Valentine Holmes has vowed to repay the religion proven to him by Australia coach Mal Meninga, with the Kangaroos winger conceding he wasn’t positive if he’d be picked for the Pacific Championships after he was suspended for posting a picture on social media of him holding a small bag containing white powder.
The September incident earnt the Cowboys star a one-match ban and a $25,000 advantageous for bringing the sport into disrepute in the course of the finals collection.
Holmes instantly deleted the picture from social media however not earlier than it was picked up by members of the general public and shared throughout all platforms.
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The 28-year-old missed the win over Samoa however has been recalled rather than Selwyn Cobbo for what can be his first sport in three months after a high-tackle ban pressured him to overlook the back-end of the season.
After the 2 incidents, Holmes may have been missed for the Pacific Championships squad, however Meninga confirmed religion within the World Cup winner who returns for his twentieth Test within the inexperienced and gold jersey.
“I didn’t think he (Meninga) would select me,” Holmes stated.
“I had been training but it was the games I was missing out on. It’s been almost 10 or 11 weeks since I played a game of footy, so to see the trust Mal has put into me … I think my next Test is my 20th, so that will be a big milestone for me.
“It’s an honour to be here. Everyone knows how successful Mal was as a coach and player. To have him backing me in such a huge occasion with the Pacific Nations (series), there are only three games and I couldn’t play in one of them.
“There are plenty of guys who can play wing and centre, so for Mal to have his trust and back me to do the job … I have to pay him back as well as my club and my family.
“I can’t wait to get back on the footy field and show some positives.”
Holmes has an unbelievable worldwide report having scored 19 tries from his 19 appearances, together with his solely loss coming towards New Zealand 5 years in the past.
It’s why he was so relieved to have Meninga’s help after a brutal couple of weeks.
“I had some tough talks with my family and my wife’s side of the family. They all gave me support,” he stated.
“It was a tough couple of days, but like anything, you have to move on, move forward, be better and learn from it.
“It was around the Prime Minister’s game that Mal had a word to me. He said I wasn’t going to be playing with them, but past that he gave me another call and wanted me to be in camp, not knowing what would happen with the suspension.
“He kept in touch with me and we went back and forth with the NRL and they gave me a one-game suspension.
“I just kind of got it over with the integrity unit. It was during the finals period, too. It was lingering quite a bit. I couldn’t get my statement out until after the last game and the grand final, so that was a bit annoying, but we got there in the end.
“We are here now, I am doing something positive and I can’t wait to play. It’s been a big learning curve.”
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au