Sister act: Horsburgh thanks sibling for Origin form
Joel Gould |
Canberra cult hero Corey Horsburgh has put himself in the frame for a Queensland return and his sister Amy has played a key role in his rejuvenation.
The tough as teak prop, who played just five NRL games in 2024, was out of favour with coach Ricky Stuart and seemingly on his way out of the Raiders.
The duo found common ground and Horsburgh did the work off the field to get himself back in the side later in the season.
This year he has been on fire and back to the form that led to his Maroons debut in 2023 under coach Billy Slater. The Raiders can solidify a position in the top four if they can beat the Dolphins on Sunday in Canberra.
The 27-year-old Horsburgh is averaging 134m per game and it is the way he has physically taken it to the Warriors, Brisbane and Cronulla in three key wins that has impressed.
“I’ve just started enjoying life again and I’m looking after myself a lot better. The body is feeling right again and that goes a long way towards playing good footy,” Horsburgh told AAP.
“My sister Amy has been fantastic … She lives with me and cooks different pastas and spaghetti and all the meals are weighed. I have a healthy diet and she has really helped me a lot with that.
“I lost eight kilos but I have put a couple back on just to play footy the way I like to. I got too light and was down to nearly 100kg. Now I am back to 103kg and I am happier playing at that weight.”
Slater wants all Maroons-qualified players to demonstrate good habits on a regular basis and that is the message Horsburgh got in camp back in 2023.
“Billy keeps things pretty simple,” Horsburgh said.
“It is all about the kick-chase and the one-percenters. It is the effort areas that he likes and that is what I have to keep up.
“Hopefully I can keep playing good footy at the Raiders and put my name in the picture but the Queensland side is not an easy team to get into.
“I was lucky enough to do it and that’s my goal again this year.
“When I was a young fella I would watch Origin and I looked up to Petero Civoniceva and Matt Scott … big tough front-rowers that never took a backward step.”
AAP
