Ipswich State High gun Jarra Briggs chasing his footy dream

Jarra Briggs was 16-years-old and nursing a hangover in Charleville when he made a life changing decision – to return to Ipswich to chase his footy dream.

Jarra Briggs has the realisation that he needed to head back to Ipswich to chase his football dream. Picture: Quest

According to musician John Williamson, an emu runs faster than a kangaroo, but does it really?

If anyone knows, it is Ipswich State High School Langer Cup rugby league winger Jarra Briggs, who has chased both.

Running after roos and the occasional emu was all part of Briggs' life growing up in the western Queensland town of Charleville as he gathered experiences city kids would envy.

Another experience was mustering in Mt Isa and eating bush tucker.

Those memories for the Year 12 student will never diminish and Charleville will always be home, but Briggs now finds himself in the Ipswich SHS community and living in the cradle of the family of former NRL star Ben Walker.

Briggs first arrived at Ipswich SHS in Year 9-10 but returned to Charleville in Year 11 where school attendance "was compulsory, but not compulsory for us''.

But one morning around last September-October, Briggs woke up and the penny dropped that he must leave Charleville for a second time and get back to school in Ipswich.

"When it clicked, it was fast,'' the 17-year-old said.

"I was laying in bed and if I be honest, I think I had come from a night out actually.

"It was the morning and I was feeling a bit sick and I thought 'is this it, is this really what I am going to do?'.

"It was a hopeless feeling and I thought I have to go right now (back to Ipswich).

"Within the space of one or two weeks I was back here.''

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Briggs now finds himself as the indigenous leader at Ipswich High, doing his school work, and as an outstanding wing prospect for not only Ipswich in the Langer Cup, but also for the Ipswich Jets league club.

"When I came back, it put it into perspective where I was going (if I had stayed in Charleville),'' he said.

Briggs said he enjoyed his brothers (teammates and school mates at Ipswich) and was proud to also be appointed the Ipswich SHS's indigenous leader.

Briggs, who is now working hard on and off the field, said returning to Charleville and missing most of Year 11 was a blessing in disguise.

"It was good but it was a time to come here (back to Ipswich),'' Briggs said.

But one thing will never change - his love of Charleville.

"Ipswich is good," he said. "Everything is close and it is convenient, but for me you just can't beat the bush. I will always be a bush kid at heart.''