Flaherty says best footy yet to come
MATTHEW MCINERNEY casion. JCU actually passed the 60-point mark three times, scoring 411 points in just 11 games at a rate of 37.36 per game. In Myles Hardy and Jack De Guingand the Mariners boast FNQ Rugby’s top two pointscorers.
Hardy has scored his 124 points – more than what Penrhyn scored this season – through a combination of six tries, 38 conversions and six penalties, while De Guingand has crossed for 14 tries.
Three other Mariners have scored five tries.
But Flaherty’s key men are the blokes who don’t necessarily cross the try line, kick goals or contribute on the scoreboard – those who roll up the sleeves and lay the platform for the Mariners to dominate.
“Our halfback, Rock Dog (Robert Rodokal), big James Rae, Jesse Kautu, Scott Winkworth, all those boys are consistent. They’re always there at training, they’re always putting in 100 per cent while playing,” Flaherty said. “These are the guys that get the points for putting in max effort but they don’t like getting out there and recognised.
“They get in and get the job done, like everyone in our team does. We are a team.”
It is that desire to work for each other that has pushed JCU to the top of the table, and earned them a premiership favourites tag.
“The drive (to succeed) comes from everybody. When I first started the training sessions with the boys, I said if everyone’s there for each other and they put in the effort for each other, the rugby will follow,” Flaherty said. “The boys took it on board. I believe we haven’t hit what we’re capable of yet. Some of the guys last week didn’t think the score was that big but they enjoyed playing footy, and that’s where the drive comes from.”
The game against Port Douglas could decide two teams’ fates depending on the result of last night’s clash between Brothers and Barron Trinity Bulls. Mudcrabs face Southside in the other game. Did Brothers Cairns qualify for the FNQ Rugby finals? www.cairnspost.com.au/sport