He is an apprentice carpenter from south-west Queensland who loves fishing and believes that weights are optional.
Meet Kurt Capewell, Cronulla’s man of the moment.
The 23-year-old produced a breakout performance for the Sharks in their late comeback win over the Wests Tigers on Saturday night, scoring his first two NRL tries and throwing the last pass for a third. Capewell also ran for more than 250 metres and made four line breaks.
It was only his eighth NRL appearance of the season, coming into the team in the absence of Cronulla’s five State of Origin stars. But it was a performance so good that Sharks coach Shane Flanagan said afterwards it would now be hard to leave him out of his 17 going forward, regardless of who else was available.
“I take confidence out of that. It’s great to hear,” Capewell said.
“But also I understand that the team we’ve got it’s a quality 17. I know there’ll be weeks I miss out but I’ll keep working hard and hopefully work my way into it permanently.”
Capewell arrived in the shire at the start of last season from Queensland Cup champions Ipswich. After being cut by the Broncos and Roosters after stints in their NYC systems, Capewell went back to Queensland where he started his apprenticeship as a chippy. He was three years into it when he got the call from the Sharks.
Capewell hit the ground running, named in the Intrust Super Premiership NSW team of the year for his performances with Cronulla’s feeder side Newtown and played four NRL games for the Sharks including a qualifying final victory over Canberra and preliminary final win over North Queensland.
“I came down to play NRL obviously. In my mind I thought I could do it. I wouldn’t have moved away from home and the apprenticeship if not. It’s been good, I’ve ticked off a couple of goals and set more again that I need to tick off now,” he said.
“I was so excited when I got the offer from Cronulla because of the quality players that were here. To come here and learn off blokes like Lewy and Gal, I take a lot away from these blokes even at training every day listening to what they have to say.
“There’s a definite pathway here for me. I love the team, I love the people, I love the area. I’m happy as Larry. I’ll stay here as long as I can I think.”
There is a story about Capewell that when he arrived at Cronulla he was asked how often he did weight training at Ipswich. He didn’t, was the reply. Ipswich wasn’t a full-time system and weights were optional. He chose not to take up the option.
The Sharks put him to work in the gym where he put on eight kilograms of muscle in a year. It is one of the reasons why Flanagan believes Capewell has made such dramatic strides in such little time – that dedication to hard work.
“I saw this really talented kid. He had good footwork and a good skill set,” Flanagan said.
“He’d been out of that full-time system a little bit up there at Ipswich so to get him back down here [was good]. Now he’s a big frame, he’s a big man and he’s still got his footwork and skill set. Whether he plays centre or back-row long term [I’m not sure] but over the next couple of years he’ll nail a full-time position in the team. On the weekend I think he had by far the most quick play the balls because he’s got that footwork and he gets his nose through the line. He’s hard to handle.
“He probably did [say weights were optional]. That’s why he probably put on so much muscle when he did come down his first year. He worked really hard in the gym. It was a really good effort and he’s showing the benefits now.”
A move to the back-row permanently next season isn’t assured yet, with Flanagan confident Capewell could be the man to replace Brisbane-bound Jack Bird next season ahead of new signing – and representative centre – Josh Dugan.
“He is doing his apprenticeship [to play back-row] now but also there’s an opportunity he could nail Jack Bird’s right centre position as well,” Flanagan said.
“He’s doing a real good job there. He did a good job on the weekend. For me he might force my hand that I’ve got to play him in the team somewhere and it might be right centre next year.
“Duges can play fullback. Kurt can play left centre as well. It’s good to have those options. Val can play wing [as well]. We’ll just make sure we’re putting the best team out on the paddock.”
But if you thought moving to Sydney and becoming an NRL player would change a young bloke from Charleville in remote south-west Queensland, think again.
“He loves his fishing,” Flanagan said.
“True story, he comes to training with the boat on the back. Comes to rehab on days off, does physio then goes out in Port Hacking fishing after training. I don’t know how good he is but he loves doing it.”
While his coach might be questioning his fishing, he definitely isn’t questioning his football. Cronulla’s man of the moment will be around for quite a while yet.