TATE McDermott’s world spun into heartache, tears and a sporting career change when his childhood mate Matthew Barclay drowned at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships.

Maroochydore Surf Club was McDermott’s first love before he followed his instincts with a football to develop into the Queensland Reds’ sparky new halfback.

Cherished memories of the surf mate who didn’t get to live his sporting dream will be stored in McDermott’s mind when his plays out on Friday night against Japan’s Sunwolves at Suncorp Stadium.

media_camera Queensland Reds halfback Tate McDermott’s heartbreaking journey to his Super debut. Picture: AAP Image

McDermott was just 13 and watching the Under-15 board race at Kurrawa in 2012 when Barclay never came out of the challenging surf.

The tragedy cut deep.

“Matty and I grew up together as real good mates on the boards and ski and our families would travel together to carnivals,’ McDermott said.

“I was watching his race from the beach that day and it’s still very hard to believe.

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“I’m close to his family but that was kind of a turning point for me to give up surf lifesaving and concentrate on rugby.”

McDermott’s zeal to dart and probe on field still has the freshness of his school days mucking around for hours with brother Flynn in a neighbour’s front yard at Mudjimba.

“Running out at No.9 for Queensland is what I dreamt of as a kid and it’s a massive honour for me and those close to me,” McDermott, 19, said.

media_camera Tate McDermott made his Super Rugby debut this season. Picture: Getty

His snipe-first mentality is his big strength and explains why it’s not just Will Genia but former Wallaby Luke Burgess, who were halfback role models.

“To me, sniping around rucks is what all the good No.9s do,” McDermott said.

“I never played league but I watched a lot of Billy Slater and I just wanted to be a runner of the ball.”

The four-way joust with James Tuttle, Ben Lucas and Moses Sorovi for halfback duties at the Reds this season has been an upbeat classroom.

“Bobby (Tuttle) has been big on game management with me which is the aspect I most have to work on, Benny has smarts to make the right decisions and Mo’s running game is electric,” McDermott said.

Victory on Friday night will turn this into the Reds’ first six-win season since 2013.

media_camera Tate McDermott escapes the clutches of a big Bull. Picture: Getty

Small strides, maybe, for a team in 13th but skipper Scott Higginbotham wants intensity to the final minute of the season.

“Obviously, we’ve got to make amends (after) losing to the Sunwolves with them putting 60 on us (63-28 in May),” Higginbotham said.

The Indigenous Round jersey, designed by Woorabinda’s Samantha Booth, has been enthusiastically embraced by the team.

“Not every player in the team is Indigenous but we are all Australians,” Higginbotham said.

“This is Australian culture and it means a lot to be representing that Indigenous culture.”

The pacy Sunwolves attack has generated some excellent tries and an entertaining win over the visitors would be the ideal farewell for Jono Lance and Eto Nabuli plus sidelined trio George Smith, Kane Douglas and Ben Lucas

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Originally published as The tragedy that shaped Reds rookie