Trent Loiero: 'My old man Gino is over the moon'
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An unsuspecting Trent Loiero was "very excited" to get the call from Queensland Maroons coach Billy Slater to join the squad for State of Origin Game II in Melbourne.
The Melbourne Storm second rower was in the car with teammate Xavier Coates when Coates got his call from Slater and was shocked when he handed the phone over.
"Xavier passed the phone over and Billy asked if I wanted to come to camp... I was actually a little bit shocked because I wasn't expecting it, especially after a good win in Game I... I thought the squad would stay the same, but I'm just super excited to be here... can't wait for everything," Loiero said.
"Very excited and a little bit nervous... looking forward to the week."
Coates confirmed, with a big grin, "he was rattled because he didn't expect it".
The 23-year-old said he called dad Gino straight away.
"Definitely my dad, called dad... he's probably been the most influential person my my career," Loiero said, adding he was in Bali at the moment with his mum Leanne.
"Called him and spoke to him and mum on speaker and they were both so over the moon. Dad's probably my number one supporter; anyone that knows him, he rides me, so he was over the moon and so was my old girl Leanne... both very happy."
Loiero said growing up in his household Origin meant sitting down with Gino, soaking it all in.
"For me I would always sit at home and make sure I was there watching all of the pre-game stuff and make sure I'd watch with my old man, so that's why I probably rang him first," Loiero said.
"I spent all my juniors watching with him, screaming at the TV.
"I'd be watching Billy Slater... he was the one scoring all of the tries, doing all the flash stuff that when you're a kid, that seems all glamorous to you. Yep, I was watching Billy Slater... hopefully that gets me in his good books."
Rugby league for Loiero started at the Sunshine Coast.
"I grew up on the Sunshine Coast so played all my junior footy there for the Kawana Dolphins, think I started at six, and played right through to under 18s; pretty excited to see the junior club logo on the jersey," Loiero said.
"Pretty cool to represent them this week. Then I played Sunshine Coast Falcons right through."
Loiero said being selected as part of Slater's Game II squad, being that step closer to one day donning maroon, meant the world to him.
"Even thinking about it makes me nervous... it would mean the world," Loiero said.
"I think as a kid, it sounds cliché to say, but you always grow up wanting to play for your state, for Queensland, so it would mean the absolute world to be able to go out there and play for Queensland and represent my family and the Sunshine Coast as whole.
"Not many people have played NRL out of there so to be able to represent the Sunshine Coast would be amazing if that chance does arise across the next few years.
"I think for me, to come in here and be surrounded by such quality players, I just want to be a sponge and learn as much as I can off those older and experienced boys.
"I just want to learn as much as I can in this short amount of time... I know it's going to go quick... but I just want to be able to walk out of this camp having learnt plenty... take some knowledge out of it."
Slater, during his media conference, said Loiero had earned his opportunity to join the squad for Game II.
Media conference: Slater speaks after naming Game II squad
