Bruised Pride but he’ll carry on

A CRUSHED Sheldon PoweHobbs is keeping a brave face although he still can’t understand why he’s not going to be running on to Barlow Park in a Scotland jersey tomorrow.

The Northern Pride prop returned to preseason this week determined to overcome a shattering omission from the Rugby League World Cup squad having made his debut against Australia in the Four Nations 12 months prior.

Devastated enough, watching the Bravehearts get slaughtered only drives the nail in further, not to mention they’re training in his backyard for the game’s biggest stage.

Powe-Hobbs said after being a leader for the Pride throughout 2016, he believed he could be making a difference for Scotland, a team widely favoured to bow out of the tournament.

“It’s hard watching your mates get flogged like that, especially if I was in the squad I’d like to put my hand up and try to help and do something and it’s definitely hard to watch knowing I should be there with them, but it is what it is,” he said.

“To play in front of a home crowd would have been good.

“Everywhere I go, everyone asks me why I’m not there and Sheldon Powe-Hobbs. … I don’t really have an answer, so it’s a pity to be honest. Disappointment is an understatement. I was devastated I didn’t get picked. I thought I’d done enough.

“But I can’t do anything about it now. It is what it is. I’ve just got to try to look forward to trying to have a good season next season and maybe get another go in a couple of years when the World Cup rolls around again.”

At least he has a preseason to look forward to and the 25year-old was upbeat about what was in store for 2018 after their first gathering this week.

“That’s the thing in footy. Everyone always says you get a chance to redeem yourself next week. Obviously it’s not the next week, but I’ll get into preseason, get back around the boys, forget about it and focus on what I can control,” PoweHobbs said.

“I wouldn’t say I’m going to put in any more or less. I try to do my best regardless of the situation. I’ll just go about what I’ve always done and … just keep putting the hard yards in and results will come.”

EVERYWHERE I GO, EVERYONE ASKS ME WHY I’M NOT THERE AND … I DON’T REALLY HAVE AN ANSWER, SO IT’S A PITY TO BE HONEST.

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