Sebastian Sykes has always been torn about his state of origin.
The Bond University law student and rising rugby league star grew up in Mungindi – a town that sits on both sides of the Barwon River, a waterway that marks the border between Queensland and News South Wales.
Mungindi’s quirky geography throws up a few interesting curveballs.
There are two police stations, for instance. One is in New South Wales, the other is in Queensland. Mungindi’s hospital is on the Queensland side. The daycare and school are in New South Wales.
Sykes has lived and breathed the Mungindi conundrum his whole life.
While his allegiance to the Mungindi Grasshoppers Rugby League Club means all his football has been played in Queensland, his childhood home is located on the New South Wales side of the Barwon.
But when the 20-year-old recently pulled on the maroon jersey for the first time in the Australian Universities Interstate Challenge, there was no doubting where his loyalty lies.
“To be honest, the whole experience converted me into a true Queenslander,” Sykes said.
“I saw how passionate everyone was about the jersey – from the coaching staff to the players – and what it meant to them.”
“I knew if I could show the same sort of pride, I’d play well.”
His reasoning was right.
In fact, Sykes played so well in the maroon that he was chosen in the Australian Universities side to tour Fiji in October.
The selection was heard earned.
With New South Wales streaking away in the first half to carry a 22-6 advantage into the break, Queensland needed someone to lead them back.
Sykes was the man for the job.
Inspired by a rousing half-time speech from Queensland coach Jody Barlow, the second rower led a maroon stampede.
“We got a fair spray from JB at half-time as we’d been making stupid mistakes,” he said.
“He told us to start representing our jersey and who we are because we were a better football team than New South Wales when we did have the ball.
“It’s those times when someone’s just got to put their hand up and do the tough stuff. I think I did that pretty well on the weekend.”
Queensland wrestled back control of the game and managed to reduce the deficit to four points, but in the end their momentum was cut short by the siren.
New South Wales won 28-24 - their first victory since 2023.
In an afternoon of mixed emotions, Sykes was thrilled to be announced in the national squad but devastated to learn his brother and fellow Queensland convert, Oliver, missed the team.
He will, however, be joined in Fiji by two of his former classmates from his time at St Gregory's College, one of Sydney's premier rugby league nurseries.
“As soon as they called my name, I was looking around to see where Oli was and hoping they’d call him out. I was gutted for him to not make it.”
“But I’ll get to play with Ryan and Tom, who I went to school with and who were front rowers for New South Wales.”
“We hadn’t seen each other for a while and they came over to me at the end and said, ‘every time we got it off the back fence, we were running at you.’
“I said, ‘I know, I was giving it back to you too.’”
Sykes will have the opportunity to wear the green and gold under head coach, and former state of origin front rower, Ben Cross.
“It’s so special to be able to wear the Australian jersey. It’s the height of the sport.
“It’s the sort of thing you think about as a little kid – to run out there and represent where you’re from, your family, your friends.
“It’ll just be a really proud moment. I’m really looking forward to it.”