and he has got it.
“He will grab it with both hands. He provides entertainment on the side.”
But Napa was not picked for light relief.
Without the injured Matt Scott’s relentless go-forward and aggression, Napa has massive shoes to fill starting in the front row and Lillyman backed him to step up.
“He is such a big body, he is a massive bloke and plays the game hard,” he said.
“Added to that, he is so pumped and fired up and ready to go. There is going to be some artillery flying around. He is a real physical player, and he will look to assert that.”
Napa’s Roosters teammate Aidan Guerra said Napa would not need to be given a rev-up, with his natural game perfectly suited to tonight’s arena.
“Everyone knows the way Dylan plays and that’s why he’s been touted as an Originbrand player for many years,” Guerra said.
“Naps is a pretty calm character away from football, you’d almost say he’s docile.
“But out on that field he fires up and a lot of people are excited, and I’m one of them, to see how he goes (to)night.
“If you’re silly enough to bait him (go ahead but) I know I wouldn’t be baiting him if I was up against him.”
The Maroons have again been touted as Dad’s Army with the selection of veterans including Napa’s roommate Nate Myles and Bronco Sam Thaiday.
“I’m very excited to see him play, actually,” Thaiday said.
“Some of the forward battles and challenges that he’s had on a personal level at clubland have been fantastic and hopefully he can bring some of those battles into the State of Origin arena as well.”
Napa himself is humbled to have finally earnt his Origin shot.
“I get pretty emotional thinking about the Maroons jersey, the legacy that the guys have built over the last decade and a bit, and I’m just so thankful that I’ve got an opportunity to be a part of it,” he said.
The highly fancied Blues pack can expect some “ranga rage” headed their way tonight but the mad Maroon has been backed to keep cool.
“I don’t think he is at risk of doing something silly,” Lillyman said.
“Everything will be within the rules of the game but he will be looking to bring that physical side of things.
“And I think everyone wants to see it.”