Why Keary answered Ireland’s RLWC call

George Clarke | October 15, 2022

Luke Keary would have been filled with regret had he opted to stay home in Sydney instead of scratching an itch to spearhead Ireland’s Rugby League World Cup campaign.

The Sydney Roosters five-eighth is the star attraction in the Ireland side, who open their campaign against Jamaica in Leeds on Sunday (Monday AEDT) before further group games against Lebanon and New Zealand.

The Roosters five-eighth had a turbulent 2022 season after returning from an ACL injury.

His partnership with Sam Walker took time to blossom and it didn’t help that Keary, who has a history of head knocks, spent a month out of the side with concussion.

The easier option would have been to withdraw his commitment and rest up for 2023.

But after missing the last two tournaments the 30-year-old knew this chance to represent Ireland might be his last.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and I’ve been unfortunate that I haven’t had the chance to do it yet,” Keary told AAP.

“I wanted to get through to the end of the season and because we (the Roosters) finished prematurely I knew I had a heap of good footy left in me.”

Keary’s paternal grandfather comes from Loughrea in County Galway and Ireland coaches Ged Corcoran and Joe O’Callaghan have spent time getting their players to explain their families’ links to the Emerald Isle.

With Keary, Gold Coast prop Jaimin Joliffe and Leeds duo James Bentley and Richie Myler on deck, there is a belief Ireland can mirror the achievement of the 2000 team and get to the quarter-final where a likely meeting with Australia awaits.

“I spoke to Luke Ricketson before I came over about that side, Kevin Campion was with them too,” Keary said.

“We’ve got some decent players but we haven’t played a game yet.

“Ged has been really good at bringing us together, the Guinness helps at the start of the camp.

“It’s a cruisy group, we’re realists and know we won’t wipe the floor with some of the bigger teams but we need to win these first two games to get a shot at the quarter-final.

“It’s no secret that’s our goal.”