The moment NSW lock Jack de Belin was reduced to tears breaking a decade long promise to himself
IT was the moment which reduced the toughest man in rugby league to tears and broke a decade long promise to himself.
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IT was the moment which reduced the toughest man in rugby league to tears and broke a decade long promise to himself.
Jack de Belin has announced himself as the heaviest hitter in the game this year but despite his feared reputation, the Blues lock struggled to keep his emotions in check as he fell into the arms of NSW adviser Greg Alexander after wrapping up the series at ANZ Stadium.
“I’m not an emotional person at all,” de Belin said. “I don’t let emotions get the better of me but it was one of those feelings where it was a release.
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“We invested so much energy and time into the game and when we looked around it was something we had finally done that hadn’t been done for so long.
“It was a changing of the guard of the culture and the belief we developed among the boys. You saw at the end of the game all the boys came together — no one ran to the crowd or did their own thing.
“That’s our tight we are. It was such a great moment.”
It was Alexander’s own emotions in the lead-up to game one which still resonates with de Belin. Alexander stood up in the middle of Sydney Harbour and welled up with tears as he gave a passionate speech to the rookie Blues squad.
“It showed me how passionate he was and he had the best intentions for the boys,” de Belin said. “He got very passionate there and that’s probably why I got so passionate.
“Brandy (Alexander) has been so inspirational throughout the whole camps he has been an influential figure. I really looked up to him and seeing him there, the raw emotion on both of our faces it got the better of me.”
Alexander said de Belin’s embrace would stay with him forever.
“Jack just let it all out at full-time,” Alexander said. “It was something that I will never forget. “It was just an example of the tension and the pressure that are on these young blokes. The scrutiny and the build up is massive.”
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De Belin last cried as a teenager. He promised himself that at that moment tears would never fall down his face.
“I got teary playing for (school side) St Gregory’s,” de Belin said. “We lost and it was my last ever game. I saw a few of the boys crying and it got the better of me.
“I promised myself after that moment that I would never cry again. And I hadn’t until the Origin game and that was tears of joy … I promised myself I would never cry again.”
The personal satisfaction and years of toil also took centre stage on de Belin’s emotions. He had long craved an Origin jersey but felt time ticking on his representative career.
“This was do or die for me,” de Belin said. “I’m 27. If you haven’t made rep arena by then you get looked over for the younger players. It’s a big thanks to the coaching staff for picking players on form and character.
“It has given me confidence knowing I’ve played in the biggest arena in Australian sport. I can take confidence knowing I’ve come up against the best and matched them if not put it over certain players. It’s a good time to be alive.
“I never doubted my potential. I thought my game was suited to Origin now I’ve finally got the chance to prove that. I don’t’ think there would be people who disagree.”