Several State of Origin hopefuls were trying to impress rival selectors but it was debutant Jake Granville who caught the eye in Brisbane’s 32-6 win over the Gold Coast at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
Brisbane coach Anthony Griffin waited until the 50th minute to inject the mop-haired 23 year-old hooker into the action and once he got on the field he was a bundle of energy in attack and defence.
He started his NRL career in forgettable fashion, knocking on with his first touch.
But he finished it in an unforgettable way, darting out of dummy half before laying on a perfectly weighted grubber kick which bounced favourably for winger Lachlan Maranta to score.
“He’ll remember that,” said Griffin after the game.
“He gave us some up-tempo stuff and his defence was brilliant.
“He’s a tough little guy.”
More of those performances and NRL clubs will be bashing down his door with his contract with Brisbane due to expire at the end of 2013 but the Broncos have no intentions of letting him go.
“We’ll be retaining him,” Broncos football operations manager Andrew Gee told AAP after Granville’s impressive debut.
“He will be staying with us.”
And it seems Gee may not have to work too hard to get Granville’s signature.
“Brisbane have given me a chance. I’ve wanted to play for the Broncos since I was a young kid,” said Granville, who grew up in Rockhampton.
“I’d love to get more games and stay here,” he said.
The Broncos have been missing a player who gives them spark and zing.
With his genuine pace, energy, support play among other tools Granville could be that impact player, leaving Griffin with a pleasant headache after Ben Hunt grabbed his chance as injured veteran Scott Prince’s replacement at five-eighth.
Brisbane flew Granville’s parents Bill and Mary down from Yeppoon in central Queensland to be among the crowd of 34,596.
But they had to sit through the first half before their son joined the game early in the second half with Brisbane in a commanding position leading 24-6.
“I enjoyed every bloody minute,” beamed Granville, still on a high almost an hour after the game.
“It (knock on) wasn’t the best start but the boys all got behind me and got me some quick play the balls and I worked off that.”
Granville described his first NRL try assist as “a bit arsey” but his reaction in raising his arm to salute his parents suggested otherwise.
The livewire hooker found the step up to the NRL a real eye-opener.”
“It was a lot quicker than the Queensland Cup. I can play 80 minutes there but I was stuffed after 15 minutes – there’s a big difference.”