The journey from park footy to Philadelphia
BRAD EARL
08dec04
THREE Australians with American heritage flew in to bolster the USA Tomahawks against Australia's Kangaroos last week: Matt Petersen from the Parramatta Eels, English-based former NRL player Brandon Costin and an unknown park footballer from Guildford.
Chris Waters didn't even play his first game of rugby league until he was 23.
Now 32, he was part of the Tomahawks' Philadelphia exhibition match, which they lost 36-24 after surprisingly leading 24-6 at half-time.
Waters was born in the US to an American father and Australian mother, but the family soon moved here and he grew up at Concord.
As for not playing league until 23, Waters said he played soccer as a child and also a bit of union at Homebush Boys High School.
The centre or fullback has predominantly played for the Guildford Owls, including when they were in the Metropolitan Cup and now in the Parramatta Cup A-grade competition.
He also represented Western Australia during a stint there as well.
Since 2000, Waters has been playing with the Tomahawks after contacting them about his eligibility on one of their regular tours Down Under.
While he hasn't appeared in the World Sevens, Waters has played in promotional games here and in an international against Ireland in the US.
He expects to play again when the Tomahawks tour in the new year.
In the absence of the World Sevens in 2005, they will take part in a Russell Crowe-sponsored Orara Valley sevens tournament in the Coffs Harbour region.
"We're trying to organise a game against Guildford for them," Waters added.
A feature of the Tomahawks' performance last week was the debut of Petersen, the Eels' winger or occasional centre, who starred at five-eighth.
"I've played a lot of games for America and all those times what we've needed is a couple of ball-players with a little bit of experience," Waters said.
"Matt and Brandon Costin offered us that in this game and made a big difference to the way we played. Them and a bit of direction from the coach, John Cartwright, really got the boys playing quite well."
While the match has come in for some criticism, Waters believes it was worthwhile and that league has a future in the US.
"The game over there can be massive," he said.
Nate Smith, a young American who impressed in last week's game as a winger and goalkicker, trained with Parramatta at the start of the past season.
Waters pointed out that Smith had also had a game with Guildford.
With a young family and his own business Worldwide Online Printing in Parramatta Waters admits his career is coming to an end.
But having played against the biggest names of the Australian game will live long in his memory.
"Every Friday, Saturday, Sunday I'm watching these guys play and next thing I know they were running at me," Waters said. "I got out there and I was sort of expecting these guys to be giants and when they weren't, I was like, 'they're just like any other guy that I've got to play and tackle'. I was surprised they weren't as big as what I was expecting, and I think that's just what everyone thinks because these guys are heroes."
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