amat Shibasaki, would call Queensland Cup teams and ask to join them for pre-season.
This week, he answered a call from Queensland Maroons Coach, Billy Slater, who told him he would make his State of Origin debut.
His quick progression between the two vastly different phone calls has come as a shock to many, even to Shibasaki.
“It was late, I was ready for bed, I didn’t have Billy’s number saved, so I answered it,” he said.
It was a conversation that I dreamt of when I was a kid.
Gehamat Shibasaki
“I just really appreciated it, the hard work I put in and he’s recognised that.
What has been a rapid rise in 2025 started back with the Broncos six seasons ago when Shibasaki played just one NRL game all year.
From then it was a long and injury riddled few seasons, where he played just a handful of games for the Knights, Cowboys and Rabbitohs.
Shibasaki found himself at a career crossroads, he was living in Townsville and working as a mentor for children while he played for the Blackhawks in the Queensland Cup.
But he said it was a conversation with his Broncos’ teammates who inspired him to give his rugby league career one last push.
“I was pretty happy with just working and playing footy, that sort of lifestyle, I was just pretty content with that,” Shibasaki said.
“Some of the boys and Patty [Carrigan] came to Townsville to play the Cowboys and I had a yarn to them that sort of just lit the fire again.
“I was just like, ‘I need to get back into it’.”
At the start of 2025 pre-season, Shibasaki was promoted from a train and trial deal with the Broncos to a development contract, which he is still on.
He said it was Broncos’ Coach, Michael Maguire’s belief and training style which made him strive to be better.
“First day, I got sent from field because I was unfit,” Shibasaki said.
“I kept staying in it and my attitude towards training, then I thought something would come out of it.
“So, I was really just happy to get a contract really but even to be playing in round one was pretty good.”
Shibasaki has scored 12 tries in 15 games in 2025 and averages almost 150 run metres per match.
It was this stellar form which saw Slater pick up the phone and give him a spot starting in the centres for the Game 3 decider to be played at Accor Stadium on Wednesday, July 9.
Slater said Shibasaki’s story was an inspiration.
“You need to be capable [to play Origin], you need to have the habits in your game that are the standards of this footy team… you need the opportunity to be put in front of you.
presented itself over the weekend… it will be a dream come true for the lad from Townsville.”
