GPS RUGBY 2019: Nudgee College season on the brink at Suncorp

The son of a Maroons State of Origin enforcer will return to Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, charged with leading a rescue mission on Nudgee College’s 2019 season.

Nudgee College hooker Ronin Nutley runs out for Round One of the 2019 GPS First XV season. Photo: Brody Grogan, Nudgee College.

THE son of Queensland State of Origin enforcer Danny Nutley will return to Suncorp Stadium on Saturday to lead a rescue mission on Nudgee College’s 2019 season.

More than 14 years have passed since Nudgee hooker Ronin Nutley walked the fields of Suncorp Stadium hand-in-hand with his dad after watching his State of Origin debut in 2005.

Around a dozen of Nutley’s relatives will travel to the ground to watch Ronin’s return, this time for a game of his own.

Danny Nutley was never a man for tears but he admits his pride might just spill over watching his youngest son take the field for his school in a Wallabies curtain-raiser.

Maroons prop Danny Nutley with children Ronin and Regan (L-R) after State of Origin Game Three at Suncorp Stadium 06/07/05. Picture: David Kapernick.

“It’s going to be great for him,” Nutley said.

“Suncorp is an awesome place to play footy and it’s going to give all those boys a little bit of drive, if that’s the stage they want to play at and the level they want to reach.

“Ronin’s dream was to play First XV at Nudgee. He’s fulfilled that now but he’s got to keeping going, and the sky is the limit for him.”

Those on the sidelines will have to stretch to spot the similarities between father and son because they’re more subtle than might meet the eye.

Danny forged a 286-game career from aggression and a love for hard work.

Ronin shares some of those traits but is far from a clone of his old man.

Nudgee College hooker Ronin Nutley runs out for Round One of the 2019 GPS First XV season. Photo: Brody Grogan, Nudgee College.

“Ronin’s got a lot more skill than I ever had,” his dad said.

“I had to work hard because I didn’t have the skills. He’s got a good work ethic too but he’s got all the skills from his mum’s side of the family, not from me.

“Ronin’s achieved a lot going down to Nudgee and achieving one of his dreams, so I’ll be a bit choked up when he runs out.

“It will be a very proud moment.”

Nutley has impressed coaches at Nudgee College with his tenacity after converting from the centres, to flanker and then the front row since arriving at the school in Under-14s.

The hooker has found balance between his larrikin nature and the need to focus when the team requires it.

Danny Nutley (in focus) with current Queensland Reds coach Brad Thorn. Picture: David Kapernick.

That focus will be in high demand for the rest of the season because Nudgee are on the outside looking in on GPS rugby, unless undefeated BBC, IGS and TSS can be stripped of that status.

It’s too early to write Nudgee off with just one match played but their competitors are well aware the cloud of sudden death hangs over their season.

It will take perfection from here, with fingers crossed that some other team can do what they could not: topple frontrunners The Southport School.

Brisbane State High School will hope to hammer a nail into the Nudgee coffin at Suncorp Stadium by handing the butcher stripes’ their second loss of the season in round two.