For someone with an almost disorientating surname, Dusty Wyrzykowski is refreshingly uncomplicated.
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At age 16, he knows exactly who he is and where he ultimately will end up.
But before the amiable teen reaches that end destination - working full-time on his family's Fitzgeralds Valley cattle farm - he intends to look deep within himself to find out if he has what it takes to become an NRL player.
On Saturday, February 3, Wyrzykowski (his Polish name is pronounced wiz-a-cow-ski) will take a big step towards realising that lofty ambition when he wears the No. 11 for the Northern Tigers in a round one Laurie Daley Cup clash against the North Coast Bulldogs at Scully Park.
A year earlier, he was given official confirmation that he was made of the right stuff.
Following a round three Andrew Johns Cup clash against the Central Coast Roosters, the then-Tigers under-16 player signed with the Canterbury Bulldogs.
It was pretty exciting.
Speaking after a Tigers training session at Farrer, where he has boarded since year 7 and is about to commence year 11, the solidly build forward said signing with the Bulldogs was his greatest achievement.
"It was pretty exciting," he added.
This month, Wyrzykowski savoured more acute excitement when he trained with Canterbury's Harold Matthews Cup squad for the first time. While in Sydney, he also ran water when Canterbury's NRL squad trained.
"It was a wonderful experience," he said of the close encounter with stars such as Stephen Crichton and Josh Addo-Carr.
The occasion was made even more special because Wyrzykowski - who wants to be remembered as a hard worker - got to experience it with his great mate and Tigers teammate Reece Josephson.
Josephson, an elusive fullback who has also boarded at Farrer since year 7, was the first of the duo to sign with Canterbury.
Wyrzykowski said they had worked together "to try and get the same result" for him.
"He's the same story as well: didn't have many connections in Tamworth, and just came to Farrer for the opportunities that Farrer offers," the back-rower said of Cobar native Josephson.
The mates are in the midst of an adventure that hopefully ends with them one day accepting water from youngsters who are thinking big like they are now.
"That would be a dream come true," Wyrzykowski said of playing in the NRL.
Mark Bode
I’m passionate about writing stories that resonate with people. And I’m genuinely interested in the people I interview; I want to know about them and present their stories in a meaningful way.
I’m passionate about writing stories that resonate with people. And I’m genuinely interested in the people I interview; I want to know about them and present their stories in a meaningful way.
