Praise can overwhelm young athletes; Ethan Strange shows promise despite limited experience, demonstrating growth in recent performances.
In writing about a 21-year-old athlete, it's important not only to maintain perspective but also to contemplate the impact of continual praise.
I have witnessed the downfall of plenty of young footballers who become consumed by their own greatness, fuelled by hyped media praise, only to come undone without the necessary life experience to handle the accolades and the fall.
In the case of 21-year-old Ethan Strange, I feel as though we are on solid territory, even though he has only played 56 NRL first-grade games for the Raiders.
His performance for NSW in the opening game of the Origin Series, and his follow-up in the Raiders' victory over North Queensland, show he has gone to another level in the space of a week.