TIGERS ARRIVE

Former Cowboy says Scott’s season on the sidelines has made him bigger and better

RUGBY LEAGUE NO one wants to run on to Barlow Park this weekend more than Cowboys prop Matt Scott.

After 11 months with surgeons and physios rehabilitating his dodgy anterior cruciate ligament, the 32-year-old is itching to strap on the boots once more and return to his throne as the leader of what is shaping up as arguably the best forward rotation in the NRL.

Former Cowboys forwards Glenn Hall and Dallas Johnson are backing Scott (pictured) to get back to his metre-eating best and expect whatever small step he makes in Cairns to go a long way to securing the club a second premiership in 2018.

“I can tell you my office is just outside the gym and I’ve watched the work that he’s done in the year he’s had off and I’ve watched the preseason he’s had and you don’t see debutants this excited to play a trial game,” Hall said yesterday.“It’s no wonder he is where he is and has got the name that he has and that’s because of what he does on the training paddock.”

MATT Scott is a 19-year-old trapped in the body of a 32year-old and he’s jumping out of his skin to end the absence that cost him a grand final shot.

Cairns might be the most “awful” place to make a comeback, but if the worst thing that happens on his first hit-up at Barlow Park is getting smacked in the face with humidity, “Thumper” will know every rehab session was worth it.

Scott usually keeps things pretty close to his chest but former Cowboys forward Glenn Hall said the star prop was just about bouncing off the walls about his return on Saturday night.

“I can tell you my office is just outside the gym and I’ve watched the work that he’s done in the year he’s had off and I’ve watched the preseason he’s had and you don’t see debutants this excited to play a trial game,” the club’s elite pathways manager said.

“Matty Scott’s a legend of Queensland rugby league, played for Australia, but he’s a little kid at the moment and he’s super-excited to get out there.

“He’s a highly intelligent man as well so he’ll know how far to push himself and will obviously prepare himself very professionally.

“Just the professionalism and enthusiasm Thumper’s showing at the moment has been a real eye-opener to some of the NYC (National Youth Competition) guys who have made the transition into the NRL.

“It has really opened their eyes in terms of the intensity it takes day in, day out, session by session, what it takes to perform in the NRL and it’s no wonder he is where he is and has got the name that he has and that’s because of what he does on the training paddock.”

While some outside the club may gloss over his return compared to that of Johnathan Thurston or big-name recruits at rival NRL clubs, Hall said Scott’s return was being far from underestimated, even putting the forwards who stepped up so admirably last year on notice to perform.

The potential outcome is scary to consider.

“The importance of having someone like that back in the side is going to be massive and hopefully the guys that did the job last year and stood up and were counted in his absence can maintain what they did,” Hall said. “Then you inject someone like Matt Scott with the experience and the leadership he possesses over the side, it’s an impressive-looking forward pack the Cowboys have put together.”

Scott’s former Cowboys and Maroons teammate Dallas Johnson said the prop’s influence was far from forgotten.

But with such a well-balanced and at times underrated side at the club’s disposal, he said the pressure was off if there was any thought of rushing back into the fold.

“Since the other guys have stood up – Scotty Bolton stood up massively even though he was busted at the end of the year – I think everyone knows what Thumper can do and I think they’d be excited to see him back,” Johnson said.

“He’s just a metre-eater. He just gets the team going forward.

“It’s obviously ordinary that he had the year off but maybe it will help him a bit later on in his career, freshen him up and freshen his mind up.

“A year away from the week in, week out pressure might give him a bit of longevity, a few more years in the game.”

The Cowboys arrive in Cairns this afternoon and will hold an autograph session at Pacific Toyota, Mulgrave Rd, Bungalow from 4.30pm.

Scott and Thurston will visit Cairns Hospital tomorrow morning before an open training session at Barlow Park from 4pm.

IT’S NO WONDER HE IS WHERE HE IS AND HAS GOT THE NAME THAT HE HAS AND THAT’S BECAUSE OF WHAT HE DOES ON THE TRAINING PADDOCK FORMER COWBOY GLENN HALL ON MATT SCOTT