When things got a little desperate on the Queensland goal-line as NSW surged in the closing minutes of Origin One, forward Max Plath said there were words the Maroons shouted at each other to hold tight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got our processes and words that we live by that build our culture and keep us strong,\u201d Plath said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were repeating those and just remembering who we were representing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe tried our guts out.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Plath certainly pulled his weight on Origin debut,\u00a0playing 63 minutes at lock and making 44 tackles with only one miss.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think about it or count them. I just try to do my role because I\u2019m just so stoked to be a Queensland player,” he said.<\/p>\n
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The frantic final minutes<\/p>\n
His father John, a four-time premiership winner, nearly got there himself.<\/p>\n
The Broncos utility was about to be called up into the Queensland side by selectors in 1994.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Coach Wayne Bennett knew how much Plath wanted to represent but he also knew he was carrying a shoulder injury.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI never got the call \u2013 Wayne made the decision for me,\u201d Plath said in the Maroons sheds.<\/p>\n
That prompted a question for Max: Do you think your dad is living vicariously through you?\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Walker shines on debut<\/p>\n
\u201cHe might be. You should ask him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
So NRL.com went and found John, wearing \u201913 Plath\u2019 T-shirts with a large group of family and friends in the Queensland sheds.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just so proud and excited to see him run out there. I admire his efforts and everything he kept working on,\u201d John said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt wasn\u2019t a great result but I\u2019m real proud of his individual performance. He just kept competing and he never gave up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Thomas Flegler Try<\/p>\n
\u201cHe got that strength from chasing his brothers down in the backyard.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought all the Queenslanders played well. It was just one of those games that got away from them. That courage in the last few minutes was incredible.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAt one stage I looked over to the far side of the field and Kurt Capewell is there with blood streaming out of his head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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They were absolutely knackered but they kept going and going<\/p>\n
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Among texts to his son throughout the week to help encourage him was John\u2019s last on game day afternoon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI try not to bother him too much but I\u2019ll find it for you… I said: \u2018Hi mate, so proud to see you amongst this kind of company \u2013 you belong in it\u2019.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Max appreciated the message and praised his family for having his back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI had heaps of texts from my family, especially dad. He also gives me some inspiration and he\u2019s great to lean on.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Walker shines on debut<\/p>\n
Plath has already shown plenty of courage to Dolphins fans after overcoming an ACL injury that cut short his 2025 season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He worked hard to return to the NRL and said he wasn\u2019t too overawed by the occasion of an Origin debut after just 40 NRL games in three-and-a-half seasons for the Dolphins.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI was just trying to stay calm. I am just one piece of a team so I have to stick to my processes and make sure I do my job,” he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the end, despite all the hype, it\u2019s still a game of rugby league that has to be played.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Cobbo flies high<\/p>\n
But leading 20-0 late in the first half to lose the game 22-20 in the final minute has lit a fire inside Plath for Game Two in Melbourne on June 17.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely. I think we showed a lot of heart as a team working together,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI just hope we did our state proud. Some things just don\u2019t go your way but you\u2019ve just got to get on with it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n