As a player who has done just about everything in the game, it’s hard to imagine a time when Cameron Murray didn’t think he had what it takes.
Born into a family of mad Bunnies supporters in Sydney’s inner-west, Murray has long been a South Sydney star in the making but vulnerability and self-doubt once plagued that dream.
Reuniting with Michael Maguire for the first time since the former Rabbitohs coach handed him his debut, Murray has been reminded of the pivotal figure who instilled a belief in him that he once couldn’t find himself.
“When I heard rumours he was going to get the job I was actually pretty excited to be able to be coached by him again and see how he was doing things now because he was one of the really crucial figures in my life,” Murray told NRL.com.
“When I was young, coming through the junior reps, hearing his belief in me was really good for my mental space coming in as a young fella.
“As someone who was a little bit on the smaller side when you're young, you kind of stress a little bit about whether you're going to be big enough to make it.
“But he was really good just to get my head space right and very pivotal in my early career development.”
Inside Camp: Cameron Murray
Seven years on and Maguire is still filling the South Sydney skipper with a sense of belief and confidence when he needs it most after the Blues coach pinned his faith in Murray as the starting lock for Game Two.
That confidence is a gift that keeps on giving with him.
Cameron Murray
Called into camp for Game One alongside other injured stars, Nathan Cleary and Tom Trbojevic, Murray said he felt a sense of belonging to the Blues despite battling through injury and club form.
“That gave me a lot of confidence that I was wanted here and I was part of the future plans if I could find my best footy and play up to standard,” he said.
“I’m very grateful that Madge has been able to instil that belief in me and that's what he's good at and what was so good for me earlier on in my career.
“I took my injury as fate and just did my best to deal with the circumstances that were at hand and I’m happy that it’s all falling into place now.
“Lock is where I feel most comfortable and I’m grateful Madge sees my best footy being played in this arena there and that confidence is a gift that keeps on giving with him.”
Luai puts Murray through to set up big finish
Irrelevant of his size, Maguire knew Murray had the work ethic and maturity to make it in the NRL and just needed a bit of a push to believe it himself.
Handing Murray his NRL debut at 19 years-of-age, Maguire said he had a sense that day was just the beginning of what would be a big career for the Mascot junior.
“You could always see that he was going to do some great things in the game, I couldn't get him through fast enough,” Maguire told NRL.com in camp.
“What resonated with me was not only his work ethic but his maturity too with how he saw the game.
“I threw him in with men when he was pretty young and he just handled it so well. I really tried to show him what he was capable of.
“When you throw a young one in with men, there's that thinking, well, ‘how do I deal with this?’ But every time I put him into, a drill, he stood up and that was something that I really resonated with.
“He showed he was a leader as a young player but he probably didn't have that confidence which was enjoyable to bring out of him as a player.
“If you nurture them the right way then they can turn into something pretty special and he always wanted it too, that makes it easier, it's their hunger that takes them to where they get to.”
Murray will still be punching above his weight when he comes up against a 10kg heavier Pat Carrigan in Melbourne on Wednesday.
But the fleet-footed forward has every confidence in his own ability and knows Maguire will have every player believing the same when they run out onto the MCG.
“I’ve has six or seven years now in the top grade and I know that I can play in my body so I'm very comfortable with that,” he said.
“But I feel doubts all the time, I'm not perfect, I don't have the perfect mindset and everyone's human so I’m always wrestling with that a little bit.
"But coaches like Madge, they get you up for it. He creates an environment that's very easy to buy into as a player and he's been great.
“It's good to have people like that who are always there to encourage you to be the best version of yourself and chase that high performance and that want to always be better."