Queensland rookie Max Plath has opened up about the career-defining move from the Brisbane Broncos that leaves him on the cusp of an Origin debut for the Maroons. The hard-working Dolphins forward – known as ‘Mr Versatile’ to his teammates – was picked at lock in Billy Slater’s 20-man squad, ahead of Broncos premiership winner and Kangaroos Test star, Patrick Carrigan.
It’s no mean feat for the 24-year-old, who has been outstanding for Kristian Woolf’s Dolphins since making his NRL comeback from an ACL injury in Round 2 this year. Plath also featured at hooker in the absence of Jeremy Marshall-King earlier this season, and his ability to play any position across the forward line makes him a valuable commodity for Slater.
But Plath actually arrived at the Broncos as a five-eighth, and the son of four-time Brisbane premiership winner, John Plath. However, he soon realised that a shift to the forwards was probably his best chance to play first-grade, with star Broncos halves Ezra Mam and Adam Reynolds blocking his path to the NRL.
“It was a wake-up call when I went to the Broncos,” Plath said. Ezra Mam and Adam Reynolds were there, and just some really quality players coming through. I said, ‘oh, shit’. I was playing five-eighth at the time, and I was like, ‘you know what, maybe move to the middle, might help me a fair bit’.”Switch to lock sparked Max Plath’s exit from Broncos
Plath got his chance to play lock for one of the Broncos’ feeder clubs, Wynnum Manly Seagulls. And it was the catalyst for the Dolphins to snap up Plath ahead of their maiden NRL season in 2023, in what’s proven to be an inspired raid on their Brisbane rivals.
“I got that opportunity and as soon as I played there Redcliffe saw me playing for Wynnum at lock in my first game and scooped me up,” Plath recalled. “I was a lock from then.” Plath grew up with a mantra of “competing hard, tackling hard and running hard” and says the transition to lock was ideally suited to his style of footy.
The 24-year-old is affectionately known as “Mad Max” or “Psycoplath” to Dolphins fans, due to his aggression and physicality on the field. They’re traits that make him a perfect fit for the Origin arena and Queensland hooker Harry Grant can’t wait to see Plath let loose against the Blues in Game 1.
“Max Plath is one I have watched over the last few years and I love the way he plays the game,” Grant said. “Now he has got the ultimate reward for his efforts and game style. I am looking forward to lacing up with him in the middle.”
Maroons coach Billy Slater is also excited to see what Plath brings after admitting his form for the Dolphins made him a ‘must-pick’ for Queensland. “He’s one player that’s just said, ‘I can’t be left out of this team’, and I love what he brings,” Slater said. “This Queensland team values the things that Max Plath does. I can’t wait to see him play Origin.”
