“Mum came in and woke me up to tell me I got it but I didn’t believe her, ‘cause there are a lot of very decent sportsmen going around in Moree, with the likes of Cameron Hammond,” he said. “So it was definitely a major honour.”

Houlahan couldn’t attend the Australia Day ceremony where the award was presented as he is at the Gold Coast going about the business of making this year every bit as successful as the last. He’ll have his work cut out. 

In 2014, Houlahan played in an undefeated GPS cricket team, represented his adopted state of Queensland and made his first grade debut. 

“Making my debut for the Gold Coast Dolphins’ first grade, playing with Michael Neser and Andrew Robinson, both Queensland Bulls players, that was an honour, probably my biggest achievement last year,” he said. 

The 17-year-old got the call up from the Dolphins’ first grade coach on the plane back from Sydney where he had been playing for the Queensland under 19 Schoolboys. 

“I was shocked, the first ball was from Alister McDermott, who plays for the Brisbane Heat, and the bowler at the other end was Peter George, who’s played for Australia...it was insane.”

But the quality of his opponents was not the only reason Houlahan’s unlikely to forget his first ball in first grade. 

“Yeah, I got hit in the nuts,” he laughed. “It wasn’t really the greatest first ball, but it was one to remember! I tried to pretend it didn’t get me in the box but I couldn’t. It was just too quick, I didn’t see it.”

The opening bat went on to play another five games in first grade, notching three scores in the 40s and two in the 20s as he adjusted to the “massive jump” in the standard of first grade cricket.

It was just one area in which Houlahan developed his game in 2014. Earlier in the year his Queensland under 17 coach asked the opening batter to harness his hitting power by going in at number six. 

Houlahan said the challenge made him a better player, and it’s already paying dividends.

Back in Sydney earlier this month touring with The Southport School (TSS) XI for a series of trial matches, Houlahan went into his last innings with a mission, after his bowlers dismissed Shore College for just 128. 

“We had to get to the airport and we were going to struggle to make it on time, so the coach basically said go as hard as you can so we don’t miss the plane,” he said. 

Five sixes and less than 50 balls, Houlahan had blasted his century, leaving his partner a spectator at the other end on just nine runs.

“Luckily they dropped a few catches,” he said. “And we got to the airport early.”

This year his focus will be on his last season of school cricket. In 2014 his TSS side went undefeated for the first time in 32 years. Once he graduates, the former Moree Stallion will focus his attention on first grade cricket and push to land a contract with the Queensland Academy of Sport or the Bulls. 

For now though, he admits he still barracks for NSW when he’s not in a maroon blazer.