State of Origin 2016: Wade Graham gets NSW jersey and chance to live childhood dream

IT was 14 years ago that Wade Graham promised his dad that he would one day play for NSW. Now the Cronulla backrower gets to live that dream.

MARK Graham remembers the night 14 years ago when his only son Wade looked up into his eyes and made a promise.

An 11-year-old Wade Graham had just spent 80 minutes out on ANZ Stadium after being hand-picked to carry the kicking tee of NSW legend Andrew Johns, in game one of the 2002 State of Origin series.

In front of 55,421 fans, Johns kept the Blacktown City junior busy, finishing with a personal points haul of 13 with a try, four goals and a field goal as NSW dominated Queensland 32-4.

TEDESCO KNOCKED DOWN ORIGIN DOOR

STUFF-UP AT NSW SQUAD NAMING

Graham has a laugh with Blake Ferguson and David Klemmer.

“When the ball boys were being chosen for the game, Wade being the youngest, he just stood in the corner,’’ Mark told The Daily Telegraph.

“Joey (Johns) spotted him at the back and grabbed him. He said: ‘Mate, I want you to carry my kicking tee out’.

“Out on the field, Joey kept pointing to he and Wade up on the big screen and so when Wade came back to me at the end of the game, he said to me: “I’m going to play out there one day Dad.’’

“Every family is the same, they all have their story to get there. But that’s where it started for Wade.’’

On Monday Graham was named by NSW coach Laurie Daley to make his long-awaited Origin debut — just three weeks after declaring the Cronulla star may never get the chance to play for the Blues.

Chosen for game two and subsequently suspended within the space of 48 hours after failing to beat a high tackle charge committed against Johnathan Thurston while playing for the Sharks, Graham spoke of “relief”, “pride” and “satisfaction” in achieving the dream he first set as an 11-year-old.

“When I got the message, I rang my mum and dad and the excitement (I felt), you could tell how much it meant to them,’’ Graham said.

A young Wade Graham in 2002 after having been named ball boy for the series opener.

“I could hear it (emotion) in my dad when I was talking to him. Obviously what I went through, to get through the other side, here we are, it’s great to have another opportunity. They know how much it means to me. So to see how it happened with the suspension they knew how much it hurt me.

“Obviously whenever your kids are struggling, parents probably ride it harder than anyone so they’re super proud. I’m grateful that I can have them all here in Sydney for my first game.

“This was the ground I carried Joey’s kicking tee at all those years ago. Now I get to run out for the state of NSW on that same ground. It’s a dream come true.”

Graham said he could understand Daley’s honesty in that a second chance may never have arrived.

“It’s a big opportunity to get a chance to play,’’ Graham said. “You see guys like Frizz (Tyson Frizell) come in and play well and if Boyd Cordner was back, the opportunity would be hard to come by.

“It’s about, when you do get that opportunity, you’ve got to make the most of it. I’ve been waiting for almost my whole life for this chance, you can be sure I’m not going to waste it.’’