The flame-haired ballboy who kept pace with Storm speedsters Ryan Papenhuyzen and Jahrome Hughes has been identified as 16-year-old high school student Robbie Cliff.
Just when Wests Tigers hooker Jacob Liddle thought he had clinched the highlight of the weekend with his try-saving effort on South Sydney’s Lachlan Ilias, Cliff became an internet sensation when he went stride for stride with Hughes as he tore downfield to score one of Melbourne’s 13 tries in their 70-10 romp over the Warriors.
Cheeky followers on social media suggested the Dolphins offer Cliff a deal based on his sheer pace, while some of Robbie’s schoolmates started labelling him “the world’s fastest man”.
His own father Jason, however, said camera angles flattered his boy, and when it came to speed he was “actually average”.
“We watched it all unfold on social media last night as we were going home,” Jason said. “When it comes to speed I’d say he’s average. He had a 10m head start, and the camera angle was kind to him. It’s a great story. Everyone is loving the fact he looked like he was mirroring Jahrome down the sideline.
“If I’m being honest, he’s actually slower, but you never let the truth get in the way of a good story.
“Some of the comments on social media were very good and included the Dolphins picking up on a five-year deal, and, ‘Who’s that ballboy? He looks like he’s 31’. He’s only 16.”
The Cliff family are big Storm supporters, with mother Julie a life member. Jason said playing regular football in the junior grades had been difficult because of numbers, and his son had been training with the Waverley Oakleigh Panthers’ senior squad, and all but certain to play up in the under-18s this season.
After being given a bit of a rock-star reception by some of his mates at Camberwell High, Robbie - whose dream is to play in the NRL one day - said: “I actually think I was just as fast as Jahrome. I think I’m quick.
“All my mates have been calling me the “world’s fastest man”, and there’s been all the stuff on TikTok and Instagram. It’s a bit surreal. I let him [Hughes] catch up to me, but I got him in the end.”
Liddle, meanwhile, said he brought back memories of his fullback days when he mowed down Ilias just metres from the tryline.
“I knew I’d get there; of course,” Liddle said with a smile. “I received a few messages. It’s one for the highlights reel. He [Ilias] was on my outside shoulder and a bit in front of me, so he was never going to step back inside me. I knew he was going to try and palm me, so I had to shove that off and hit his legs. I played fullback back in the day with the Wyong Roos.
“All the boys were putting in the effort. Big Tommy [Mikaele] was in front of me. Everyone was in the picture, which was great. Everyone was working for each other.”
Stream the NRL Premiership 2022 live and free on 9Now.