It took a gut instinct from master coach Wayne Bennett to transform Max Plath from a fledgling five-eighth into one of the NRL’s most well-rounded utilities.
Now, that vision has the Dolphins star on the cusp of achieving what his father fell short of – a State of Origin debut for Queensland.
Plath will have one final chance to prove he warrants a place in Billy Slater’s first Maroons team of the year during his side Magic Round clash with Bennett’s South Sydney Rabbitohs on Friday night.
Slater will name his Game One squad on Monday, and Plath is in serious contention to unseat Kurt Mann in the state’s No.14 jumper, having put himself near that reality last year before suffering a ruptured ACL.
His dad, John Plath, won four titles with the Brisbane Broncos as a utility – coached by Bennett – but was unable to gain that illustrious jumper.
Plath, however, admits he will have few bragging rights over his old man if that Queensland call up comes his way, with premiership rings – “the ultimate dream” – still to collect.
“It’d be unbelievable, I get goosebumps thinking about it right now,” Plath tells this masthead, while confirming he had not been in contact with Slater.
“If there’s anything I can get over him in Origin that’d be awesome, but who knows. I’ve got to play a good game of footy this weekend, and hopefully Billy picks me.”
The ultimate ‘Mr Fix It’
Plath had come through the junior ranks as a promising halfback, one who dabbled at hooker occasionally, but never enough to suggest he would be a future ‘Mr Fix It’.
Bennett’s instincts changed that as he launched the Dolphins. Since then, he has played hooker, lock and second row for the club.
“It’s something that just happened when I started playing senior footy. With Wayne coaching my old boy, I think he naturally had it in his brain I could play a couple of positions,” Plath explains.
“Wayne gave me the confidence in myself to believe I could play in the NRL, and obviously gave me the opportunity too. He’s always been someone you can rely on and someone that can give you good honest advice – he’s been a great influence on my early career.”
Plath has settled into the dummy-half role, and believes that could be his future position, insisting his immediate future lies in the forward pack.
But the 24-year-old has called on the game to ensure the new six-man bench laws do not make the utility position obsolete.
“There’s an argument that it [the six-man bench] can get rid of the utility too, if you want to carry an outside back, but I still reckon there’s a position for the utility in the game,” Plath says.
“I want to be a starting player in any team I play, and viewed as a genuine forward as well. [But] with the speed of the game, it’s so unpredictable, so it’s so important to have someone who can play multiple positions.”
Premiership origins
Plath grew up as an avid competitor with his brother Jordan, who currently plays hooker for Redcliffe’s Queensland Cup side. Every afternoon, they were in the yard with a footy until the street lights came on.
Plath recalls those battles as “super competitive”, and they remain that way even now as housemates, while holding each other accountable by drawing on the lessons John had passed on to them.
The siblings had never played a game together until this year, which became fuel for Plath to make an early comeback from his ACL setback.
“That was a silver lining I had through that rehab, trying to get back early and get a game with the little brother,” Plath says.
“We didn’t get the win, but it was a cool experience, and Dave Elliott, our coach, made sure to get us both in the middle together. We’re still working on skills with each other to this day.”
While the game has changed drastically since his father’s era, the basics remain the same. That is where John has become a key confidant.
“He’s always been pretty harsh on effort areas and body language and that sort of stuff, which is a great mindset to instil. I guess we are similar, but different in a lot of ways,” Plath says.
“My brother is a bit of a larrikin like my dad, but at the same time dad’s got a serious side to him, and he’s actually a really smart analyst of the game. He understands the game and is great to lean on for honest advice.”
From ‘dark patch’ to breakout star. Now history awaits
When Plath was taken from the field in round 14 last year, it marked the second time in his career he had sustained an ACL setback, having suffered a similar fate in his late teens.
He admits the first one nearly broke him, and his weight ballooned. This time, he adhered to a more regimented diet. When he arrived at preseason, he shaved roughly 12 seconds off his speed and fitness tests.
“It’s just the state of rugby league – it’s up and down moments, and throughout your career. But knowing I’ve done it before gave me a lot of reassurance,” Plath says.
“The first time around was probably a new experience for me in the sense I’ve never been taken away from rugby league. I went through a dark patch when I was 18, 19, but this time I had a much better perspective and could tackle it a lot better.”
That perspective has enabled him to make an immediate impression since getting back on the field, with the Dolphins two points adrift of the top eight as they push for a maiden finals berth.
“We’re a lot more consistent in our habits, training a lot better, and have some key personnel back,” Plath says.
“I’m super excited for this team this season.”
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