Glen Liddiard grew up in Werrington, with three older siblings and a love for the great outdoors. Sport, specifically rugby league, consumed Glen’s upbringing and proved an effective means of socialising with the local community.
First playing rugby league at the age of 4, Glen often idolised his older brothers on and off the field. A chance encounter at the age of 16, following his older brother David to England (his parents), saw Glen become the youngest ever professional rugby league player in the UK, debuting alongside his brother and going on to play 28 top-flight games that season. Under the guidance of British rugby league legend Frank Myler, Glen jumped at the opportunity to have a run with the Oldham Rugby League Football Club, alongside his older brother.
“He (Myler) said, ‘We’ll give you 10 quid a week to play in Reserve Grade’. That first game I scored a hattrick on the wing – I think I was just running scared! The following week Frank said, ‘We’ve picked you in First Grade’”, Glen said.
Back in Australia, Glen debuted for Parramatta in 1988, alongside greats such as Peter Sterling, Peter Wynn, Eric Grothe and Brett Kenny. At a club that had dominated the past decade, it was Kenny specifically, who mentored Glen and even shifted positions (from five-eighth to lock) to cater for the new kid on the block.
“I just followed Brett Kenny around at training and watched what he did. I tried to base my game around what he did”, Glen said.
MUSIC CREDIT: "Friendship" - Annie Burbank
