Boyhood rivals Cameron Murray and Victor Radley get into another Blue

South Sydney’s Cameron Murray is poised to deliver the first decisive blow in his 16-year long battle with Sydney Roosters’ Victor Radley.

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South Sydney’s Cameron Murray is poised to deliver the first decisive blow in his 16-year long sporting battle with Sydney Roosters’ Victor Radley.

With St George Illawarra lock Jack de Belin unavailable for selection, the youngsters have emerged as contenders for a spot on Brad Fittler’s bench in this year’s State of Origin series.

Born two months apart in 1998 and growing up just 10 kilometres away from each other, the rivalry between the forwards began as five-year-olds in 2003 while playing for their junior league sides.

Victor Radley and Cameron Murray have come through the grades together since juniors.

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“I played for Mascot Jets and he played for Clovelly Crocodiles. It started with union when we were five and then played rugby league against each other too when the Crocs came into the Souths junior competition — which would have been when we were eight or nine years old,” Murray said.

While Radley claimed senior honours over Murray with last year’s NRL grand final win with the Roosters, his Souths counterpart took the points in their rise through the ranks.

Murray won six consecutive finals while playing for the Jets, then in 2017 he played at lock for the Junior Kangaroos and in the back row for the New South Wales Under 20s side with Radley preferred at No. 14 on both occasions.

Murray’s 2019 form has him primed for an Origin debut. Picture: Phil Hillyard

But the synergies of the inner city adversaries also extends to their playing styles and the 21-year-olds are leading the resurgence of the mobile lock forward.

“We’re both similar styles of players and it has worked out that we are the same type of body shape and we play the same style of footy,” Murray said.

“But I’m not trying to conform into the new kind of lock. This is how I have always played, this is my body type and I’m never going to play like a traditional third front rower, or the way that the number 13 jumper has warped into in the new age.

Murray as a young gun back in 2008. (Photo By Erin Byrne)

“That’s what Victor and I bring to our own teams, that mobile ball-playing lock forward and trying to play more minutes than the big boys.”

The lifelong Rabbitohs fan insisted Fittler is yet to make any contact with him about an Origin call-up.

But the Blues coach handed Murray the captaincy when Fittler was in charge of the NSW under 18’s side back in 2016.

“I haven’t had one conversation with him. It’s up to Freddie. I’d back myself, I have always dreamt of playing for my state and it would be a huge honour.”

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New South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett promoted Murray to the starting lock position this year and the boom forward has flourished in the role.

Murray told The Daily Telegraph that Bennett has allowed him the freedom to play his natural style, something he was unable to do last season when Anthony Seibold was coach.

“Last year I was coming off the bench and didn’t get that starting role and I was probably more consigned to structure over anything else and sticking to the game plan,” he said.

“I’ve had a lot more freedom to play this year. That’s the style that Wayne and Jason Demetriou have brought to our side this year. If anything, I have had more freedom to play my own way and to my own strengths. It’s the same for everyone … we’re all playing to our own strengths and playing eyes up footy. More than anything, it’s really enjoyable and that’s why we’ve been so successful this year.”

Originally published as Boyhood rivals Cameron Murray and Victor Radley get into another Blue