An anxious mum, a newborn son and the biggest footy game of his life

For the last week Gold Coast Suns defender Rex Liddy's been getting more calls than usual from his mum and dad.

"They call me up all the time," the footballer says laughing,

It may not seem all that odd but this week is a big one for the Liddy household.

Together, Rex's mum, dad and aunty will travel five hours by car from the remote community of Hopevale to Cairns to see their boy play on Saturday against the Richmond Tigers.

It might seem like a fair trek but for the Liddy clan, it is effectively a home game.

Rex says getting his family to the game isn't the problem though. Reassuring his anxious parents that he'll be in the side, however, is quickly becoming a full time job.

"They're always asking me, 'Are you in the team?' and I've got to tell 'em every five minutes that I am playing," he says, seemingly only half-joking.

But the promising young player admits it's a good problem to have and as the first ever AFL footballer to hail from Cape York in Far North Queensland, he says he understands the expectation and excitement from his community.

"I never thought I'd be here [in the AFL] and I'm just really excited to play," he says. "I feel like a role model to the young kids up there and I'm tellin' 'em that you not only can you make it in the NRL playing rugby league but you can make it in other sports as well.

Off the field Rex is a role model to more than just aspiring young footballers after welcoming his first born son, Jarra into the world only a month ago.

The baby, he says, is a true blessing.

"Mate, it's a miracle I reckon. It's amazing picking a baby up and knowing it's yours," he says. "I couldn't believe he was here after all those months. It's wonderful having him around."

Queensland State Indigenous Director, Rick Hanlon, who mentored Rex as a junior, says his young prodigy always endears himself to others.

"Rexy's just got that likeable character about him," he says. "He's got an aura about him and his leadership."

"People gravitate to him. There's an expectation about him. He's super talented and he's just a really nice kid with a great family that support him to the max."

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