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MrCharisma
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]By Adam Gardini
Steve Price remembers it vividly.
The exact date is a little hazy but it was the meaning of a one-way conversation with his former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes midway through 2000 which would ultimately prove the defining moment of his career.
"Folkesy said to me 'you don't have to worry about Test or Origin because you won't be in the Bulldogs first grade side soon the way you're playing'," recalled Price.
"I wanted to play Origin and Test footy so bad that I had forgot about my Bulldogs form."
Folkes' frank analysis proved on the money.
Price didn't know it at the time, an oversight not all that surprising considering he had just played his eighth successive State of Origin match for Queensland.
But soon after the message became clear.
Price was overlooked by Queensland selectors for the entire 2001 Origin series and when the opening game of the 2002 series came around, his name again wasn't read out.
"It was a real wake-up call for my whole career basically," he said.
"Once I stopped blaming everyone else, that's when my attitude came around.
"When I got dropped I had an opportunity to sit on the sideline and realise exactly what it does mean to me. I didn't want to finish my career with a few regrets."
The Warriors prop can now happily recall Folkes' spray as the turning point.
Since gaining a recall to the Origin arena for game two in 2002, he has missed only two Origin matches, both through injury in 2005.
On Wednesday at Suncorp Stadium, the 33-year-old's standing as a mainstay of the Queensland side will be complete when he joins an exclusive club of Maroon greats when he makes his 21st appearance.
Only 12 players have reached the plus 20 club before him and of the current Maroons' squad, only captain Darren Lockyer has played more matches with 24.
And if it wasn't for Alfie Langer's State of Origin comeback for Queensland in 2002 and some other bloke by the name of Arthur Beetson, Price would be well and truly in line to carry the tag as the oldest to ever don a Maroon jersey.
But his annual deeds for Queensland come Origin time haven't made the occasion any less significant for the Dalby-born forward.
"I was very conscious of the fact that every game does mean something different to you and I cherish every jersey I get.
"So what I've done last over the few years, I've started to give my jerseys to people that have had a big influence on my career.
"One of the first ones I gave to (former Bulldogs boss) Peter Moore ... and I gave one to my mum, brother and sister.
"I gave one to three coaches that had a fairly big impact on my career when I was younger.
"I wrote a bit of a letter with the jersey and why they've helped me to get where I've got to basically."
Gold Coast Bulletin[/FONT]
Steve Price remembers it vividly.
The exact date is a little hazy but it was the meaning of a one-way conversation with his former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes midway through 2000 which would ultimately prove the defining moment of his career.
"Folkesy said to me 'you don't have to worry about Test or Origin because you won't be in the Bulldogs first grade side soon the way you're playing'," recalled Price.
"I wanted to play Origin and Test footy so bad that I had forgot about my Bulldogs form."
Folkes' frank analysis proved on the money.
Price didn't know it at the time, an oversight not all that surprising considering he had just played his eighth successive State of Origin match for Queensland.
But soon after the message became clear.
Price was overlooked by Queensland selectors for the entire 2001 Origin series and when the opening game of the 2002 series came around, his name again wasn't read out.
"It was a real wake-up call for my whole career basically," he said.
"Once I stopped blaming everyone else, that's when my attitude came around.
"When I got dropped I had an opportunity to sit on the sideline and realise exactly what it does mean to me. I didn't want to finish my career with a few regrets."
The Warriors prop can now happily recall Folkes' spray as the turning point.
Since gaining a recall to the Origin arena for game two in 2002, he has missed only two Origin matches, both through injury in 2005.
On Wednesday at Suncorp Stadium, the 33-year-old's standing as a mainstay of the Queensland side will be complete when he joins an exclusive club of Maroon greats when he makes his 21st appearance.
Only 12 players have reached the plus 20 club before him and of the current Maroons' squad, only captain Darren Lockyer has played more matches with 24.
And if it wasn't for Alfie Langer's State of Origin comeback for Queensland in 2002 and some other bloke by the name of Arthur Beetson, Price would be well and truly in line to carry the tag as the oldest to ever don a Maroon jersey.
But his annual deeds for Queensland come Origin time haven't made the occasion any less significant for the Dalby-born forward.
"I was very conscious of the fact that every game does mean something different to you and I cherish every jersey I get.
"So what I've done last over the few years, I've started to give my jerseys to people that have had a big influence on my career.
"One of the first ones I gave to (former Bulldogs boss) Peter Moore ... and I gave one to my mum, brother and sister.
"I gave one to three coaches that had a fairly big impact on my career when I was younger.
"I wrote a bit of a letter with the jersey and why they've helped me to get where I've got to basically."
Gold Coast Bulletin[/FONT]
