He was a star of Group 11 and now Justin Toomey-White is taking his talents to the big stage.
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The former Wellington Cowboys captain-coach will line up for the Wyong Roos in Sunday night’s Intrust Super Premiership NSW final against Penrith at Leichhardt Oval, with the potential to then play in a curtain-raiser prior to the following Sunday’s NRL grand final.
The Roos progressed to the decider on the back of a 16-12 win over the New Zealand Warriors last week, the same score that Penrith beat the Bulldogs by in their preliminary final.
It’s been a big couple of years for the hard-running back-rower, but he admits the hard work is paying off.
“When I left Wello, and my fiance Kate and I came down here, I was basically told I would train and maybe get a spot,” Toomey-White said.
“I’ve done the hard work, and now we’re in a position to maybe win a grand final, so it’s a good reward.
“We’ve had a couple of really good contests with Penrith this season, we’ve won one game each, so I expect Sunday will be tough.”
Wyong is the feeder club for the Sydney Roosters, and should both sides win their respective matches this weekend, both will be at ANZ Stadium on October 1.
The winner of the Wyong v Penrith match will face the Queensland champions in a curtain-raiser, a prospect which excites Toomey-White.
“Wyong and the Roosters are such great clubs. We get to train with the Roosters once or twice a week and you learn so much,” he said.
“Some of their guys filter back at times, or our guys go up to play for them, and we have a great relationship.
“It would be great if we were both there on NRL grand final day, but for us the big focus is on Penrith first.”
There will be plenty of home-town support at Leichhardt on Sunday for Toomey-White, who himself returned to watch Wellington’s reserve grade side on Group 11 grand final day.
“I’m so proud of coming from Wellington, and when our games are on TV the commentators saying that’s where I’m from,” he said.
“To be in this position hopefully shows the kids back home that if you put the work in, you can make it.”
The Intrust Super Premiership final will be shown on Fox League from 6.30pm on Sunday.
