THE Maroons have taken a future State of Origin star from NSW. He’s a Sydney-born teen who has never lived in Queensland.

And the Blues can’t do a thing about it.

Adrian Lam’s son Lachlan, born and raised in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, will play halfback for Queensland’s under-16 team in the curtain raiser to the 100th State of Origin game this month.

Lachlan is the first player to represent his state through the father-son Origin rule, introduced last year as part of revised eligibility laws.

News_Image_File: Adrian Lam and his son Lachlan, 14 months.

Lachlan is a legitimate talent who recently signed a three-year contract with the Sydney Roosters, his old man’s former club.

The fact he’s eligible for Queensland will no doubt cause outrage down south, but Adrian said while his son spent his whole life in Sydney, his passion was to honour his Queensland heritage.

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“He cried alongside his mother when we told him he was going to play for Queensland, that’s how much representing the state means to him,” Lam Sr told The Courier-Mail.

“His mum’s a Bundaberg girl. She has represented Queensland in netball and touch football and all her family is in Bundaberg.

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“She is stoked and I’m over the moon for him.

“Lachlan qualified for Queensland through the father-son rule. I couldn’t imagine him playing for NSW (in Origin).

“He played for NSW schools last year and made the Australian side from that competition. But now he is 16 he was able to make a formal decision.



“He has a three-year contract with the Roosters, and when he signed that he had to nominate his eligibility.

“He was born down here, his school and junior league has all been in the eastern suburbs of Sydney.

News_Image_File: Adrian Lam holds up the winner's shield during the 1999 series.

“He didn’t get poached though. He wants to play for Queensland.

“The new rules allow him to represent Queensland. I think they are fantastic.

“It is the 100th Origin game and he will run out on to Suncorp Stadium with Lam No. 7 on his back.

“That is pretty special.”

Queensland Rugby League managing director Rob Moore said Lachlan had the right to represent Queensland.

“All our QRL state age teams are selected under Origin eligibility rules,” Moore said.

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“We see these QRL/QAS squads as a vital part of our Origin pathways programs, from under 15 right through to Origin.

“Lachlan Lam qualifies through his father Adrian’s Qld Origin representation, meaning he will be the first player to be selected under this criteria since it was introduced in 2013 by the ARLC.

“The rule recognises the family connection and the right to represent the same state his father did, which we fully support.”

Of course, Adrian’s own Origin career was controversial as the Blues cried foul when the Papua New Guinea-born halfback played for Queensland.

He captained the Maroons in eight of his 14 Origin appearances.

Lachlan is already taller than Adrian and at 16, weighs the same as his dad.

The Roosters have high hopes for Lachlan, a natural five-eighth who is shifting to No. 7 for Queensland.

“He’s switched on. His head is firmly on his shoulders. He’s worked hard to get here and knows this is just the beginning,” Adrian said.

“There is a long way to go. This is just a stepping stone.”

Should Lachlan make it all the way to Origin level, he and Adrian will join Martin and John Lang, as well as Mat and Steve (NSW) Rogers as father-son combinations to have played Origin.

Originally published as Lam and son make Origin history