By Peter Jessup
On Tuesday Cliff Beverley was making his rounds as a salesman when the trilling of his mobile telephone changed his life.
On the other end was former Kiwi great turned Warriors football manager Hugh McGahan, offering the 21-year-old a career as a professional rugby league player.
"I couldn't believe it.
I had to tell the shopkeeper to hang on a minute while it sank in."
Yesterday it was still sinking in as Beverley went through drills with the guys who were his heroes not so long ago. Skipper Matthew Ridge was working on a nickname, coach Mark Graham was working on Beverley's kicking game, and the man himself was still working out if it was all real.
The utility back, already a success in league with two Fox Memorial titles with his Glenora club, was running at five-eighth in training but has played there and at fullback for the Auckland champions.
The Warriors are looking at him as back-up in the halves. Beverley is keen just to get a game and happy that even the man he might put pressure on, Gene Ngamu, was among those to congratulate him.
Beverley has a two-year incentive-based contract that offers the same base salary as his job with grocery wholesalers Gilmours but the opportunity to earn much more if he makes first grade, and if the team wins. "That's how it should be," he says of the pay rate. "You want something to aim for."
Now 1.83m tall and 84kg, Beverley kicked off his league life at the age of four with the New Lynn Stags, side-stepped efforts by his school Kelston Boys to turn him to rugby, and has been at Glenora since.
"There was a feeling we [Auckland club players] couldn't break into the Warriors, but the trials this year gave everyone the feeling that if you put your hand up, there was an opening. I'm rapt."
He is not phased by the prospect of facing the likes of Allan Langer and Kevin Walters. "Yeah, they're legends. But if everyone does their job and I do mine I'll be fine. There'll be plenty of nerves, for sure."
His signing leaves one opening in the squad of 25 as the Warriors head to Queensland for testing Country Cup Carnival games against Melbourne this Friday night at Lang Park and the Brisbane Broncos at Toowoomba the following Saturday.
The club's only silverware, the Tasman Trophy for games against the Storm, will be on the line. The National Rugby League asked that it be put up outside of the competition proper to stimulate Brisbane interest.
They will stay in camp in Brisbane between the games in what should be a good opportunity for the team to gel and build some serious spirit.
Only hooker Syd Eru, still recovering from surgery to an arm injury, cannot be considered for selection.
Pictured: Cliff Beverley training at Cornwall. HERALD PICTURE / BRETT PHIBBS
By Peter Jessup
On Tuesday Cliff Beverley was making his rounds as a salesman when the trilling of his mobile telephone changed his life.
On the other end was former Kiwi great turned Warriors football manager Hugh McGahan, offering the 21-year-old a career as a professional rugby league player.
"I couldn't believe it.
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