FOR one weekend Tyler Keller didn’t mind being on the cusp of the Canberra Raiders Harold Matthews squad, rather than it. Instead of tackling and losing to competition frontrunners St George at Kippax on Saturday, the 15-year-old played in a curtain-raiser to an all-stars league showdown featuring the likes of Ken Nagas, Shaun Timmins, Wendell Sailor, Brett Mullins, Nathan Blacklock and Goulburn’s own Mick Dodson.
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He would have been excused had he dozed-off during a late evening shift at McDonald’s, too.
The young halfback scored a try, landed a conversion and directed traffic well in an under 16s match with a group nine representative team at Young.
Immediately after the game, he jumped into his father’s car and the pair travelled back to Goulburn in time for a 4pm shift at McDonald’s.
It was a fleeting albeit worthwhile trip to the cherry-picking capital of Australia, Tyler’s dad Barry said. “He had a blinder, his coach was really impressed,” a proud father said of his son’s effort. “It was pretty hot again, it was difficult, but he [Tyler] stuck it out. He played all but four minutes.”
Playing in a second string junior Raiders outfit isn’t easy. A week prior Tyler joined aspiring representative players in Wagga for a difficult match with the ‘Bidgee Bulls.
The 32 degree temperature took its toll, with players gasping for air and regular interchanges employed by coaches. Tyler’s done all he can to push for selection in the Raiders Harold Matthews squad.
The extended development team has two weekends off before returning to the paddock.
In the meantime, the teenager continues to train in Canberra twice a week, plough through school work at Mulwaree High, complete the odd-shirt at the world’s most profitable fast-food chain, and get his hands dirty in the workshop at Goulburn Mazda of an afternoon.
