A boy’s own adventure
HE’S played for Australia, won a grand final and helped Queensland send the Origin series to a decider.
But Valentine Holmes has never played a senior match at Suncorp Stadium.
The Maroons flyer says he will be living every Queensland kid’s dream when he runs onto the hallowed ground on Wednesday for the first time since he played for the young Maroons in an under-18 Origin curtain-raiser in 2013.
“There were only a few thousand people (watching us) but I was at that (main) game watching and it was massive,” Holmes said. “It was a massive crowd, they’re very passionate, the Queensland supporters, and talking to a few of the boys, they’re excited by it and they said it’s the best field to play at.
“It’s every kid’s dream (to play an Origin match there).
“The greats they had with Darren Lockyer and Wendell Sailor and Lote Tuqiri and all those guys and Wally Lewis, you want to put on that jersey that they all threw on.”
While he plays at fullback for his club, Holmes has had to forge combinations with Darius Boyd and Michael Morgan on the left side after being selected for Queensland on the wing.
With Boyd injured, Morgan slots into the centre role for Game Three but forming a combination will not be difficult for the North Queensland products.
“We’re both from Townsville, we went to the same high school,” Holmes said.
“He’s three or four years older than me, so I haven’t played school footy with him or juniors but in high school he was very talented. He was playing 20s when he was in high school, so obviously I looked up to him.
“Lucky enough I’ve played alongside him in Test footy and now (for) Queensland.”
For all his big-game experience, Homes admitted Origin was a different beast.
“It helped me that I had played in a grand final and Test, the Origin is definitely a big arena but (that previous experience) kept my nerves down,” he said.
“Origin would definitely be up there with the grand final with how nerve-racking it was.”
While his focus is Wednesday night’s game, Holmes is excited at the improvements he can make in his game at club level after watching potential Immortal Billy Slater.
“He’s my biggest idol. He was one of my favourite players growing up and to be able to play alongside him last game and to even play against him is awesome,” he said.
“I’ve learnt a lot from him this camp. He’s very vocal out on the field and he is just as (vocal) inside. When we are doing video he’ll always pull me aside and let me know what I’m doing right and what I need to work on, which is what I want to hear.
“Myself and Gags (and Slater) have got to work together out the back and make sure we’re getting the balls on the full and running hard back and he’s like the captain of us three.
“That’s something that I’ve got to take back with me.”