Growing up around Melbourne Storm legends Greg Inglis and Cameron Smith made rugby league an inevitable path for Cole Geyer. Now the son of Storm great Matt Geyer is forging his own career in England.

GIVEN he felt superstars Greg Inglis and Cameron Smith were like “uncles” when growing up, it’s almost inevitable Cole Geyer would become obsessed with rugby league.

The main reason, of course, was because his dad was a legendary player in his own right.

Matt Geyer remains a Melbourne Storm icon, an integral part of their first Premiership-winning team in 1999 who went on to play more than 250 games for them, scoring 113 tries.

He also represented New South Wales in State of Origin and, some would argue, remained unlucky never to play for the Kangaroos.

Now, more than 10,000 miles away in the birthplace of rugby league, Geyer’s son Cole is carving out his own career with Huddersfield Giants via Oldham, a journey neither could really have imagined.

But he’s loving life in the UK and remains thankful to his dad for essentially putting him on this path.

Cole, 24, said: “I’m really proud of what he achieved.

“I love talking about it. He wasn’t the most talented player but worked super hard and got everything he deserved.

“For me, it was a pretty lucky childhood. I’ve always been around rugby league since being born.

“It’s pretty surreal sometimes. As a three-year-old, Greg Inglis and Cam Smith just felt like my uncles!

“People were in awe of them but it’s something I just took for granted, going into training with my dad and seeing them around.

“I was born in 2001 and they were the stars of the comp in 2006 and 2007.

“My dad gave us a very good life from his hard work.

“With me growing up, he liked just watching us play.

“If I asked for advice, he’d give it. But he didn’t want to push anything on his kids. He just wanted us to do what we love, and I loved rugby league.”

His actual uncle is the famous former Penrith and Australia second-row Mark Geyer, but Cole is looking to make his own name in the sport.

Cole moved to Championship outfit Oldham in the off-season after signing a one-year deal.

Fresh from winning the Queensland Cup with Burleigh Bears, he quickly made his mark, scoring five tries in 14 appearances before gaining an opportunity to move up to Super League when joining Huddersfield on loan for the rest of the season in May.

Geyer, who made an impressive debut off the bench against St Helens, explained: “I am ambitious.

“But the idea was to try to come over, play well for Oldham and hopefully get an opportunity in Super League next year.

“But my manager said there might be a chance to head up this year and I just grabbed it.

“It’s a pretty tough comp but I wanted to challenge myself and give it a crack.

“It’s been great at Huddersfield. But I still go back to Oldham when I can.

“I really enjoyed my time there. They had a lot of experienced players who played a lot of Super League and they are a great bunch of blokes.

“Riley Dean really took me under his wing, I’m pals with Tom Nisbet and Jake Bibby, while Ewan Moore was with me at Burleigh.

“There’s a few Aussies there and, coming from Australia, in my first Christmas away, it made it an easy transition for me.

“If they weren’t such good blokes, I’d have probably gone away a lot sooner.

“It’s a different game compared to Australia – more physical and probably more grubby as well!

“But I enjoyed it there and am doing so at Huddersfield, even if it’s tough at the moment.”

A dynamic hooker with pace and skill, his game suits Super League and that was instantly recognisable when he made a couple of classy breaks in the opening few minutes of his Giants bow.

On his debut, he recalled: “It was good. Saints are a big club and one of the most successful clubs.

“I was probably a bit nervous as my first few runs weren’t the greatest.

“I was a bit too energetic but once I got going and found my rhythm, got in that aeroplane mode, I found myself going back to my instincts.

“And that was when I’d calmed down a bit and got into the game.

“It was exciting and I was glad to get that one under my belt.

“Hopefully I get to play a few more.”

Geyer is unsure what will happen in 2027.

With fellow Aussie Jim Lenihan having recently arrived as Huddersfield coach following Luke Robinson’s sacking, there remains plenty of uncertainty around what direction the club will go in next season.

“Our form hadn’t been great but Jim has come in and made a big difference.

“I’ve not really spoken to the club about 2027. They obviously have a new coach but hopefully I play some consistent footy and we see where we get to.

“I’m on loan from Oldham so, if we can’t make the play-offs here, I can go back there at the end of the season and maybe play some games for them.

“But I just want to get a few wins with Huddersfield.”

Geyer, who is training to be a maths teacher, never managed to play a first-grade game in Australia but insists that doesn’t irk him.

He added: “I was at Melbourne for two years in ’22 and ’23 but probably never really close to NRL.

“When Harry Grant’s the hooker at Storm, it’s always going to be a tough ask.

“They still had Brandon Smith then and Tyrone Wishart was there, so they had three pretty handy nines.

“But they’re still the team I support, my dad’s got a rich history there and I learned so much from those three players, both on and off the field.

“Obviously everyone wants to play NRL. But if it doesn’t happen, I’m OK with it.

“I came back to Burleigh and could have stayed there in the Queensland Cup and kept doing that for the rest of my life.I would have been satisfied with that. But I wanted to try something new and coming to the UK offered me that. 

“We’ll see where it takes me. What will be, will be.”

First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 522 (July 2026)