Despite reaching the greatest heights in the game, including captaining his clubs and country and winning multiple premierships, Dolphins prop Jesse Bromwich remains typically humble as his approaches his 300th NRL game, putting his impending achievement down to luck.
Perhaps some luck was involved when it came to the inauspicious start to a decorated career that began at Melbourne Storm when he was coaxed from the sidelines to join in on a training session which was only supposed to be involving his brother Kenny, but since then, the hard work Bromwich has put in week-in and week-out has been on display for all to see.
“When I started out on this journey, I didn't think this was possible. I was a bit of a late bloomer,” Bromwich said. “I'm just super grateful to be in this position, I'm super grateful to have had the career that I've had.
“I've been very lucky along the way, I'm very lucky to end up at Melbourne and then lucky enough to come here (to the Dolphins) and do some special things here as well. It's just been a really good ride.
“I'm just super grateful that I turned up at the right place at the right time, because I know a lot of kids out there with talent don't get that opportunity, so it was an opportunity that I took with two hands and I just ran with it as far as I could.
“There had to be a lot of luck for me to even get my foot in the door – and don't get me wrong, it was always a dream of mine to play in the NRL – but when you're 17-18, and you’ve never had a look in, but your mates have been picked up and you haven't heard anything, it dawns on you that it might not be for you.
“So, when I did get the opportunity, it was one that I that I really took.”
On Saturday night against the Dragons, Bromwich will become only the sixth Kiwi in amongst a total cohort of 46 other players to reach 300 games and will need to play at least two more seasons to catch the most-capped New Zealander Benji Marshall, who notched 346 in his career.
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“I'm not sure if I'll get there, but obviously (I am a) very proud, very proud Kiwi, so to be the sixth Kiwi to reach 300 is it's very special,” Bromwich, whose whanau and iwi hails from of Ngāti Porou and Ngāpuhi, said in the lead-up to the match.
As for how he’s managed to be such a consistent presence on the field, despite starting in one of the most demanding positions on the field, again, Bromwich again put it down to luck, as well as thanking his family for all of their support along the way.
“I suppose … you have got to be pretty lucky to go do some big stints without getting some really bad injuries, but I think just hard work, being able to work on your body throughout that whole time and always out there at training, trying to be an active team member out on the pitch,” Bromwich said.
“I'm just trying to look after the body off the field, (but) be honest, I think a lot of it has come down to luck. I've seen a lot of professional guys get some really big injuries and it's heartbreaking when you see that stuff. But I've been very lucky.”
New Zealand coach Michael Maguire, who most recently coached Bromwich at the Rugby League World Cup, praised his captain for his consistency, effort and hard work, saying was a player all coaches wanted in their team.
“I have been fortunate to know Jess from way back when he started at Melbourne and one thing that probably struck me with Jesse was his ability to work at such a really high level and work on his game and with his teammates and be a real team player,” Maguire said.
“He’s shown that right throughout his career, he’s been captaining his country, he’s played many Test matches, many grand finals, many finals series, but I think that comes back to him being really grounded as a person.
“He’s always been a team man, always wanted the best for his teammates.
“He’s been really fortunate to do that with his brother Kenny who he’s really close with, they have played in Test matches together. He’s big on family, I think that is a big part of him being a leader and bringing the team together.”
Maguire said the achievement would also inspire other future NRL players from New Zealand, with Bromwich providing a perfect example on how to make it to the top.
“To reach 300 as a Kiwi boy is special. He brought himself over and put himself in probably an uncomfortable position and made himself step outside the family life back home to really then go on,” Maguire said.
“He’s a huge figure in New Zealand, he’s very well regarded over there in New Zealand, and he’s seen as a leader and is something I reckon has inspired a lot of the young kid kids to be a leader and be in leadership groups and I am sure he’s going to inspire many more to follow him.
“One thing on Jesse is he’s just so consistent, and consistent on a really high level the way he plays so you really appreciate that as a coach, you know what you are going to get every time he steps out and that obviously at ta really high level.
“People follow him because of what he does off the field and the way you see him play on the field; t’s always at a really high level.
“(He doesn’t say much, but) when he talks, everyone listens.”