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The standout in the Minichiello family’s backyard footy battles always seemed destined to make his mark in rugby league.
Anthony Minichiello looked pretty good too.
Like a typical little brother, Mark Minichiello cheekily claimed he shone with the footy when sibling rivalry was taken to a new level with Anthony growing up on their five acre property in Sydney’s west.
“There were definitely some battles back in the day,” a laughing Mark Minichiello told AAP.
“I’d like to think I got the better of him back then.”
Mark Minichiello was no slouch.
The former NSW City back-rower ended a 258-game NRL career this year when the Gold Coast Titans missed the finals cut.
But he reckons he can only marvel at his older brother’s achievements.
No wonder.
At 34, Anthony Minichiello will hope to celebrate his 15th and final season by leading the Sydney Roosters to back-to-back NRL titles, becoming the first club in 21 years to achieve the feat.
And it would earn a third premiership ring in a seventh grand final appearance for the popular Roosters skipper.
But first, history beckons in Friday night’s NRL elimination final against South Sydney.
The former Golden Boot winner will break Luke Ricketson’s 301-game club record.
Even the man who will be wiped from the Roosters record books by Minichiello is rooting for the veteran fullback.
“As a retired player you try to hang onto something from your career and the record was probably the only thing I had left,” Ricketson – who ended his 15-year career in 2005 – told AAP.
“But I could not be more happy for Mini to take that mantle.
“He has been such a good ambassador for the club and a very good friend of mine.”
Ricketson remembers the first time he saw Minichiello as a kid carving up an under-16 Harold Matthews semi-final.
“He was a standout at that age. He was one of those guys who hated being tackled,” Ricketson said.
“And he just got better and better throughout his career.”
Ricketson would know – they were almost inseparable at the Roosters after Minichiello made his 2000 NRL debut.
They were roommates by 2002, representative teammates countless times and there are no prizes for guessing who was a groomsman when Minichiello got married.
Perhaps more importantly, Ricketson was there for Minichiello when told he should give the game away.
Serious back injuries limited Minichiello to 33 games from 2006-09.
“I remember he said a specialist told him he should probably retire early and not play any contact sport again,” Ricketson said.
“But he is such a positive guy.
“He could have rivalled Darren Lockyer’s record for games played (355) but he never let anything get him down.”
Not only did Minichiello play again, he regained his NSW jersey, playing the last of his 11 Origins in 2011.
“Those injuries would have retired most players,” Mark Minichiello said.
“Everyone was writing him off.
“I don’t think anyone else could have done it.”
It’s why no one is ruling out another comeback – of sorts – on Friday night.
Minichiello is under the pump after making the most errors (41) of any player this year – including 16 in his last six games.
South Sydney have made no secret of their plan to target the veteran.
“That’s not going to faze him. A lot of people don’t know he hasn’t trained in three weeks (groin and back issues),” Mark Minichiello said.
“But no doubt he will be one of the best on ground on Friday night.”
Mark Minichiello will cheer his brother on from the grandstand if the Roosters book another grand final.
He just hopes it doesn’t end in tears like a now infamous backyard footy game.
“Anthony used to be a Canberra supporter and I was a Balmain man,” Mark Minichiello said.
“I remember the `89 grand final when the Tigers had it won for all money and Canberra came back.
“We were playing footy later and geez he gave it to me. I think I was crying that day.”
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