Chudleigh gets back in the game 
LACKING enthusiasm and instead focused on enjoying life away from the footy field, rising age-grade star Josh Chudleigh all-but walked away from rugby league last year.
One year on, and under the guidance of Queanbeyan Blues coach and former Canberra Raiders rake Simon Woolford, Chudleigh is now very much back in the game.
A string of starring performances for the Blues in recent weeks have seen the Bungendore Tigers junior touted as a future NRL prospect.
It’s a far cry from 12 months ago when Chudleigh turned his back on the game.
“I was just over playing footy last year really,” Chudleigh said. “Ever since I started getting involved in the representative stuff in the under-14s my whole life basically revolved around football.
“It’s a pretty big commitment when you’re trying to work full-time as well and you’ve got training in the mornings, work and then training again in the afternoons.
“I’d just turned 18 as well so I just wanted a year off but I think it’s done me good in terms of getting my enthusiasm back.”
And a timely call from Woolford saw Chudleigh jump at the opportunity to play under the tutelage of the former 200-game NRL representative.
“I was thinking about how much I missed the competitive side of things when Simon gave me a call,” Chudleigh said.
“I knew I wanted to be playing footy again but he was the big reason I went to the Blues. As a hooker, I figured I couldn’t ask for a better coach to play under.”
At just 17, Chudleigh played a starring role in the Bungendore Tigers’ George Tooke Shield premiership before a season with the Raiders SG Ball Cup side.
But following the completion of Canberra’s SG Ball campaign, Chudleigh abruptly went missing in action.
The former ACT Schoolboys representative sat out the entire 2012 Canberra Raiders Cup season, instead playing a handful of games for Bungendore’s Under-18s second division side.
Even then however, Chudleigh’s prodigious talents were undeniable according to Tigers coach Paul Dunn.
“I only coached him for the one year but you could see he was a class above. He’s one of those kids that it just comes naturally to,” Dunn said.
“I actually tried to get him in at Parramatta last year. I used to coach [Parramatta assistant coach] Dean Pay so I contacted him and just passed Josh’s details onto him.
“I spoke to the Raiders 20s coach Mick Mantelli earlier this year as well and just told him that Josh was a kid they should be having a look at.”
Chudleigh, meanwhile, admitted his decision to take time away from the game had left him playing catch up in a bid to return to the NRL fold.
But he said the days spent working full-time for his father’s building business had served as a timely wake-up call.
“It’s good work but it’s hard days, especially during winter,” Chudleigh said. “It made me realise that I’d rather be playing footy for a living if the opportunities come up.”
Source: http://www.queanbeyanage.com.au/story/1635797/chudleigh-gets-back-in-the-game/?cs=1655
Topic: Possible NRL prospect gets back in the game for Queanbeyan Blues
