Brisbane Broncos forward, Pat Carrigan, is known for his relentless work ethic and toughness on the field. He’s also known for his leadership qualities and dedication to his team and sport. He credits much of his motivation to succeed to his mum and number 1 fan, Carmel.
“I got my drive from my parents,” says Pat. “Mum would say ‘if we're going to take the time to take you places or if you're going to give something a go, you have to give it a hundred percent’,” he explains.
Pat credits his father for his determination to see things through, even if the going gets tough. “As a kid, I was at a small battling club, and we didn't always make the top division. I wanted to leave and play with my schoolmates and my Dad made me stay and be loyal. He said that when things get tough, you can't pack up and leave.”
“He had determination as a child,” Carmel confirms with a laugh. “If I told him he couldn't do something, and that homework came first, he would always want to prove me wrong because that's what kind of kid he was!” she adds.
Advice about ongoing education taken to heart
Carmel’s focus on academic achievement is a consistent theme when Pat talks about his upbringing. “Mum's big on education. She always said you never know what could happen,” says Pat. “I always thought I was going to be a rugby league player, but she was always big on me to get an education, which I'm grateful for now,” he explains.
“I can remember when you signed your first contract and we were there with [coach] Wayne [Bennett],” says Carmel. “We were in awe, as he’s a real presence,” she continues. “Pat says, ‘yes, it's all about rugby league’, but when we walk out, I remember saying ‘this is a really good backup plan. If this pays for your university degree, you'll be sweet’,” Carmel says with a smile.
“Pat replied, ‘Mum, this isn’t my backup plan’. He wanted to prove me wrong, and he did,” she says.
Nevertheless, her determination to make sure that Pat continued with his education, combined with Pat’s work ethic, means he is now close to completing his physiotherapy degree at the University of Queensland. “I'm in my last year,” he says. “It's been a challenge with full-time footy commitments though.”
Carmel is proud of Pat’s academic achievements. “He always did very well at school and got a few academic awards,” she says. “I used to say to him, ‘if you keep your academics up, you can play your sport’. So, he was always driven to do well at school because he was allowed to play his sports.”
Love for rugby league shone through
Although he was exposed to different sports growing up, rugby league was always Pat’s first choice. “I always loved rugby league; I was born and raised playing league in Brisbane,” he says. “All my cousins and extended family played rugby league and that was my favourite sport.
“I played rugby union when I went to high school at St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace, where I played union with my mates – that was my way of fitting in. Union was on Saturdays; rugby league was on Sunday or Friday nights. I played both sports through high school until I had to make a decision,” Pat explains.
It was a constant juggle for Pat’s parents to make sure that Pat and his two younger sisters, Tara and Bridie, were able to attend the sports and activities they pursued. A typical Saturday morning was spent at his sisters’ netball matches from 7am.
“We’d watch the girls play, then they’d come and watch me play footy,” says Pat. “After that, I would go with them to dancing. We were a pretty tight-knit family that did a lot of activities and spent a lot of time together,” he adds.
“Mum and Dad were always very supportive of what I wanted to do,” says Pat. “They just let me be a kid – they didn't really care what I did. So, I played 1st XV at school, but as soon as year 12 finished I was back into rugby league, and I haven't looked back.”
Disappointment increased hunger for success
Although Pat has reached the pinnacle of his chosen code now, it wasn’t always an easy road. Despite being school captain and captain of the 1st XV at high school, he wasn’t always an automatic selection for representative teams.
“I narrowly missed out on a lot of rep teams,” he confirms. “It's funny when I look back and see that’s part of what made me. I played in a few smaller rep teams, but my first Queensland team was under 18 State of Origin, and I remember it was a pretty special feeling to get my jersey from Darius Boyd.
“I think that lit the fire in me that if you hang in, you can eventually get there. I think if I had played in other teams and not experienced disappointment, I would never have been as hungry to get there as I am now.”
Carmel has many poignant memories of Pat’s rugby league career. “The first day he ran out for the Broncos is one of my proudest moments,” she says, “and also, the first time he was called up for the Maroons. We were lucky to be there when he debuted for Australia too. All these things have been amazing,” she adds.
As Pat's number 1 fan, Carmel has every bit of memorabilia since he played under sixes. “I've got every jersey from then right through to now,” she says. “I've got his playing cards, I've got his little hats, I've got his shirts. I’m Carmel and I’m Pat’s number 1 fan!” she confirms.
