State of Origin game three: How Dale Finucane became the NSW Blues heartbeat

Dale Finucane has gone from eating breakfast in the shower to eating Queensland for dinner. Here’s how he became an Origin hero.

Dale Finucane has become the heartbeat of NSW’s Origin side.

Dale Finucane, they say, used to eat breakfast in the shower.

Gave him more time for stretching, apparently.

That, and strapping, studying handwritten notes and whatever else the anonymous Canterbury teen — back then, signed for just $5000 because nobody else wanted him — needed to do before stepping onto Belmore Oval for training.

Which is where things got crazier again.

But don’t take our word for it.

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Go ask those old roommates from his Bulldogs sharehouse, who dubbed the backrower ‘Kaos’.

Which is no small thing when you learn said group included the likes of Marty Taupau, Josh Jackson, even Dave Klemmer.

Or speak with Fox Sports analyst Mick Ennis, who remembers his days as a Bulldogs No. 9 when Finucane would not only go berserk in opposed sessions, but also demand, during kick offs in games, that there was always an extra metre between himself and the guy inside.

With the idea being that the opposition runner’s eyes would light up as he made for the space — allowing Kaos the opportunity to try and cut him in half.

None of which fans will be tuning into Origin III for on Wednesday night.

Dale Finucane during a New South Wales Blues State of Origin training session. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)

No, the honour of earning those eyeballs belongs to the likes of James Tedesco, Tommy Trbojevic, even the mercurial Latrell Mitchell.

Same deal Nathan Cleary when he wasn’t injured.

Or Jarome Luai and Brian To’o.

A pair of Penrith young guns so loved out west, Mt Druitt locals drove a parade of cars past their homes following Origin II.

Yet for Finucane?

Parades are harder to come by.

Yet know this week, there have been certain moments when NSW coach Brad Fittler has wanted, say, an increased intensity in training. Or a reminder that this impending Origin dead rubber, it’s actually anything but.

“Which is when I whisper in the ear of Dale Finucane,” says Blues Head of Performance Hayden Knowles. “Although asking Dale to set the intensity level for a session, it’s really like saying ‘mate, go do what you’ve always done’.”

Which itself is a some story, albeit one nobody can ever tell.

Or not really.

Especially when you know this intensity Finucane is now bringing to a Blues side looking to earn that first clean sweep in 21 years, it’s been part of his life for a decade.

Or measured another way, 208 NRL games.

Dale Finucane scores against Wests Tigers in Round 15. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Not only every day, or session, but each individual lap of the oval and gym lift.

Still eating breakfast in the shower?

Blues officials cannot say for sure.

“But I know he times his stretches,” Knowles continues.

Huh?

“I came down earlier this week and found Dale stretching in the team room,” he says. “And he had an iPhone stopwatch going beside him, timing every stretch.

“Same as you’ll often see him writing into a notebook he carries around. Or before training, putting on the shoulder guards, the bicep guards, everything.

“He just brings an incredible intensity, a passion, to everything he does.”

Take, for example, those opening moments of his first ever Blues training session, back in 2019.

“Took Jimmy Maloney clean out,” Knowles laughs.

“It was the first drill of the week. We we were warming the forwards up by having them race up and put pressure on the kicker.

“So Dale, he races up and …”

Whack.

Man down.

But again, how else do you reckon a kid nobody wanted got here?

Not only into the NRL, or even Origin, but now running out for his sixth game as vice-captain of a Blues side thick with superstars.

Back in the day as Bulldogs young guns: Josh Jackson, Marty Taupau and Dale Finucane.

“But this is a guy who had influence over the squad when he was 20th man,” Knowles insists.

So, yes, Panthers winger Brian To’o remains the Blues CEO — or Chief Energy Officer. With that boom box he carries quickly becoming as much a part of NSW Origin camp as, say, earthing and yoga.

But when Freddy really wants the training intensity lifted?

That’s when they have a quiet word to Kaos.

That unshakeable Melbourne tough who also heads into Origin III without his playing future sorted.

Indeed, while Storm coach Craig Bellamy has already declared he will do everything possible to keep Finucane, salary cap pressure will likely force the forward out, with a host of clubs including Newcastle, Wests Tigers and North Queensland circling.

“And I’m no CEO,” Knowles says. “But I’d pay the guy whatever he’s asking for.

“Because Dale Finucane is somebody who will impact on the entire culture of your club.

“He’s a guy brings those certain qualities Freddy looks for and cares about.

“Qualities existing well away from the bright lights.”

Originally published as State of Origin game three: How Dale Finucane became the NSW Blues heartbeat