HESS SET TO THRILL
HE HAS terrorised opposition edge defences since making his start in the NRL in 2016, and now Coen Hess has been handed a licence to thrill out wide as well.
He will become the biggest centre in the NRL tonight when he dons the No.3 jersey for the first time, after being moved into the position at the 11th hour for the Cowboys clash week.
While he might stand at 190cm tall and tip the scales at 114kg, Hess was no slouch in the centres last week.
“Going into the game I was a bit scared, I was a bit nervous, but once I was out there with the boys around helping me out, I just enjoyed it,” he said.
“It is a lot more one-on-one tackles. I probably underestimated my own speed, I was a bit nervous of quicker guys attacking with the Sharks last me with speed around me.
“(But) I got myself into pretty good positions in defence and held my own.”
Hess did more than hold his own, pulling off a couple of trysaving tackles and working hard to limit the opportunities of Sharks duo Josh Morris and Sosaia Feki.
On an edge that has come under scrutiny from opposition attacks in recent weeks, Hess and young half Jake Clifford worked overtime in defence to finish with a combined 28 tackles and they only missed two between them.
Hess’ work on the ball was just as impressive, coming in for constant yardage carries out of the Cowboys own end. He was the only player apart from superstar lock Jason Taumalolo to reach triple figures in run metres, with 120, according to the Fox Sports Lab.
“Sometimes in the centres you can drift in and out of games, so (coach Paul Green) just wanted me to make sure I was going in there and taking those yardage carries,” he said.
“The big boys put in a lot of work in the middle there, so it is good to help them out when you can. I guess I have been in that position and I loved seeing the outside backs take carries so I can appreciate that now.”
Hess will aim to bring that terrorising form into the Cowboys clash with the Tigers.
The last time they met, it was decided by a Benji Marshall field goal in a heartbreaking period of extra time at 1300SMILES Stadium.
It has left the side in a position where they need to win all six games in the run-up to the finals to keep their September hopes alive.
It’s a do-or-die position Hess believes will bring out the best in the Cowboys.
“Hopefully the best of the season is still yet to come,” Hess said.