Hope had long envisioned this moment. She had been saving for the day she got the call, and after initially deciding to stay home, she changed her mind, reasoning that even if he didn’t play, it would still be special to see him and spend time with family.
So, while attending her daughter’s netball tournament in Whangārei on Sunday afternoon, she booked a flight to Sydney for the following morning and landed just hours before kickoff.
As fate would have it, Twidle benefited from one of the NRL’s latest rule changes, which allows teams to name six players on the bench but only use four.
Although the Eels had already used their allocation, a spate of injuries – compounded by a dislocated ankle to fellow Kiwi Bailey Simonsson – opened the door for him to enter the game.
And he made the most of it. In a matter of minutes, he went from an unknown name to one fans will be watching closely in the future.
“I would have been sitting at home kicking myself and crying if I didn’t go,” Hope told the Herald.
“I was looking down and we saw him warming up, and we started getting excited and messaging the family back home. When he got that first try, we were jumping up and down, screaming and hugging each other.
“Everything has been surreal. He’s been over here since he was 16, working towards this day, and hopefully many more like it.”
Twidle had already accepted his debut might not come. But after being cleared to take the field as 18th man, he admitted he was a bundle of nerves.
Once he got his hands on the ball, though, everything felt natural. His first touch produced a spectacular finish in the corner, the kind that would earn admiration from even the NRL’s elite wingers.
Apa Twidle scores his first try in the NRL. Photo / NRL.com
He wasn’t even sure he had scored, with the try only confirmed after a video review.
Speaking to the Herald, Twidle said the experience has left him hungry for more.
“The last 24 hours have been hectic. I woke up on game day just preparing as if I was playing,” he said. “Once they used the four players, I thought maybe next week, maybe it’s not my day.
“But then one of the staff told me to get up and warm up. I said, ‘you can’t use me’, and he told me I could play. My heart was racing – but once I touched the ball, I settled into it.
“I landed on my shoulder and head, so I was a bit dazed … the boys were asking, ‘did you get it?’ and I honestly didn’t know. Then we watched the replay and I was like, ‘oh – I got it’.
“I only played 20 minutes, but that’s just the beginning. I want a long career in this game. This was a dream come true – but I want to do it for a long time.”
Eels coach Jason Ryles praised his performance post-match, saying his efforts were outstanding and that he is one to watch for the future, but conceded there are some improvements needed to make him a consistent NRL player.
Remarkably, Twidle was playing out on the wing, a position he’s never played before, having primarily featured at fullback and in the halves.
Elation turns into emotion
After the match, family and friends performed a haka in Twidle’s honour – a moment Hope said she was incredibly proud to be part of.
There was also an emotional embrace between mother and son, capturing years of sacrifice made in pursuit of this dream.
“It’s not easy for kids from a small town to move away from family,” Hope said.
“He’s been really lucky – when he was in Brisbane, there were some amazing people who looked after him. Not every kid finds that.
“It’s special for everyone who’s been part of his journey. Back home, they’re all so proud.”
Twidle grew up playing for Turangawaewae Rugby League Sports & Cultural Club – which shares the Eels’ blue and gold colours – starting in the under-5s before moving to Brisbane as a teenager, where he attended Marsden State High School, a well-known hotbed for rugby league talent.
After two years there, he joined the Eels system, progressing through the ranks from S.G Ball Cup (under-19s) to Jersey Flegg (under-21s) and reserve grade, earning a fulltime train-and-trial contract for the remainder of the season.
Twidle said his mum has been central to his journey.
“I know everything my mum’s done for me, she’s a big reason why I’ve made it,” Twidle said.
“I moved to Brisbane when I was 16 and that was tough. I’d always be calling my mum and brothers when I was homesick and wanted to come home, but I knew I had to stick it out.
“It was all worth it. That’s why we were so emotional after the game, because of those sacrifices.”
Twidle’s seven-month daughter was also in the stands, and he had her name written on one wrist.
On the other was a tribute to Paul Brown, a mentor of Twidle’s who tragically passed away with cancer the week his daughter was born.
‘Always stood out’
The Ngāruawāhia community was vocal on social media following the match, praising Twidle’s journey to the NRL.
Turangawaewae Rugby League Club chairman Paki Rawiri said Twidle’s work ethic always set him apart.
“Apa always stood out in every team he played in, but what we still talk about is his work ethic and determination,” Rawiri said. “If he wasn’t playing, he’d be at the club training by himself.
“It was clear he was focused on his dream and prepared to make the sacrifices needed to get there.”
Rawiri said he and his wife were on their feet at home as the moment unfolded.
Twidle is the second player from the club to debut in the NRL in the past 12 months, following Aublix Tawha, who debuted for the Dolphins last year before joining the Brisbane Broncos.
Rawiri said their journeys are inspiring the next generation.
“It is tough seeing our talent leave the region, but as a club, we will always encourage our rangatahi to go chase their dreams.
“Their journeys will inspire our junior players because they can see that boys from their own fields, from their own whānau and community can reach the highest level of the game we all love.”
The Eels held a special jersey presentation for Twidle on Wednesday morning, which Hope stayed in Sydney to attend.
He may have to wait for his next opportunity, however, after sustaining a shoulder injury while scoring his opening try.
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.