Cowboys shooting for the same jersey
ONLY one of them can have the Cowboys’ No.6 jersey, but halves contender Jake Clifford says it won’t affect his relationship with Scott Drinkwater.
The pair are jostling for the starting five-eighth position and the right to partner skipper Michael Morgan in the halves in the Cowboys’ NRL season-opener against the Brisbane Broncos on March 13.
Clifford and Drinkwater will line up alongside each other in tonight’s preseason trial match against Round 1 opponents the Broncos in Cairns.
Tonight and next Saturday’s trial against the Storm are the only chances they’ll have to impress coach Paul Green before the season kicks off, after both being among the Cowboys’ best in last week’s Perth Nines triumph.
Clifford said the positional battle with “good mate” Drinkwater would be the furthest thing from his mind when he took the field tonight, with his focus on ticking all of the right boxes in his own game.
“It hasn’t really been spoken about, but it’s just expected,” he said.
“We know we’re both fighting for a position, and trials are where you’ve got to try and prove you deserve that spot.”
He says switching between the five-eighth and halfback positions, as he has done since making his debut for the Cowboys in Round 19 in 2018, has little effect on his on-field role.
“I’ve always loved to be in control of what we’ve got to do,” Clifford said.
“Having the seven or the six on my back doesn’t really change that, it’s just up to me if I go out and do it or not.”
Clifford said he knew what was required to give him an edge as the race for the Cowboys’ No.6 jersey heats up.
“Just make sure I kick well, make sure I’m getting the boys around the field really well and make my tackles – I think that’s the biggest thing,” he said.
The trial between the Cowboys and Broncos will kick off at 7pm at Barlow Park.