The Mole: Coach Unveils Unexpected Turn of Events Leading to Origin Dark Horse’s Surprising Debut After He ‘Struggled to Find His Path’

If it weren’t for the arrival of a new baby, Gehamat Shibasaki would likely be back in Japan playing rugby union, and his remarkable selection for the Origin team may never have materialised.

Former Canberra star Terry Campese, who coached Shibasaki at the Townsville Blackhawks last season, shared the extraordinary story of how this versatile player achieved such a high point in his career.

“He was in Japan in 2022 and had plans to return when he was released by the Cowboys last year,” Campese revealed to Wide World of Sports.

“He had a solid offer waiting for him overseas, but with his wife recently becoming a parent, she was reluctant to move their young family abroad.”

“They ended up staying in Townsville last year, and he was outstanding for us at the Blackhawks. He managed to get one game with Souths in the NRL as we are their affiliate club, but opportunities were limited.”

“He was on a part-time contract with us, working as a youth worker during the day and training with us a few nights a week.”

Despite only appearing in a handful of NRL games for two different clubs over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Shibasaki took a courageous step this past summer to pursue an opportunity with the Broncos.

He signed a train-and-trial deal worth $1000 a week, but the prospects of earning a full-time spot in the star-studded Brisbane backline seemed bleak.

However, as coach Michael Maguire told Wide World of Sports a few months back, he simply couldn’t overlook the quiet achiever.

Even though he admitted he wasn’t overly familiar with the centre of Torres Strait Islander, Japanese, and Palauan descent, Maguire soon became an admirer.

“I knew he had been here before (in 2018-19), then went through some ups and downs and even played in Japanese rugby,” Maguire recounted.

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“He had a lot of work to do to match the pace of the other players, but he rolled up his sleeves and did it, which really impressed me.

“Moreover, he came through the ranks with Patty Carrigan and some of the other boys, and they all had great things to say about him – that certainly played to his advantage.”

Campese is thrilled to see his former centre seize this opportunity in the Origin decider.

“I’ve been involved in the game for a long time, and this has to be one of the outstanding success stories,” Campese said.

“What he’s accomplished is remarkable, and he deserves all the success next Wednesday night.”