Roma’s Broncos’ signing: Tradition lives on through Shaun Packer
He is from the rich rugby league heartland of Roma, is an old boy of Johnathan Thurston’s former school and has been signed by the Broncos. Is there a better pedigree than that?
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He is from the rich rugby league heartland of Roma, is an old boy of Johnathan Thurston’s former school and has been signed by the Broncos. Is there a better pedigree than that?
Shaun Packer is playing a leading role in Wynnum Manly’s unbeaten run in the Meninga Cup just ahead of semi-finals which start on April 24.
A dummy half, Packer was signed by the Brisbane Broncos while attending St Mary’s College in Toowoomba and is now flourishing under the coaching of Jesse Maclean at the Seagulls.
Alongside his front row teammate John Radel - another Broncos acquisition - Packer has been in sparkling form and was again among the 3-2-1 votes for best player last weekend against Redcliffe.
“I like the way he just rips just rips in,’’ Maclean said.
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It is little wonder he is impressing.
He comes from a great pedigree, having played his junior football in football mad Roma before attending boarding school at St Mary’s Toowoomba.
Internationals Artie Beetson, Darren Lockyer, Wally Fullerton-Smith, Ray Higgs and Willie Carne are just some elite players to come out of Roma alongside big tackling Charlie Frith, Redcliffe champion Steve Cherry and NRL premiership winning winger Robin Thorne (Canterbury, ex-Redcliffe).
Packer is like former Broncos stalwart and now St George Illawarra forward leader Andrew McCullough, while having a splash of flair about him.
It is appropriate Packer has McCullough’s traits, given a country mile down the road from Packer’s home town is Dalby, where McCullough comes from.
He has McCullough’s work rate and the manner in which he brings his forwards onto the ball and takes on the line with dummy half raids is a mirror image.
But he has enterprise and is quick to scamper forward off the back of quick play the balls and inflict panic into a retreating defensive line. He also has the confidence to go himself near the line if the defence is fatigued.
“Shaun is very good off quick play the balls. He has been since he was a kid,’’ Wynnum coach Maclean said.
“He also has a willingness to learn, to improve.
“He had a year out injured and had to do a lot of work to get himself to play again. He is just scratching the surface.
Packer’s old school coach at St Mary’s, Matt Jahnke, also mentions the word “work’’ around Packer.
“I like this work ethic and his humility,’’ the St Mary’s Langer Cup coach said.
“He has a real passion for the game and values being a part of a team.’’
NOTE: Meninga Cup coverage will continue on Sunday at www.couriermail.com.au, ahead of the semi-finals which start on April 24.
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