BEVAN French arrived with the Parramatta side in Alice Springs on Wednesday for the trial match against the Gold Coast Titans at Anzac Oval Saturday afternoon, while followers, family and close friends at home hope he will play another sizzler.
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Last weekend’s NRL Auckland Nines saw the 20-year-old launch his career in the NRL with a record eight tries in Auckland, which prompted the NRL to report he had the crowd on its feet every time he touched the ball.
The crowd was not alone there.
Bevan’s mother Tiffany Blair and his three brothers Jayden, Luke and Dion French were some at Tiffany’s home at Inverell watching the broadcast of her second eldest son playing.
“I think we had around about 20 people on Saturday and Sunday,” Tiffany said.
“The atmosphere at home was very loud. The cheering, hugging, I screamed until I lost my voice. It was electric.”
“My nephew, Josh Blair, who is a Parramatta supporter, he was the loudest, the most excited. We were all pumped, but he was ecstatic.”
Tiffany said Bevan was always very sports-orientated.
“If the sport involved a football, he always excelled at it,” she said.
“He started playing football when he was five-years-old at Inverell Minor League and the passion grew and grew from there. He idolised Preston Campbell. He used to watch him, and then go out at minor league and do what he did.”
“He always was, and still is, very humble. Nothing’s too big of a deal for him. He was very quiet and a very shy boy.”
At the end of primary school Bevan moved on to play touch football and Tiffany said he also excelled at that.
“He played many state teams for touch and rugby union,” she said.
“He made the state team for rugby league in year 12, but out of the three, league is definitely his passion.”
The atmosphere at home was very loud. The cheering, hugging, I screamed until I lost my voice. It was electric.
- Tiffany Blair
Although Bevan’s career with the NRL may very well have kicked off in Auckland last weekend, Tiffany was also proud of his life at Inverell.
As a 13-year-old in 2009, he was awarded Inverell’s Young Australian of the Year, then received Inverell Sports Council’s Annual Sports Award in 2013. He toured New Zealand with the CHS rugby union side, graduated from high school, played a season for Tingha Tigers in both juniors and A grade and began to attract attention from NRL clubs, in the latter year.
“First of all I want to get a start in first grade one day, but definitely to play for my country at the top level,” he told the Inverell Times in 2013. But Tiffany said she was happy for him to play a few more games in the under 20s.
“Then maybe move up to the NSW Cup for a few games,” she said.
“He played NSW Cup last year with Parramatta and he seemed to handle it okay, and if they want to give him one or two games in A grade towards the end of the year I would be happy with that. I’d like to see them take each step slowly.”
And the proudest footy mum in Australia sent a message to her son.
“Bevan everyone up here is super proud of you. Just continue what you’re doing and we will support you in whatever you do and wherever you go,” Tiffany said.
