Emu winger's debut a new Page for Adam's sporting career
World Cup glory is on the line for Adam Page when he jets off to play for the Australian Emus at Nottingham, England in July.
Adam is one of 9 debutants in the 16-man squad to contest the Federation of International Touch (FIT) World Cup.
It will be his first outing in the green and gold, thanks mainly to Australia picking three wingers in the men’s 45s squad instead of just 2 for previous campaigns.
Adam impressed selectors in last year’s State of Origin series, where he scored the opening try in the decider. He evaded former Manly Sea Eagle and NSW legend Steve Menzies on his way to the line.
But Adam almost missed the chance to press his claim at the subsequent training camp in January. An Achilles tendon tear picked up while throwing the ball around with son Ryan had him out of action for four months.
‘I couldn’t run from September to January,’ the Logan City Council employee says.
‘Luckily, it wasn’t a full rupture. It ended up being a 3cm tear. He was laughing at me.’
The Emus will play 9 games a week of competition before finals, should they qualify. Adam and his team’s recovery ability will be integral to success.
He’s been training the house down in preparation – he’s up at 4:30 am most days for 10-kilometre runs. A few more weeks of that and Adam will move on to speed work.
Adam has a family connection to the City of Caves which is almost smack bang in the middle of England.
His mother, Vanessa, was born there, and a host of his relatives will turn out to watch Adam in action in July.
‘It will be great to have them there to watch me play,’ he says.
‘Mum doesn’t want to come back though because of the long flight.’
Australia will send 13 teams on the tour. Adam hopes the number will be a lucky one for the Emus.
He predicts strong showings from all the Aussie teams, with the Kiwis to be the main threat to Emus trophies.
‘It will be us versus New Zealand in the final I’d say,’ he says.
The team has training camps in Sydney and Brisbane before jetting off.
Adam will enjoy playing against men of his own age in the UK, instead of young, fast opposition in his Wednesday night competition, where he plays for Arana.
‘We won’t be playing against 16-year-olds who step really well,’ he says.
The veterans age groups allow talented men to continue playing a version of the sport they love. As well as Steve Menzies, Adam has also come up against Cliff Lyons and played alongside former Rooster Adrian Lam.
Since the last World Cup in 2015, there has been a whopping 72 per cent increase in contesting teams.
Adam says it’s proof the game is going from strength to strength.
‘It’s huge locally,’ he says.
While it’s Adam’s Australian debut, it isn’t the first time he has been under pressure in a competition setting. Adam was one of 96 contestants who appeared in the golf-based reality TV show Holey Moley.
He appeared as a clown in the Channel 7 series which aired in 2020. It was filmed in Thornlands.
Adam says his stint on that show is often brought up by opponents.
‘I always get called a clown. I always get sledged,’ he says.
Adam is accepting any donations to help make his Australian dream happen – to contribute, click here.
