Top pair vie for spot

Reef Kings forwards impress with their skill

NORTHERN Pride Reef Kings coach Dave Scott expects Ewan Moore and Tom McGrath to be pushing for a starting spot in the Pride’s Intrust Super Cup side in the upcoming pre-season.

The pair were among the best on ground in the Reef Kings 36-18 win over the Giants in the fourth round of the Lightning Challenge at Stan Williams Park on Saturday.

McGrath crossed for a double and Moore bagged himself a four-pointer in the win, but it was their work off the ball and in defence that impressed the coach the most.

Scott said he expected the forwards to be challenging for a permanent spot in the Intrust Super Cup side next season.

“They’ve got very good competition in Josh Stuckey, who was brought to the club this year and is a quality player and a quality young man,” Scott said.

“He’s a bit of a different type of player to Ewan or Tommy, but they will definitely be pushing around the squad, especially Ewan, he’s got some really good qualities about him. He’s got deceptively good hands and he’s very, very strong on the ground.”

Scott said Moore’s partnership with playmaker Evan

Child had been “quite devastating”.

“That’s only going to put (Intrust Super Cup coach Ty Williams) in good stead for next year, watching what these boys can do on the left edge,” he said.

Moore and McGrath got a taste of the state’s elite competition last year, with Moore playing six games before he sustained a season-ending leg injury, and McGrath making two appearances towards the back end of the campaign.

McGrath played most of the 2019 season with the Pride under-20s, where he was named the Hastings Deering Colts Player of the Year.

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