It was the best Christmas present that Jordan Graf could have asked for.
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The Tamworth oztagger is preparing to pull on the green and gold for the first time after being selected in the Australian Tagaroos men's 30s side to play at the 2023 Tag World Cup in Limerick.
Something the 31-year-old has been working towards for about five years, he said it was "really good" albeit "a bit of a shock" to receive the phone call from the coach informing him of his selection.
The call-up comes on the back of a strong performance for the Northern Rangers at the nationals in November, and Graf credits to the theory of the more time and effort you put into something the better you will get.
"Just playing it religiously," he said.
"Every chance I get really; just live and breath the sport."
He plays on Monday night, two games of a Wednesday night and also on Thursday night.
Throw in rep training and it's "pretty much a five day a week thing".
Not that he's complaining - he loves it.
"It's the closest thing to rugby league I guess just with the kicking and the way it's played," Graf said.
Initially when he started playing it was more as a footy fix during summer, but now it his sole footy focus after giving away league a few years ago after tearing the ligaments in his shoulder and dislocating it.
"It (league) was just a bit too rough on the body," he said.
Graf's oztag commitments make for a busy, but rewarding, life between family and work.
He is a father of three - Xavier is 11, Jax nine and Lexi six - and by trade, a carpenter and boilermaker.
"I always wanted to be a chippy (carpenter)," he said.
"The only reason I sort of got into boiler making is because just at that time work had run dry and I needed to keep some cash flow happening."
Doing the two apprenticeships virtually back-to-back it was a long eight years, but has paid off with Graf now a commercial crew leader for Singles Builders in Tamworth.
The job sees him utilising both trades, which he said, do go "hand in hand".
He is also in the process of building his own house out at Windmill Hill Estate.
It is still in the relatively early stages of construction with the frames recently going up.
"Hopefully early next year I'll be putting the roof on and the bricks will go up," he said.
It is exciting, he said.
As is the World Cup, which will take place from August 2-5.
"It should be really good, I'm really excited," Graf said.
"It's meant to be a good time of the year too so I hear over in Ireland in August.
"So thinking about taking the family over for a holiday as well."
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