Friday Interview: Larne Patrick

Indeed, the bustling prop making giant strides with Huddersfield admits feared his career may have been over before it had even really begun.

A revitalising period in Australia, however, when he combined playing park football with a job collecting garden waste, helped catapult him the other way just when he was at his lowest ebb.

Now, at 22, the man who started out as a raw centre in Bradford’s Academy has been transformed into one of the top flight’s most highly-rated front-rows – another unusual career path itself – and will be a pivotal figure as Huddersfield head to champions Wigan tomorrow evening.

It is a refreshing reminder of how important it is to never accept defeat in your pursuit of any goal.

“It was a life-changing experience in Australia,” Patrick told the Yorkshire Post about his bold decision three years ago.

“I was low in confidence when I finished at Bradford.

“I’d just had a badly broken jaw that had kept me out of the game for 13 months and they’d offered me a part-time contract.

“I was hoping for more but I knew other clubs wouldn’t sign me on the back of that injury either and just wanted to go somewhere else and try something to get going again.

“I was down in the dumps and wanted to start afresh. Playing in Sydney got me enjoying things again.”

Patrick joined Narabeen Sharks, a little club just outside Manly, and proceeded to rediscover his love of the sport, operating there as a strong-running second-row after bulking up considerably.

“It was great and definitely turned me into a better player and person,” he said.

“The passion for the sport is amazing and rugby’s so big.