Trent Loiero’s family, coaches and teachers reflect on Queensland state of origin rise

A relentless pursuit of success is ingrained in Queensland debutant Trent Loiero and the making of the match-winning characteristic can be traced back to one high school moment.

Queensland Maroons debutant Trent Loiero.

Queensland debutant Trent Loiero’s relentless pursuit of success can be traced right back to one moment in high school and it’s the reason he shapes as a State of Origin Maroons match winner.

Two centimetres stood between Loiero and his goal as a Year 12 student at Mountain Creek State High School and on Wednesday night at Suncorp Stadium it will be 80 career-defining minutes.

The Kawana Dolphins and Sunshine Coast Falcons junior repeatedly fell short of getting an A for long jump by 2cm.

Written-off but not run down, Loiero didn’t succumb.

“Trent was about two centimetres short from the mark but he wouldn’t say anything, he just kept going back, pacing his steps and having another attempt,” Loiero’s school teacher and rugby league coach Dan Roberts said.

“With the more jumps he had the more he was fatiguing so I was telling him he wasn’t going to get it because his body was tired and it wasn’t responding.”

Roberts offered Loiero the chance to have a quick rest or even come back the next day to try again.

“Trent looked at me and said ‘Sir, you go back to the staffroom and enjoy your lunch because when you come back I will have gotten that A’,” Roberts said.

“I was smiling to myself so I hung around a little bit longer and pushed himself to eventually hitting the mark.”

Trent Loiero (middle) as a child in his treasured Queensland Maroons jersey.

Born in Buderim on the Sunshine Coast to his parents Gino and Leanne, Loiero was the youngest of three with Jake and Brooke his older siblings.

Craig Johnson was Loiero’s first ever coach at Kawana, following his journey closely ever since.

“It’s pretty cliche but you honestly could always tell Loiero had something about him,” Johnson said.

“He was such a good listener and a real sponge at training and on game day as he always wanted to be the best, even as an eight, nine and 10-year-old.

“He loved to tackle so he enjoyed playing against his older brother Jake and Jake’s mates as much as he could.

Trent Loiero pictured while playing for the Kawana Dolphins as a junior. Picture: Facebook.

“He was the typical kid that always had a footy in his hands and I wouldn’t mind betting that he slept with a footy as well.”

During his time at Kawana, Loiero and his Dolphins teammates were arguably the strongest junior team in the region, winning three grand finals in the under-12s followed by successful years in under-13s, 14s, 15s, 16s and 18s.

During his teenage years, Loiero captained his Mountain Creek State High School Opens Gee Shield side to the 2018 title while also playing Queensland schoolboys in under-15s, Opens and the Queensland under-19 State of Origin side.

Trent Loiero and Tom Dearden representing the Queensland Schoolboys team.

After rising through the grades with the Falcons, Loiero joined the Melbourne Storm in 2020 before making his debut the following year.

“Even when he was young and clubs gifted him certain gear he would only ever wear it around the house and he still has the same rule for us family today,” Loiero’s dad Gino said.

“I’m not allowed to wear any Melbourne Storm gear and he tries not to because he doesn’t like people looking at him.”

“He still comes back to Mountain Creek SHS every year and gets around the kids at training and presentations,” Roberts said.

“He’s always rocking up in a black shirt and his baggy shorts so he never loses touch of where he comes from.”

The Loiero family in Jake, Gino, Trent, Leanne and Brooke.

After serving as Queensland’s 18th man in game three last year Loiero now has the chance to make his childhood dream come true.

“Last year when he called me to let me know he was in the squad there were plenty of tears so this time it was even worse,” Gino said.

“I got all teary and I broke out in a sweat but told him I loved him and that we were all so proud.”

Gino and Leanne are both from Sydney but said their choice for which team they would be supporting come Wednesday night was a no-brainer.

“When you’ve got your blood out there it’s not even an option, it’s not even a thought,” Gino said.

“I know one thing, whoever doesn’t know him will know him after Wednesday night.

“He won’t let anyone down.”