The Brisbane Broncos are monitoring a committed Marist College Ashgrove student who could soon join another Ashgrove ace in the NRL club’s academy arm.

Sam Head is the 17-year-old playmaking prospect who made the tough decision not to play alongside his long-time school mates in this year’s AIC First XV rugby competition and instead pursue his rugby league via club football with Samford.

“He’s a great student of the game who has been watching a lot of tape and developing well,” said Samford under-19s coach Adam Langridge.

This brave decision wasn’t made lightly and the Broncos recruitment team has already recognised it because Head has attended recent academy training sessions after showing his wares in the initial Norths Devils Meninga Cup squad.

Head’s goal is to join fellow Ashgrove student, Year 11 boarder Leroy Malone, in the ranks at Red Hill and has a club great mentoring him on the path toward achieving his dreams in the sport.

Andrew McCullough, a 300+ game NRL hooker who represented Queensland four times, has taken Head under his wing and is helping the young Year 12 develop his craft as a hooker or half on the Derek Cameron Flats.

It is there, on Grevillea Road, where Head played countless rugby games for Ashgrove after starting at the school in Year 5.

This made his decision to commit to club league instead of his final rugby season in blue and gold so difficult. Choosing to fully pursue his dream rather than stay with the teammates he had grown alongside for a decade is about as hard as the decision Ashley Klein had to make in game one of State of Origin.

Before Head – who featured in Ashgrove’s exciting Ballymore Cup outfit – made the difficult choice, he spoke with Ashgrove’s respected head of rugby Richard Graham who threw his support behind the decision and encouraged him to pursue the path Head believed was best for his future.

That support meant everything.

While his school mates have a premiership-date with destiny on Saturday, June 6 against Villanova College, Head will make his Rugby League Brisbane division one men’s debut for the mighty Samford Stags, a significant step for a player of his age.

He will debut at halfback although he is also adept at hooker, five-eighth and lock.

“He’s grown as a leader and has been guiding our boys around the park,” said Langridge.

“He’s athletic, strong in defence and doesn’t miss many tackles.”

The big, bulldozing Brighton Rosters will test this on Saturday.