Canberra coach Ricky Stuart told Cowra’s Shannon Boyd to keep fit after he was named in the Australian Kangaroos extended squad, following the Raiders ousting in the preliminary final against Melbourne Storm two weeks ago.
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Rather than going for the conventional run, Boyd’s been in the shearing shed most days on the family farm in Cowra.
That’s where he was when Australia coach Mal Meninga called to inform the front-rower of his selection in the 24-man Kangaroos squad for the upcoming Four Nations tournament.
His mother Ann-Maree and sister Courtney were first to know.
“Mum and Court rang me while I was putting some sheep in, it was pretty exciting but I was also pretty nervous,” Boyd said during an interview on Wednesday afternoon.
“I was probably more nervous than anything when I found out but now I’m getting excited. It’ll be really good to get away and do some training with the squad.”
Boyd travels to Canberra on Wednesday evening before flying to Sydney on Thursday morning, where the team gathers for the first time since its announcement.
He’ll return to Canberra on Friday for some training, and maybe some pig hunting after dark, before the team fly to Perth on Sunday ahead of a Test against New Zealand on October 15 – prior to the Four Nations tournament hosted by England from October 28 to November 20.
It’s almost been eight years since the junior Magpie joined the Canberra Raiders system.
Boyd said he never imagined being in this situation, and explained how important the last 12 months has been for his rugby league career.
“Definitely not, I nearly pulled the pin just before Stick [Ricky Stuart] came [to Canberra] and he told me ‘have one more crack and see how you go’. He played me in the last couple of trials this season and he told me that I’d be playing round one.
“I was nearly back home doing a bit of work,” he added.
His father Peter said Shannon making the NRL was an achievement in itself, but now he’s eager to see his son hit the paddock with a Kangaroo jumper on.
“You don’t think about these things,” Peter said. “The big one is playing NRL so he’s been lucky to do that. So to get this achievement is really good.”
“I was glad to hear he was named in the extended squad but to get in the 24 is pretty good and he can now have a good crack at playing in one of the games.”
An international debut would make Boyd the fifth rugby league player to wear the Cowra Magpies jersey and represent Australia, joining Edgar Newham, Tom Raudonikis, Andrew Farrar and Royce Simmons.
“Hopefully I do get a start and get to be one of those players as well,” Boyd said. “If I get the chance to do it, it’d be really exciting.”
He hopes to get an indication from coach Mal Meninga in the coming days of what his role will be.
“I’ll probably try and have a bit of a yarn to him and try and get a clue on what we’ll be doing. Then I’ll be able to settle in and hopefully know whether I’ll be playing or not and concentrate a bit more. But it’s all up in the air at the moment and I’m just hoping I can get a bit of a run at some point.”
“It’d be really good to run out, it’d be a great experience.”
Australia play New Zealand in Perth on October 15. Then face off against Scotland, England and New Zealand in the Four Nations tournament from October 28 to November 20 in England.
