He may have missed the glory days of 'The Terminator' but Titans rookie Karl Lawton is using the life of Arnold Schwarzenegger as the blueprint to bring his rugby league dreams to fruition.
Lawton will come off the bench for Queensland in the under-20s State of Origin clash on Wednesday night that will serve as the curtain-raiser to the biggest TV event of 2015 where a host of talented teens from both states will put their considerable talents on show.
The junior Blues boast NRL experience in Jackson Hastings and Robert Jennings while the mini Maroons can claim Jordan Drew, but a number of others have entered the NRL arena via the Auckland Nines earlier this year.
An injury crisis in the hooker ranks at the Titans thrust Lawton into contention for a first grade call-up before the mid-season signing of Chad Redman from Newcastle allowed him to continue his development playing for Tweed Heads in the Intrust Super Cup.
Although Schwarzenegger's seminal body building documentary was made almost 20 years before Lawton was born, the 19-year-old who names the Hollywood megastar as his favourite sports person is using an extraordinary career as inspiration for his own ambitions.
"Arnie's a bit of an old favourite of mine," Lawton told NRL.com. "I sort of look up to him.
"He's accomplished a lot in his life, being a bodybuilder, actor, mayor, he's done a lot. I guess he's just a goal setter and he achieves them.
"My brother's into bodybuilding so he showed me a bit and just passed on a bit of knowledge to me.
"I found out what he did, read his book and it just explained so much about his life and how great an achiever he is."
Karl's older brother Kayne Lawton played seven games for the Titans between 2009-2012 and in 2011 represented the Queensland Residents team and Karl hopes his NRL debut will come sooner rather than later.
Having played two games for Tweed in the Intrust Super Cup, his first major representative honour has provided Lawton with another chance to show Titans coach Neil Henry that he is ready.
"I think I'm more than capable to play. I'm confident I can play, well and truly, but it's a matter of time and what Neil thinks," said Lawton, a dynamic hooker who will come off the bench for the Queensland 20s.
"I find it's more of a maturity thing, just being mature and being able to control grown men, not so much kids any more. Be dominant and, physically, to be able to tackle grown men.
"My family are massive league supporters. My brother played Queensland Residents and it's an honour to put the jersey on and carry on a bit of a Lawton legacy."
Watch the Under 20s State of Origin LIVE on NRL.com as the Queensland U20s take on New South Wales U20s on Wednesday, July 7 from 5.25pm at Suncorp Stadium.
Queensland under-20s: 1 Paul Byrnes (Broncos), 2 Gideon Gela-Mosby (Cowboys), 3 Jordan Drew (Broncos), 4 Marion Seve (Tigers), 5 Conor Carey (Cowboys), 6 Jayden Nikorima (Broncos), 7 Ashley Taylor (Broncos), 8 George Fai (Broncos), 9 Jayden Berrell (Broncos), 10 Lindsay Collins (Broncos), 11 Coen Hess (Cowboys), 12 Alex Barr (Broncos), 13 Jai Arrow (Broncos). Interchange: 14 Karl Lawton (Titans), 15 Luke Bateman (Raiders), 16 Sam Lavea (Broncos), 17 Oshae Tuiasau (Titans), 18 Andrew Niemoeller (Cowboys). Coach: Kurt Wrigley (Rabbitohs).
NSW under-20s: 1 Latrell Mitchell (Roosters), 2 Brian Kelly (Titans), 3 John Olive (Rabbitohs), 4 Robert Jennings (Panthers), 5 Brent Naden (Panthers), 6 Jackson Hastings (Roosters), 7 Drew Hutchison (Dragons), 8 Alex Twal (Eels), 9 Grant Garvey (Roosters), 10 Liam Knight (Sea Eagles), 11 Joe Stimson (Storm), 12 Tyrell Fuimaono (Eels), 13 Luke Yates (Knights). Interchange: 14 Jacob Liddle (Tigers), 15 Oliver Clark (Panthers), 16 Addison Demetriou (Sea Eagles), 17 Hame Sele (Dragons), 18 Matt Woods (Tigers). Coach: Dean Pay (Raiders).
