Gordonvale honours hometown hero



THROUGH all his success in rugby league, Nate Myles has never forgotten where he's come from and now nobody else will as well.

Myles was in Gordonvale yesterday for the unveiling of a sign that proudly claims the Gold Coast Titans star as a product of the small Far North community.

The Queensland and Australian forward was joined by wife Tessa James, family, friends and Cairns Regional Council division 1 councillor Steve Brain, who led the ceremony at the intersection of Swan St and Riverstone Rd.

Myles, who played his junior football at Gordonvale club Southern Suburbs, said it was surreal seeing his name on a sign in his hometown.

"It's a fantastic occasion and I'm very honoured by it," he said. "I've been very fortunate with the people who have been in my life from my mum and dad, sisters, grandmother and grandfather and through to my coaches.

"They've been fantastic my whole career and my playing days as a kid were so much fun because of that."

Myles left for Sydney when he was teenager to pursue his NRL dream, but his mother Janet Evans said her son was still considered a local.

"It's worked out that he's taken his opportunities and run with them," she said.

"But it's amazing really. He's great for the kids of Gordonvale because he's a Suburbs boy through and through."

Suburbs junior coach Dennis Bradford said it was clear from an early age that there was something special about Myles.

"He always strived for the best," he said. "When the chips were down, Nate was the sort of guy that lifted and brought his team up.

"He wasn't always the easiest fella to get to training at times. Quite often I had to get his mum to coax him out.

"But he turned out to be the champion we always knew he would be."

http://www.cairns.com.au/article/201...ocal-news.html