https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/sport/local-sport/michael-enniss-wisdom-has-kirwan-ace-on-course-for-stardom/news-story/cb7cfbe1b41f4324e11c18a27e393856 HE WAS seen as the young bloke to target. He was seen as the smaller up-and-comer in need of some toughening up. But Adrian Trevilyan thrived. The former Kirwan State High School star ventured to the Canberra Raiders with Townsville teammate Brad Schneider where they were set to feature in the Green Machine’s under 20s side. Within their pre-season was a two-and-a-half week stint training with the NRL squad — a true reality check in what it took to succeed at rugby league’s plateaus. However the experience has steeled Trevilyan. He knows where his strengths are, where his weaknesses are, and what it takes to get to the top. “I know what to expect to go to that next level, it was a really good experience. The boys were really nice, although they tried to give it to the younger guys,” Trevilyan said.
“When we did the contact drills they would see me as the youngest and smallest there, but it was really fun to do. “Just knowing I can take on bigger boys and be more aggressive … from all the heavy contact and fast pace it’s toughened me up to this sort of level.” In Raiders coach Ricky Stuart and assistant Michael Ennis, the 18-year-old Trevilyan had the perfect teachers. The hooker’s calibre was already noted at a schoolboy level, having claimed the Peter Sterling Medal last year. But he knew full well there was plenty to add to his game, and his short time with NRL premiership winning rake Ennis opened him to that. With 274 first-grade appearance across five clubs to his credit, Ennis had plenty of wisdom to bestow upon his young charge, and the Townsville product said he would be the beneficiary once rugby league took to the field again. “It was more a lot of kicking stuff, but more so getting to know the feel for your players around you — particularly your forwards,” Trevilyan said. “They all like different sorts of things so if you can get that right it will make their job a lot easier. Also the tempo and the pace you go at out of hooker. “I feel like I’ve definitely picked up a few little tricks that will help. I’ve still got a lot of kicking practice to do but once I get that down pat it’ll be really good for my game.” The cancellation of the under 20s coronavirus-enforced competition has meant Trevilyan has returned home to Townsville as he awaits further instructions. It was going to be his first time competing at that level week to week, and an opportunity for him to showcase his first-grade credentials. While his future progression is currently clouded by COVID-19, Trevilyan said all he could do was keeping at work in isolation and wait for his chance to come again. “All the boys were pumped for the first game but we had a bye then the whole season got shut down,” he said. “It was a bit bitter to deal with, at first it wasn’t the whole season cancelled so we kept training but then we were told the season was cancelled. “I was pretty devastated but the boys are still training hard.”
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AuthorI covered a vast range of sports and issues in my time with the Bulletin. Archives
June 2020
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