Harry Grant out to impress on Kangaroos run-on debut at RLWC

October 21, 2022 12:06 pm.by Wayne Heming

Harry Grant for Australia — Harry Grant pushes for the tryline in Australia’s RLWC win over Fiji. (Getty Images)

Harry Grant was a hero long before he ever pulled on a Queensland and Australian jumper to proudly represent his state and country.

Grant, who helped Queensland regain the State of Origin trophy earlier this year, will make his starting debut for Australia against Scotland at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena on the weekend.

He doesn’t talk about it much, because he is a humble young man, but when he was 20 he and his father, Paul, rescued a mother and her young daughter who were being dragged out to sea in the surf at Port Macquarie.

Grant related the incident during an interview in 2018 before representing Queensland Under-20s against NSW.

A former nipper, he raced into the surf with his father and rescued the pair.

“The daughter was getting sucked out and her mum refused to let go of her hand,” he recalled.

“They were a fair way out and in a bit of trouble.

“It was a little daunting because you don’t know what to expect, but it felt very special when we got them back to the beach.”

“They were very shaken but very thankful.”

The Kangaroos opened their Rugby League World Cup campaign with a comprehensive 42-8 victory over Fiji to jump to the top of Group B.

Grant at times was dazzling against the Fiji Bati, coming off the bench and changing the pace of the game with his dummy-half darts and silky service.

The 24-year-old has overcome a lot of obstacles to make it this far having survived a life-threatening battle with a staph infection when he was 12 years old.

He also suffered a complicated compound fracture of his leg when he was younger which kept him out of the game for over two years.

Having served his apprenticeship under the game’s greatest hooker, Cameron Smith, who presented him with his No.188 Storm jumper, many believe Grant is well on the way to greatness himself.

One of four brothers – along with Billy, George and Paul – competition in the family backyard in Yeppoon was always fierce.

“We grew up on a bit of land and if he weren’t playing footy it was cricket or touch or something else,” Grant said.

“Some of the games were grubby and occasionally I would throw a tantrum if I lost.

“Mum and Dad used to just let us go at it.”

Grant will guide Australia around the park on the weekend in a Kangaroo squad featuring his Storm partner Cameron Munster and premiership-winning halfback Nathan Cleary.

Cleary gets his chance to push his claims for the finals after coach Mal Meninga played Manly halfback Daly Cherry-Evans in the opening game against Fiji.

A number of fringe players, including Matt Burton, Campbell Graham, and Patrick Carrigan, will also be out to impress Meninga, who is still piecing together his finals squad.

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