DREAM TEENS
Former Keebra teammates tipped for instant impact in State of Origin showdown
THEY’RE the teen sensations preparing to be thrown into rugby league’s fiercest arena.
But rather than dipping their toes in the water, David Fifita and payne Haas (pictured left) are being backed to make a difference in their State of Origin showdown on June 5.
Fifita (Queensland) and Haas (NSW), both 19, played together in the Keebra park team that reached the 2016 NRL Schoolboy cup national final and former coach Glen campbell believes the school’s former prodigies can make an immediate impact at Suncorp Stadium next week.
“Both are going to have big futures and I’d say they might even have a bit of impact on this game, I’m hoping,” he said.
THEY’RE the teen sensations preparing to be thrown into rugby league’s fiercest arena. Rather than simply dipping their toes in the water, David Fifita and Payne Haas are being backed to make a difference in the State of Origin contest next Wednesday.
The pair of 19-year-olds have long been tipped for big things but remain green on the professional stage, having played a meagre 32 NRL games between them.
Fifita and Haas played together in the Keebra Park team that reached the 2016 NRL Schoolboy Cup national final. The following year, Fifita captained them to Australia-wide glory and won the Peter Sterling Medal – succeeding Haas in receiving the prestigious honour.
It’s been a rapid rise from there to them being named to make their Origin debuts off the bench in Game One, Fifita for Queensland and Haas for NSW.
“It was not that long ago they were here so the kids who were running around in grade eight and nine at the time know them because they saw them walking around the school,” Keebra rugby league coach Glen Campbell said. “They’re talking about it here at school quite regularly, the boys are saying, ‘how do you think they are going to go and who is going to get over the top of who?’.”
For his part, Campbell said: “Both are going to have big futures and I’d say they might even have a bit of impact on this game, I’m hoping.
“It’s the mate versus mate story that has been explained to us for many years. Neither boy will take a backward step to each other.
“I’m really happy for both of them. To happen at such a young age, it’s unbelievable.”
Campbell believes their maturity and self-belief will help them handle the momentous occasion at Suncorp Stadium.
Haas has been a dominant force in the frontrow for Brisbane this year.
“He has a massive engine,” Campbell said.
Campbell added secondrower Fifita has excelled in his Broncos opportunities.
Maroons prop Jai Arrow is another Keebra product, while rookie Blues fiveeighth Cody Walker attended Palm Beach Currumbin State High.