Ethan Strange’s dad will watch his son’s Blues debut then chase his own piece of Origin history

“Strangey loves defending, he loves putting shots on, and he plays with the same aggression when he has the ball. I’m pretty excited to see him play. We know what ‘Huddo’ can do, but for Strangey to get the call-up, it’s exciting times for him and NSW.” Canberra coach Ricky Stuart famously – and correctly – declared Strange would go on to make the Ashes tour with the Kangaroos last year. He also tipped Strange to play Origin football in the next year or two, to which he told this masthead on Monday night: “I love him as a bloke, and the timing for him is right.

He’s got a massive career ahead of him. You could give him two months to prepare for an Origin game or two hours, it wouldn’t worry him.” The time away on the Roo tour helped Strange get to know NSW halfback Nathan Cleary. Strange grew up on the Central Coast, and it is fitting he joined the Raiders given he is arguably the only player in the NRL with viking heritage – his great, great, great, great, great-grandfather, John Thompson, was Norwegian.