NRL 2021: Sharks hardman Royce Hunt watches son’s birth on side of the road

If there was a story that optimised the sacrifice of every NRL player and family member, to uproot their lives and move to Queensland to keep the competition going, this is it.

NRL hardman Royce Hunt sat on the side of the Pacific Highway, somewhere outside Port Macquarie, with tears streaming down his face.

It was just after 2am on Saturday morning and the Cronulla Sharks forward’s life was changing before his eyes.

“I sat there balling my eyes out on the side of the road, holding my phone, watching my baby boy be born with truckies flying past,” Hunt said.

If there was a story that optimised the sacrifice of every NRL player and family member, to uproot their lives and move to Queensland to keep the competition going, this is it.

Watching the greatest moment of his life live on FaceTime, Hunt sat alone on the kerb as he supported, cried and celebrated his loving wife Shavaun’s strength — and the arrival of their first child, a baby boy they have named Wolf.

Hunt always thought he would be by Shavaun’s side for their baby’s birth.

The Sharks had booked him a flight out of Brisbane on Sunday.

Instead, the 24-year-old was required to make a manic and unexpected dash from the Sharks team hotel in Brisbane on Friday night.

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Shavaun Hunt and baby Wolf Hunt, with dad Royce Hunt on the phone.

It included a nine-hour race against time in the borrowed car of a teammate — so Hunt could be there to hold his newborn son at St George Private hospital in Sydney.

“Shavaun called at 9.30pm on Friday night crying that her waters had just broken,” Hunt said.

“I laughed and thought, ‘wow, baby’s have a perfect sense of timing’.

“I called (Mark) Noakes (Sharks team manager) and he said, we can’t get you out on a flight until Sunday morning.

“So I wrote on our player’s WhatsApp; “Has anyone got a car I can take?”

“Braden (Hamlin-Uele) said. ‘Yep, I’ll get my keys.’

“Then Woodsy (Aaron Woods) came running down the hallway with the keys looking for me.

“The boys quickly helped me pack my bag and off I went.

“I was in the car by 9.45pm.

“I tapped the quickest route into Google Maps and drove straight onto the motorway and I was gone.

“I thought I was going to make it easily.

“I was begging she could hold on.”

Royce Hunt had to make a mad dash from Queensland home to Sydney. Picture: NRL Photos

Yet it was a phone call from Shavaun’s mother that forced Hunt to pull over, four hours into his wild and emotional ride.

“I got a call saying the baby is going to come before you get here, stay calm, we’ll give you a FaceTime call when it’s time,’’ Hunt said.

“I was still thinking, maybe she would hold on and I could get there, so I kept driving.

“Then I got the call — I pulled over to the side of the road for the FaceTime video call.

“It was pitch black outside. It was about a half-hour of pushing and about 2am, he was out.

“Thank goodness for technology.

“The midwives and nurses were amazing.

“They held the phone while holding my wife and told me we’ll make you feel like you’re here, as much as we can.’’

An exhausted, emotional and elated Hunt pulled into the driveway of St George Private at 6.30am on Saturday.

Royce Hunt finally made it to Sydney to meet his new baby.

“The nurses even waited for me to get here before they weighed and measured him, which was special,’’ Hunt told News Corp from the hospital.

“I came straight in and took my shirt off and put him against my skin.

“It was amazing.

“I cried again. I gave my wife a big hug and a kiss. It’s crazy how it worked out, but it’s a beautiful thing.

“We’ll have a story to tell Wolf for the rest of our lives.’’

Hunt said he planned to return to Brisbane with his Cronulla teammates once Shavaun and Wolf were comfortable with him leaving again.

He will be forced to quarantine for two weeks in Brisbane before being able to train or play again.

“I’ll probably stay for the weekend and then head back into the bubble and finish off the season,’’ Hunt said.

“I want to help the boys get into the finals.”