Wests Tigers debutant Charlie Murray reveals father will be watching first NRL game from Iraq

The Wests Tigers’ round 14 match will have viewership from all across the globe, with debutant Charlie Murray revealing his best friend and father will watch his first NRL game from Iraq. Watch the emotional call between Murray and his dad.

Charlie Murray will have to make his NRL debut this weekend without his best friend by his side.

The young Tiger couldn’t believe coach Benji Marshall’s decision in the team meeting to give him an NRL call up on Tuesday and straight away got onto the phone to his first coach, his dad Grant, all the way on the other side of the world in Iraq.

It would have been still dark in the early hours of the morning there when Murray made the call, but it didn’t matter.

“Growing up kicking the footy and running and doing all the training, dad was there. I chose to do everything but dad just encouraged me in whatever I wanted to do. My old man is my best mate,” Murray said ahead of his debut.

Grant moved overseas at the start of the year to take up a safety advisor role with gas energy company Basrah, but has kept up with his son’s progression from afar.

Without a direct way to watch rugby league in Iraq, he’ll have to get creative on Sunday to watch his son come up against the Panthers.

Tigers youngster Charlie Murray is set for his NRL debut. Picture: NRL

“Dad’s just staying at work so he’ll have to sort out a VPN for Kayo. He’ll figure something out.

“It’s special for him. He’s been there through everything.”

After more than 70 reserve grade games and some pre-seasons under Craig Bellamy in Melbourne, the 23-year-old from Narromine said he was close to writing off his chances of a shot in first grade before a final chance came calling with Shane Richardson and Marshall.

“Getting stuck in Queensland Cup I guess my thoughts were like, is it going to happen and am I just going to play Queensland Cup forever?

“When the opportunity came here, I just wanted to take it with both hands and now it’s happening.

“I’ve been in Sydney, Gold Coast, Melbourne. You’ve got to get your stuff together and start thinking about jobs and career and all that kind of stuff. I’m 23, not too old, but then you want to get started with your life so I just thought one more crack.”

The call up means between his work in finance at a brokerage firm while studying and training, the youngster originally from Narromine has quickly developed a new seven-day schedule to accommodate all three.

Charlie Murray’s debut is set to be watched in Iraq. Picture: NRL Photos

“I’ve had to put in leave at work for my days in training and then on my off days I’ve been working. It’s pretty hectic,” he said.

“I just like the numbers and helping people find solutions to what they want to do with properties and stuff like that. It tests you and it’s a challenge and it’s been good.”

While he’s yet to help his new teammates sort their finances, the youngster from the country has certainly left an impression on them with the footy.

“Charlie’s just chipping away. He’s comes in here the last couple of weeks he just plays well, trains well in our sessions,” winger Sunia Turuva said.

“Having a debut, you don’t forget that kind of stuff and then seeing when Benji told him yesterday in the meeting was pretty special.”

While his dad might not be in attendance, Murray won’t be short of support at CommBank on Sunday between Mum, his partner Kayla and friends making the trip from Port Macquarie and the Gold Coast.

“I’ve worked my whole life for it, really, so it’s been a big build-up and a long road to get here. … They’ve ridden the highs and the lows with me so it’s a credit to them (too).”

Originally published as Wests Tigers debutant Charlie Murray reveals father will be watching first NRL game from Iraq