State of Origin 2020: How Queensland Maroons’ rookie helped school suicide prevention program
Queensland State of Origin squad member Corey Allan is a shooting star of the code, but five years ago he proved a star off the field by helping introduce a crucial programme into a southeast Queensland school.
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Queensland State of Origin squad member Corey Allan is a shooting star of the code, but five years ago he proved a star off the field by helping introduce a school suicide prevention program.
The Souths outside back, who has been rewarded for a stellar 2020 with a Maroons’ call-up following a break through NRL season, was instrumental in starting a mental health program while still at his old school of Marsden State High School.
In 2015 he joined a handful of other class mates at Marsden in founding the Mates Talk Change group.
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Mates Talk Change is a mental health program started following the suicide of former Logan league juniors Alex Elisala and Francis Winterstein.
The suicides of Elisala and Winterstein, and other Logan teenagers around the same time, rocked the Logan community to the core and Allan showed great leadership and strength in initiating the program.
“Corey was one of the original Mates Talk Change group that started our successful positive mental health program #MTC,’’ said Marsden SHS principal Andrew Peach.
As a result of the program, children at the school and wider community were now encouraged to discuss mental health issues.
Allan has been on the lips of many in the rugby league community since shining for Marsden SHS.
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In 2018, as a Brisbane Broncos under 20s player, he became the first non-NRL player to play in the annual clash against PNG and many predicted his successful foray into the NRL.
But it has taken until 2020 for Allan to start to show his potential.
“He always did the unexpected,’’ reflected former Canberra and Broncos recruitment ace Brian Edwards.
“And it is just starting to come out in his NRL game now. He is just starting to get comfortable.’’
Former Queensland State of Origin centres Josh Hannay or Justin Hodges would be others not surprised to see Allan progress into Origin camp.
Both sung his praises when he was coming through the Queensland under 20s and club (Souths Logan) system.
Ironically the best thing to happen to Allan was that he did not burst onto the NRL as a teenager, rather he had a season playing against men in the Queensland Cup before progressing at South Sydney.
In the under 20s he was a big fish in the pond among his age group, but he really need to confront men on the league field, not his age group peers, to progress.