Cowboy Bradley all set to debut
almost two metres tall, Cowboys debutant Kane Bradley should be an aerial threat on any edge of the field.
But his leap and catch on the high ball has not come easy for the former Tiger.
Bradley is the equal tallest player in the Cowboys squad along with Ben Condon and Jordan McLean and finds himself among the tallest players in the competition.
Bradley started his rugby league career in the backrow, and was only shifted out wide two years ago while playing under-20s at the Tigers.
With last season scrubbed by the Covid-19 pandemic, he is still only early into his time on the flanks.
But the 1.96m tall winger was adamant he had been putting in the work.
“There are a few things I wanted to work on (after getting to the Cowboys),” Bradley said.
“This is only my second full season on the wing, I do feel a lot more confident. There are a lot of differences though.
“Defensive decisions is a big one. In the middle or backrow you have someone inside and outside you, but on the edges it is up to you to shut the play off.
“You have to make splitsecond decisions whether you are going to jam or stay out on your man.
“I also wanted to get more involved with the ball in hand and then making sure I am an attacking threat for kicks out wide. Talking to my half and tipping him up when it is on. We do a lot of craft, which is our little extras time after each session. That is what I have been working on a lot (in those sessions).”
Bradley made the switch to
the Cowboys in the off-season as part of a trade deal with the Wests Tigers for young middle forward Tukimihia Simpkins.
But he was forced into the club’s rehabilitation unit through all of the pre-season after undergoing a shoulder reconstruction late last year.
The winger found early solace in the Cowboys squad by bonding with backrower Mitch Dunn, who has had to endure two reconstructions in his fledgling career.
Bradley said it was an opportunity to learn off Dunn and also form an early bond within the Cowboys ranks.
“I was a bit shocked by how many guys here had similar shoulder reconstructions. I spoke to a lot of them, and they just told me to be really diligent with the rehab and make sure it was completely right so I don’t go down that road again down the track,” he said.
“I knew what I needed to do. I am only young so I wanted to get the shoulder 100 per cent right. I made the most out of (the rehabilitation) and did everything I could to get it right.”
Bradley has since shaken off his shoulder blues in the Queensland Cup and played six games for feeder club Mackay Cutters, including two in the backrow. The 21-yearold scored a try on debut for Mackay against the Hunters and has averaged 89 metres per game this season.