Ethan Strange, 21, stunned by NSW Blues call-up; a promising player, he debuted late in 2023, now among seven debutants.
State of Origin debutant Ethan Strange has revealed the surreal moment he received the call-up to the NSW Blues squad, admitting he was left stunned when Laurie Daley's name flashed across his phone screen.
At just 21 years old, Strange is one of seven debutants selected in Daley's squad for Game 1, capping a meteoric rise that has seen him go from a teenage prospect to one of the NRL's most promising playmakers in less than three seasons.
The Canberra Raiders five-eighth only made his NRL debut at the back end of 2023, but has since cemented himself as the club's first-choice number six and even earned selection in Australia's Ashes squad last year, where he trained alongside some of the game's elite players.
Speaking of the moment he learned he would be pulling on the sky blue jersey, Strange said the call from Daley is one he will never forget.