Long and winding road as Blairs follow their son
WHEN Tony and Alison Blair hit the road this morning on the way to Sydney to watch son Cheyse play in the NRL grand final, they will be adding to the “frequent flyer driving points’’ they have been racking up for the past two decades in a bid to help their son achieve his sporting dream.
Blair will play for Melbourne Storm in the decider against the Cronulla Sharks at ANZ Stadium tomorrow, with Alison and Tony and Cheyse’s partner Tamara Wheeler’s parents watching on.
Just making the game – the first they will see live this season – is a mission for Alison and Tony, who will leave Bilambil this morning and arrive back on Monday, completing a round trip of almost 1700km in just over 48 hours.
One of just two players from Bilambil to make the NRL – the other is Titan Ryan James – Blair has been dreaming of making the big time since he was a youngster.
“When he was eight years old, we used to let him stay up and watch the State of Origin,’’ Alison said.
“So we used to throw the single mattress on the floor and he turned around and he goes … I still get choked up … ‘Mum, I’m going to play for the Blues one day’.
Blair achieved his dream though, playing for NSW and Australian schoolboys before linking with the Roosters straight out of school at Tweed River High and playing in the NRL for Parramatta and Manly before linking with the Storm this season.