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His dad wanted to kick him out of home if he didn’t support the Roosters – now he’s Penrith’s future
As a kid, Jack Cole’s dad Daryl gave him two choices: pledge his allegiance to the Roosters or find another roof to live under.
“I thought I’d support the Roosters rather than get kicked out of the house,” laughs the Panthers five-eighth. “Dad’s slowly coming over [though].”
He might have to do it a little quicker than expected with Cole, widely tipped as the heir to Jarome Luai’s throne in 2025, to start alongside Nathan Cleary in the halves for Penrith’s World Club Challenge clash with Wigan on Sunday (AEDT).
Cole has edged out the returning Daine Laurie and Brad Schneider to the position as Luai goes through his final stages of rehabilitation after off-season shoulder surgery.
“Jack is a young player who has come through our pathways,” Panthers coach Ivan Cleary says.
“He’s shown plenty of promise and has had a great pre-season. He gets his chance on just about the biggest stage. I’m looking forward to seeing how he goes, I’m sure he’ll do well.”
If you didn’t know better, you would think Cole’s World Club Challenge appearance would be his first in the top grade.
But in the last round of the 2022 regular season, when Ivan Cleary rested his entire starting side before the finals, the Orange product made his debut. He was named as No.17. Now, he has to do it on the other side of the world in front of a sold-out DW Stadium.
“I’ve been overseas [before], but nothing like this,” Cole said. “It would mean the world to me [to play in the World Club Challenge]. I’ve worked pretty hard to get where I am. It would be a massive stepping stone in my career.”
He only started playing rugby league when a bunch of his mates decided to switch from soccer at the age of 12. They wound up at Orange CYMS and a few years later Sam Jones, the son of veteran Penrith recruitment guru Jim Jones, had seen promise in a blond-haired kid from the bush.
Like a slew of central west players before him, Cole has been nurtured through the Panthers’ junior system and given time to finish his schooling at home while juggling his commitments with Penrith’s under-age representative sides.
Since then, Cole’s even worked as a teacher’s aide in Sydney while pursuing a full-time NRL contract, an opportunity that has come maybe even faster than he thought possible as he tries to soak up as much knowledge as possible from Nathan Cleary.
“I was working at a behavioural school, so there were some tough days, but it was a pretty good job,” Cole says. “It wasn’t too hard on your body.
“It really tests your patience sometimes. It’s helping in a sense with footy, you’ve got to be patient sometimes as well and I really enjoyed it. I learned a lot off the kids.
“And if you ask [Nathan] questions, he always answers you. He’s an open book and you’ve just got to take on as much as you can. That’s what I’m doing.”
Says Nathan Cleary: “His willingness to learn [is impressive]. He’s come in this pre-season and he’s been flying. I’m looking forward to the prospect he is. We don’t want to rush him too much. There’s a lot of good signs there.
“I know it’s a cliche, but he’s just a footy player. He knows the game. He’s fast and strong. He’s only going to get better.”