England’s newest debutant answers our 20 questions.
1 How did it feel to pull on that England shirt for the first time against Australia in the second Ashes test?
It was honestly pretty amazing to have my name on the back of that jersey and represent England, not just for myself, but also for my family. I took a little moment in the sheds when I first got to the game and just kind of looked at the jersey, so, yeah, it was a very special moment for me.
2 Not just a first for you that day, but a first for league playing at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium. What was it like to be in that stadium?
It was top-notch – I’ve never been in a stadium like that – the sheds, the set-up, the pitch, the whole stadium. Then the crowd kind of just topped it off. It’s the nicest stadium I’ve played in my career.
3 What was behind the decision to switch allegiances to England?
Both my brothers were born in England, my mum’s from England, and I have family in London and Windsor. I wasn’t really sure if I could switch because I tried to play for England in 2022 and got told I wasn’t allowed, but I texted my manager and said: “Look, it’s been a couple of years, can we please try again?” And I was lucky enough to be able to do it this time, so it’s something that I have wanted to do for a few years.
4 While you’ve been in the UK, who has been your best friend in camp?
I’ve been rooming with Herbie (Farnworth), but I can’t say that he’s my best mate in camp. He is a good lad, and we do have some good chats, but I’ve been hanging out with Jez (Litten) and Mikey (Lewis) a little bit, having some laughs and playing some darts.
5 What have you missed most about Australia while you’ve been over here?
Probably just my dogs, to be honest. I know the weather is nicer over there, but I’m really enjoying my time here – it’s quite nice to wear some winter clothes, hoodies, and long pants again. So other than family, my dogs – I’ve got two cattle dogs – a Kelpie and a Border Collie that rule my life, but they also make it better.
6 Do you have any game-day superstitions?
I used to when I was growing up – I can’t remember what I used to do, but I was a bit of a tripper about those things. But now I don’t – I just go with the flow.
7 Who was your rugby league icon growing up?
Growing up in Queensland, I used to love the Maroons, and I always looked up to a few of those players, but I can’t really pinpoint one that I always just idolised; I just liked the team.
8 Who has been the toughest opponent you have faced?
Probably Payne Haas – he’s just a beast. He’s hard to tackle, so every time you’re against him, you’ve got to be on it or he’ll make you pay.
9 If you could attend any sporting event in the world, which would it be?
Definitely a World Cup Final in football. I had to get up at 3am to watch Argentina beat France in the last one, so it’d be a World Cup Final for sure.
10 What is top of your bucket list?
To win a comp for the Titans – that’s the one thing for me. I’ve been at the Titans for eight years, and the club has never won a comp. So that, and winning a World Cup with England, would be my two things on the bucket list.
11 Do you have any guilty pleasures?
I just love late-night snacks – anything sweet. I have a massive sweet tooth so chocolate, ice cream, biscuits, cookies, muffins you name it, that’s it.
12 Is there a star from another sport you admire?
I always appreciate other sports players and what they do, but there isn’t really anyone that I look up to in terms of idolising or basing my game or personality around.
13 What is the one thing you could not live without?
I was going to say the beach or something like that, but I’ll say my family.
14 If you weren’t a rugby league player, what would you be doing?
I actually did my carpentry apprenticeship before I went full-time when I was about 18 or 19, so I’m a qualified tradesman, but I would not want to be on-site. I love property though, so I’d probably go for some sort of property development.
15 What hobbies do you have outside of the game?
I’ve got into surfing a lot this year, so all my days off are spent at the beach doing that.
16 Which superpower would you most like to have?
I don’t think I could go past flying, to be honest – it would make life easy when it comes to travelling.
17 Where is the most interesting place you have visited on holiday?
The most interesting place is the Pyramids in Egypt, but my favourite place is probably the Amalfi Coast in Italy.
18 What is your favourite film?
My favourite film of all time is The Dark Knight – Batman with Heath Ledger. Every scene is just perfect and done so well. It’s just a great film.
19 What is a traditional Australian Christmas like?
Honestly, it’s really good and I love it. It’s completely opposite to over here, but my tradition is that I train every Christmas morning – I either go for a run or do some stairs – I go for a swim as it’s always really hot, and then I have a Christmas chicken roast with my mum. I’m always at the beach in the morning, and try to train so I can earn my beers for Christmas Day or Boxing Day.
20 What’s the best thing about Christmas?
I just love everything about it. Every night in December I watch a Christmas movie – Home Alone, Elf, whatever it is, I watch it. As soon as I get back to Australia after the Ashes, we’re putting up our Christmas tree. I love getting into the season and listening to Michael Bublé and Mariah Carey – they’re my favourite.
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 515 (December 2025)