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By Iain Payten
July 10, 2009 12:00am
WILL Genia was born and raised in Port Moresby and, not unusually, his boyhood idol was an Australian sports star.
He's a livewire new Wallabies halfback, so you're guessing George Gregan, or perhaps a legend of PNG's national obsession: rugby league. Andrew Johns maybe?
Cold, and colder.
"I wanted to be Steve Waugh," Genia admits. "I grew up watching league but mostly I always wanted to play cricket. I was a batter.
"Me and my brothers loved cricket. We always watched the Test matches against the West Indies. I loved Brian Lara as well. There were a lot of broken windows at our joint."
However, Genia didn't play cricket growing up. He didn't play any organised sport at all - bat, ball or footy included.
The introduction to a world that would later become his profession only occurred when Genia was sent down to Brisbane Boys College in 2000, where study is often a distraction to the serious business of sport.
Genia's Steve Waugh ambition wasn't that far-fetched. Quickly discovering he was both a talented cricketer and rugby player, it was only in Year 11 that Genia reluctantly chose the oval-ball game.
Given he played for Queensland just two years later, and after four has made the Wallabies, who's to know if the sliding doors version of Genia's life might have seen him becoming the first PNG-born star to wear the baggy green? It barely matters.
Genia has that same distinction looming in a Wallabies jersey after last week getting a call-up to the Australian squad for the Tri-Nations.
If and when Genia runs on against the All Blacks tomorrow week for his Test debut, the 21-year-old will become the first Papuan to play for the Wallabies.
Short of a century on the SCG with a red rag in his pocket, it is a source of pride that Genia finds hard to put into words.
"I am very proud . . . it's . . . yeah, pretty unbelievable," he smiles.
"It is definitely something to be very proud of. For my parents as well."
Genia won't suddenly become a household name in PNG with a Wallabies debut. The surname - at least - has been very well known there for the past 20 years, with his father Kilroy a former prominent politician.
In a long career, Kilroy Genia held the offices of PNG foreign minister, minister for justice and was defence minister during some troublesome times with the national army during violent protests in 2001.
"He was always in the news, and he was always travelling," Genia recalled this week.
"He's been all over the world, but it was good. He always came home with a suitcase full of goodies for us, so we were happy."
Born Sanchez William but known only as Will, Genia and his brothers were sent to Australia for their schooling.
Oldest brother Frank is PNG's Test five-eighth against Samoa tomorrow in a World Cup qualifier, and younger brother Nigel is the Queensland schoolboys halfback.
Will's rep career took off when then Reds coach Eddie Jones saw the busy halfback playing for Australian under-19s against Queensland under-19s at Ballymore in 2006.
"He must have seen potential in me. He took me to Japan with the Reds side, and that's where I played my first game at the end of 2006," Genia says.
"I then played the whole Super season in 2007 when Sam Cordingley was injured and it went from there."
An 85kg package of high-tensile strength, slick pass and explosive speed, Genia was a back-up last year but emerged as a Robbie Deans project this season.
After several impressive performances, he was on every Wallabies selector's list for the June Tests until a tendon injury in his hand sidelined him in early May.
"I was pretty gutted," Genia says. "Not so much in aspirations to play for the Wallabies, but just that was I enjoying myself. I was backing myself and enjoying my game. I was upset I couldn't play in the last two games with the boys."
During his lonely rehab, a message from Queensland Reds coach Phil Mooney kept ringing in his head.
"He sat me down once and told me, 'Do everything you possibly can to prepare well to play'. I've held on to that. That just was my main goal," he said.
Deans' affection for Genia didn't diminish. If anything, on hearing reports from Queensland about Genia's passion and hard work in the gym, it grew.
The Wallabies coach has watched on with a smile as Genia has jumped in undaunted into Australian training this week; sniping, running, impressing.
There's no other option, he says.
"They say you're here because you're good enough, back your ability. There's no use hiding away in your shell."
Certainly sounds like Steve Waugh.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegrap...006067,00.html
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