'Just wanted to be a dad': The inspiration behind Cam's Roo return
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Kangaroos forward Cam Murray has opened up on the emotional torment of watching his daughter learn to walk while bedridden as he prepares to complete a two-year journey back to the international arena.
Murray's last appearance in the green and gold ended in disappointment when he injured his wrist in a 22-10 victory over New Zealand in October 2024.
The injury triggered the toughest year of his career, Murray eventually working his way back to fitness before rupturing his Achilles in the 2025 pre-season and spending another seven months on the sidelines.
Kiwis v Kangaroos – Week 2, 2024
The Rabbitohs skipper returned for the final game of last year's NRL campaign before leading his side back to the finals this season and earning a place in Australia's IRL Rugby League World Cup squad.
Murray will now complete an arduous journey back to the international arena when he lines up for the Kangaroos in Thursday's showdown with the Kiwis.
"It was hard but it's part of who I am," Murray said. "You don't get much growth in the comfort zone. You always learn the most and get the most growth when you're stretched and tested.
"It was an up and down 12 months with injuries, I had a young family, I was trying to navigate it all. It was tough going but I learned a lot about myself.
"I was forced into getting better at some things I wasn't good at and I came through the other side with the support of my loved ones and my partner. I like to think I came out the other side a better player and a better person.
"I'm grateful to be back here wearing the green and gold jersey with another opportunity to represent who I am, where I'm from and my family on the big stage."
Match: Australia v New Zealand
Round 1 -
home Team
Australia
away Team
New Zealand
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Murray will come off the bench at Allianz Stadium on Thursday night as the Kangaroos look to start their tournament with a win in front of an expected record crowd.
The match will complete a journey that had numerous twists and turns, the forward required to undergo a second surgery on his Achilles to treat an infection.
As Murray was in and out of hospital and unable to walk, his daughter Avalon was taking her first steps. It was a moment the proud father had always dreamed of but the reality was far from the perfect vision.
Murray catches them napping
"The hardest part was when I went back in for my second surgery," Murray said. "I was in there for two weeks. When I got back home, I still wasn't walking but my daughter started walking before me.
"She was 14 months old and she got on her feet before I did. All I wanted to do was hold her hand and walk down the street. That was the hardest moment. I wasn't worried about footy then, I just wanted to be a dad."
While devastated to spend so much time on the sidelines, Murray is now able to reflect on the positives that came from a challenging 12 months.
The lock has reclaimed his mantle as one of the best forwards in the game and helped NSW win back the State of Origin shield earlier this year. If all goes to plan throughout the next month, he'll add another World Cup to the trophy cabinet on November 15.
Home Hardware player of the round: Cameron Murray
Away from football, Murray and his partner have added a second daughter to their growing family and he has learned plenty of lessons that have helped him both on and off the field.
"You never get better overnight when you've got injuries like I had a couple of years ago," Murray said. "It's a process and you've got to get up and be consistent and know you're going to get there.
"A quote I heard once is 'you overestimate what you can do in the short term and underestimate what you can do in the long term'. It was so true, if I looked at 24 hours or even seven days of rehab with my Achilles, you think you weren't improving but then you look at a three-month block and you go from having your leg up to walking again.
"To get those gains in the long term you have to be consistent in the short term. That's what I learned about myself and hopefully I came out the other side a better person, more grown up and mature."
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