TWELVE months ago, Josh Caruana could only dream of being in the same company as Matt Moylan and David and Andrew Fifita.
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But the decision to chase his rugby league dream and move to Sydney has the former Wauchope Blues under-18 grand final winner on the path to the NRL.
A text message from Matt Lodge proved the final push in the right direction as the teenager packed up in December to move south.
“I went to a friends 21st and my mates aunt was there and she’s involved with St Patrick’s College at Blacktown,” Caruana recalled.
“She was trying to get me to play there because I was originally going to move to Queensland and try to get in the 20s up there.”
As it turned out, things fell into place and proved further indication that he was doing the right thing.
“Matthew Lodge messaged me and told me what was happening, and what to expect and told me to go down there, so I was pretty keen and went and gave it a go,” he said.
The recently turned 19-year-old admitted there were more opportunities in Sydney and his ultimate goal was to play in the Telstra Premiership.
Matthew Lodge messaged me and told me what was happening, and what to expect and told me to go down there, so I was pretty keen and went and gave it a go.
- Josh Caruana
St Patrick’s have provided National Rugby League players such as Moylan and the Fitita brothers and Caruana hopes he can join them in coming years.
They have also been a feeder club for the Penrith Panthers.
“I would like to at least crack the 20s down there first,” Caruana said.
“I haven’t given it a specific amount of years, but if I don’t make that I’ll try to make the Sydney Shield and try to slowly work my way up to the NRL if I’m good enough.”
He hasn’t forgotten the impact the Wauchope Blues played in getting him to a level where he could feel confident he had what it takes to play in the NRL.
“I do miss the culture of the Wauchope Blues a lot,” he said.
“That was really good and I miss the first grade coach because he played a big role for me because he gave me the opportunity to play first grade last year.
“I don’t think I’d be anywhere without him doing that.”
I do miss the culture of the Wauchope Blues a lot.
- Josh Caruana
Caruana has already had a taste of rugby league at a higher level than he achieved with the Blues when he represented Malta in a test match against Hungary in February.
“It was my first taste of international footy and it was really good,” he said.
“I was real nervous, it was a big game, but it was a test match so the coach told me just to go out there and play.
“That gave me an idea of how good players like Billy Slater and Cameron Smith and the Kangaroos are because they play teams like (Hungary and Malta) and win really easily.”
