Granty
08-06-2006, 10:23 AM
http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,19400980%255E14793,00.html
Lillyman call-up no joke
By ANTONY STEWART
08jun06
http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,3600,5165369,00.jpg
Queensland State of Origin bolter Jacob Lillyman was straight off the plane
and on to the training paddock yesterday, the young Cowboys back-rower
getting over initial disbelief before realising he could add Origin player to his
burgeoning rugby league CV
INITIAL scepticism turned into sheer elation for the Cowboys' latest Queensland State of Origin representative Jacob Lillyman on Tuesday night.
Just hours after learning he would be returning to North Queensland's starting line up for the first time since injuring his knee in round three, he received even better news when he answered a phone call from Maroons and Cowboys assistant coach Neil Henry at 10pm.
Henry informed the 22-year-old he would be joining North Queensland teammates Johnathan Thurston and Carl Webb in the Queensland team to do battle with New South Wales at Suncorp Stadium in game two of the series next Wednesday night.
However, at first, Lillyman wasn't entirely sure if he was at the end of a practical joke.
Queensland media manager Ben Ikin, who was sitting alongside Henry when he made the call, said it took some persuading before the former rodeo rider from Richmond in north-western Queensland believed what he was being told.
But once Lillyman was convinced, Ikin said he thought Henry savoured telling the news as much as the man dubbed 'Bull' by his mates, enjoyed hearing it.
"It was interesting, I was sitting beside Neil and before he called he couldn't get the smile off his face - it was a special moment," Ikin said of Henry.
"(Lillyman) thought it was a joke at first.
"I think it took about 10 minutes for it to soak in that it was true."
It was hardly surprising that he was suspicious of a prank however.
While Lillyman did his chances of a call-up no harm with a barnstorming start to the 2006 season, he has spent much of the year on the sidelines after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his injured knee in April.
And even despite a solid hit-out in his return match as the Cowboys' went down 24-14 to the Wests Tigers on Sunday, his selection still came as a shock to many.
It was the second in as many days after Canberra's Adam Mogg was drafted into the team on Tuesday.
Even good friend and soon to be Queensland teammate Sam Thaiday said he got a shock when he saw Lillyman arrive at the Maroons' hotel.
"It was a big surprise. I wondered why he had come down to Brisbane to wish me well," Thaiday laughed. "I saw him this morning when I got my medical done, (I) just walked out the door and saw him standing there.
Though disappointed at not being able to play for Queensland following his two-try effort on debut in Origin I, Inglis made no apologies for not wanting to hurry back into football.
"Hopefully I've got 10 years in this business and I don't want to go up there and risk losing two years," he said.
"It's a back injury and I don't want to wind up in a wheelchair.
"One bad knock and I could be out for three years and I don't want to risk that."
Mogg was a surprise choice ahead of Penrith's Rhys Wesser and Raiders teammate Clinton Schifcofske, who made his sole Origin appearance in 2002.
Morris said Melbourne's Billy Slater wasn't considered because he faced a two-match suspension if he failed to successfully beat a dangerous throw charge at the NRL judiciary tonight.
Mogg expressed his sympathy for Inglis, who's expected to be sidelined for 2-4 weeks, after suffering a serious injury himself this year - against the Bulldogs in round five.
Raiders teammate Jason Smith accidentally hit Mogg in the neck and he initially feared it was a career-threatening injury.
"It's a serious injury, a fracture to your spine, and you don't wish it upon anyone at all," Mogg said about Inglis' setback.
"I had a serious neck injury earlier in the year and I thought I was in a similar boat but fortunately I wasn't."
Mogg becomes only the third Raider to play for the Maroons in the past decade, with Schifcofske and former Test hooker Steve Walters (two games in 1996) the others.
Prop Ryan O'Hara was the last Canberra player to don the New South Wales jersey, in 2004.
Steve Clark will referee Origin II after Sean Hampstead controlled the opening game.
Lillyman call-up no joke
By ANTONY STEWART
08jun06
http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,3600,5165369,00.jpg
Queensland State of Origin bolter Jacob Lillyman was straight off the plane
and on to the training paddock yesterday, the young Cowboys back-rower
getting over initial disbelief before realising he could add Origin player to his
burgeoning rugby league CV
INITIAL scepticism turned into sheer elation for the Cowboys' latest Queensland State of Origin representative Jacob Lillyman on Tuesday night.
Just hours after learning he would be returning to North Queensland's starting line up for the first time since injuring his knee in round three, he received even better news when he answered a phone call from Maroons and Cowboys assistant coach Neil Henry at 10pm.
Henry informed the 22-year-old he would be joining North Queensland teammates Johnathan Thurston and Carl Webb in the Queensland team to do battle with New South Wales at Suncorp Stadium in game two of the series next Wednesday night.
However, at first, Lillyman wasn't entirely sure if he was at the end of a practical joke.
Queensland media manager Ben Ikin, who was sitting alongside Henry when he made the call, said it took some persuading before the former rodeo rider from Richmond in north-western Queensland believed what he was being told.
But once Lillyman was convinced, Ikin said he thought Henry savoured telling the news as much as the man dubbed 'Bull' by his mates, enjoyed hearing it.
"It was interesting, I was sitting beside Neil and before he called he couldn't get the smile off his face - it was a special moment," Ikin said of Henry.
"(Lillyman) thought it was a joke at first.
"I think it took about 10 minutes for it to soak in that it was true."
It was hardly surprising that he was suspicious of a prank however.
While Lillyman did his chances of a call-up no harm with a barnstorming start to the 2006 season, he has spent much of the year on the sidelines after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his injured knee in April.
And even despite a solid hit-out in his return match as the Cowboys' went down 24-14 to the Wests Tigers on Sunday, his selection still came as a shock to many.
It was the second in as many days after Canberra's Adam Mogg was drafted into the team on Tuesday.
Even good friend and soon to be Queensland teammate Sam Thaiday said he got a shock when he saw Lillyman arrive at the Maroons' hotel.
"It was a big surprise. I wondered why he had come down to Brisbane to wish me well," Thaiday laughed. "I saw him this morning when I got my medical done, (I) just walked out the door and saw him standing there.
Though disappointed at not being able to play for Queensland following his two-try effort on debut in Origin I, Inglis made no apologies for not wanting to hurry back into football.
"Hopefully I've got 10 years in this business and I don't want to go up there and risk losing two years," he said.
"It's a back injury and I don't want to wind up in a wheelchair.
"One bad knock and I could be out for three years and I don't want to risk that."
Mogg was a surprise choice ahead of Penrith's Rhys Wesser and Raiders teammate Clinton Schifcofske, who made his sole Origin appearance in 2002.
Morris said Melbourne's Billy Slater wasn't considered because he faced a two-match suspension if he failed to successfully beat a dangerous throw charge at the NRL judiciary tonight.
Mogg expressed his sympathy for Inglis, who's expected to be sidelined for 2-4 weeks, after suffering a serious injury himself this year - against the Bulldogs in round five.
Raiders teammate Jason Smith accidentally hit Mogg in the neck and he initially feared it was a career-threatening injury.
"It's a serious injury, a fracture to your spine, and you don't wish it upon anyone at all," Mogg said about Inglis' setback.
"I had a serious neck injury earlier in the year and I thought I was in a similar boat but fortunately I wasn't."
Mogg becomes only the third Raider to play for the Maroons in the past decade, with Schifcofske and former Test hooker Steve Walters (two games in 1996) the others.
Prop Ryan O'Hara was the last Canberra player to don the New South Wales jersey, in 2004.
Steve Clark will referee Origin II after Sean Hampstead controlled the opening game.