He’s been touted as one of rugby league’s most devastating young players, but for many Queenslanders the name Bishop Neal remains a mystery.
A versatile back rower, the teenager has already made waves in the New South Wales Cup with six tries and two try assists in his ten appearances for the New Zealand Warriors, but it was in Southeast Queensland where a young Bishop would first step onto the field.
Born in New Zealand, Neal would make the move to Brisbane as a child, first playing for the Coomera Cutters.
“It’s mostly where I grew up, I was in Brisbane and the Gold Coast for about eight or nine years, I have a lot of close family members there” explained Neal.
"I still have good memories of playing for the Cutters — Mum and Dad used to give me $1 for a try and 50 cents for a tackle. That's when I started getting real keen, but they stopped doing that when they had to give me $10 after one game."
Neal would eventually return to New Zealand in 2020 where he and his family settled in Christchurch to finish his final years of schooling.
It was in Christchurch where Neal would truly excel on the field, garnering the attention of clubs in both Rugby Union and Rugby League.
Despite the early success, the well-poised Neal was able to keep a cool head on his shoulders, a trait which has served him well both on the field and off it, and it’s a trait which he thanks his family and support system for fostering.
“I credit my parents and the circle around me for keeping me grounded, I try not to look into the stuff people say about me."
“My parents have kept me off social media, so I don’t see anything unless the boys show me it, but it’s been very good to not be on social media, I used to think it was bad that my parents would keep me from having a phone, but looking back it’s all good at the end of the day, because there is a lot of negativity on social media.”
Luckily for Queensland Under 19s coach Darius Boyd, Neal now has a phone, and Boyd was able to call the prodigious young talent to select him in his 20-man squad.
Despite not competing in the same pathways as an adolescent, Neal says the Under 19 Queensland squad has welcomed him with open arms, and that he can’t wait to rip in with his teammates come game day on Thursday.
“I only knew one of the boys here who was going to play in this squad, but he got injured so I came into camp not knowing anyone, but the boys here have been great and I’m tight as with all of them.”
“I’m just keen to get to game day and smash some blues while representing my family and my childhood, it’s always been a dream of mine to put on a Queensland jersey so I just want to rip in.”
