FITTOCK FULLBACK SWITCH REAPING REWARDS
BOND University’s persistence in deploying ace recruit Joey Fittock at fullback instead of his usual spot at outside centre has started paying dividends.
Fittock was in ominous form against his former club Sunnybank on Saturday, posing a constant counterattacking threat in the Bullsharks’ 39-32 victory at home.
Assistant coach Ray Thomas is being credited for the ploy to unleash Fittock in the No.15 jersey.
“When you recruit someone to your club, you hope that they make an impact,” said Bullsharks director of rugby Sean Hedger.
“He was head and shoulders above every other back on the field at least.
“(Playing him at fullback) just gives him so much more space to attack. It’s a bit of a masterstroke from Ray Thomas who knows him
pretty well from coaching him in his TSS days.
“Joey, he’s starting to really embrace it now.
“It’s a bit like Hayden Sargeant, with him playing fullback for us last year. It’s a similar role where they can get their hands on the ball much more often, so once we start to get Hayden and Joey combining in the back field, that will be quite a good strike weapon for us.”
It was a welcome victory for Bond after successive heavy losses and keeps them in touch with the top four ahead of a bye this week.
Hedger acknowledged Sunnybank were “pretty depleted” but saw positives in areas of their own play.
“What went well for us was we held the ball for long periods, which is what we didn’t do the week before,” he said.
“When you hold the ball for long periods and you grind a team down and you have got strike weapons out wide, that’s when you can make the most of all the grafting you have done in the midfield.”