Warhorse the ‘Cooper Cronk of Bulls’

MATTHEW MCINERNEY IS there a more experienced FNQ Rugby campaigner than Dwayne Irvine?

The grizzled veteran is set to add two more grand final appearances to his name today in a career which includes numerous premierships at Barron Trinity and spans decades.

Irvine has recently battled knee and hip injuries, but it’ll take more than that to stop the experienced playmaker from taking the field at Barlow Park.

Barron Trinity coach Wayne Meredith has worked alongside Irvine, who doubles as an assistant coach, for years.

Meredith said Irvine was as an incomparable super sub.

“We can send him out there if the team start to drop in form and he can take absolute control,” Meredith said.

“He can speed up the game, he can slow it down, he can dictate the outcome. He’s been in a coaching role here for three or four years now but I think of him more as a cocoach rather than an assistant.

“He’s level-headed, and he knows so much about rugby that he can steer the young blokes around.”

Irvine is likely to play the full reserve grade grand final against Mudcrabs then sit on the bench for A-Grade.

Bulls captain Cameron Thomson described Irvine as the Cooper Cronk of the Bulls.

“He’s almost like an onfield coach, like Cronk was for the Roosters in last year’s (NRL) grand final,” he said.

“He comes on, he’s got that massive experience, good vision and directs everyone.

“He’s had a few treatment sessions to get that right. I’ve never met anyone more determined to play rugby.”