Pain drives Tate’s career on the pitch
TATE McDermott’s world spun into heartache, tears and a sporting career change when his childhood mate Matthew Barclay drowned at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships.
Maroochydore surf club was McDermott’s first love be- fore he followed his instincts with a football to develop into the Reds’ sparky new halfback.
Cherished memories of the surf mate who didn’t get to live his sporting dream will be stored in McDermott’s mind when he runs out tonight against Japan’s Sunwolves at Suncorp Stadium.
McDermott was just 13 and watching the under-15 board race at Kurrawa in 2012 when Barclay never came out of the surf. The tragedy cut deep.
“Matty and I grew up together as real good mates on the boards and ski and our families would travel together to carnivals,” McDermott said.
“I was watching his race from the beach that day and it’s still very hard to believe. I’m close to his family but that was kind of a turning point to give up surf lifesaving and concentrate on rugby.”
McDermott’s zeal to dart and probe on field still has the freshness of his school days mucking around for hours with brother Flynn in a neighbour’s front yard at Mudjimba.