THE NIGHT MUM TURNS MAROON
Family firmly behind Origin debutant Feldt
SANDRA Feldt will pull on the Maroon for the first time in her life tonight.
The proud Newcastle woman has refused to give up her love of New South Wales, her pride embedded in her state, despite living north of the border for more than 50 years.
But, tonight, she puts that pride in her state aside for something she is even prouder of.
Her son, Kyle.
The Cowboys winger will finally make his
State of Origin debut on the wing for Queensland after years of bashing down the door.
But it is far from just his on-field success that has made his m u m proud.
It is the man he is off the field, which was no better epitomised than last season when the winger declined an opportunity to make his debut a year earlier, rather opting to have surgery on a groin strain.
“It is my happiest moment in his career for him to achieve this, something that I know, how much, he has wanted and what it cost him last year to say no to Kevvie,” she said.
“Words cannot explain how proud I was of him then. To me that showed not only the calibre of the man our son is, but what he thinks of the Queensland jersey. He put the Queensland team above his own personal desires. “He didn’t want to let the Queensland team down by playing any less than fully fit.” Sometimes the right decision is not the easiest, imagine having your dream given to you and having to turn it down.
“He handled it very well. He knew the decision he made was right and as his family we all said to him you will get another opportunity. He believed that, he believes in himself.”
But Feldt has not always had that self-belief.
While his family had no doubt he would one day play for Queensland because that is what he always wanted, the winger took some time to find that same confidence.
For the first few years of his career in the NRL, Feldt struggled to find the belief in his own game.
He also lacked the professional approach that made teammates like Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott the best in their field.
But there was the same steely determination in the high-flying winger that his mum had seen when he was just a toddler.
“Everything he has told us he wanted to achieve, he has done it,” she said. “I would like to say he gets the determination from his father and I, but I really don’t know.
“He is just passionate about it, it is something g he has as been born with. We have always encouraged our children, if you want something, it is there for the taking.
“He has matured so much, not just off the field as a man, but on the field, he has found that self-belief. We always knew he had the ability, but it took him a little bit of time to discover it. But one off-season he just realised something, it just clicked for him.”
Cowboys legend Johnathan Thurston had a close-up view of Feldt’s transformation on the field.
A lot of it came in one season in 2015 after the young and ostentatious winger turned himself from a fringe player into a cemented starter who played in the grand final.
That was capped off by a final minute try that sent the decider into extra time before Thurston’s right boot delivered North Queensland’s first premiership.
The Cowboys legend has kept a close eye on Feldt in camp this week after being included in Queensland’s extended squad. While he refused to give away coach Paul Green’s plans to replace Kalyn Ponga and give the
Cowboys winger his first Origin cap, Thurston still couldn’t contain his excitement.
“I am extremely proud of Kyle, he hasn’t been told whether he is playing yet but it hasn’t stopped him,” Thurston said. “He has handled everything that has been asked of him at camp. It is a good opportunity for him to showcase what he can bring to a team training with these boys. He has worked hard for this opportunity.”
Green said he was happy to see Feldt make his debut in the Maroon and that he had watched him grow into one of the premier wingers of the NRL.
“I am not sure when he last played (on the left), but he has had a good week (in camp),” Green said. “I think Feldty has learnt how to be consistent, we all know how talented he is, but just that consistency (is what he lacked).
“He is good under the high ball, that is part of what he brings to the team. We want to play to people’s strengths
“I am happy for him, any time a guy makes their Origin debut it is a great moment in their career.”
As for Feldt’s steely determination it has helped the Cowboy overcome some of the toughest personal times of his career to emerge out the other side as a Maroons.
One of Feldt’s biggest fans, his grandmother, who is also a proud Newcastle woman, has already denounced her state allegiances.
But she won’t be at the ground instead watching on from home after recently overcoming a battle with cancer. Feldt’s grandfather also fought bravely to overcome his own battle against the horrible disease. That came less than a year after Feldt’s partner Deanna lost a family member.