Cotter’s NRL dream
COMING off the back of two major knee injuries, Cowboys talent Reuben Cotter is working on giving himself the best chance of making his NRL debut.
The Mackay- born hooker was part of the club’s under- 20s team but was set back by two anterior cruciate ligament ( ACL) injuries, the latest in 2017.
The 19- year- old was named in the Cowboys squad but still has a lot to prove.
“( I’m) not 100 per cent yet but getting close to it,” Cotter said. “I’m not back to full skills and full defence yet but I’m certainly on my way. I just want to get back to playing consistent footy. It’s been a long time coming, it’s been way too long.”
Cotter will be off contract next year but believed he would get a run in Cowboys colours in the NRL.
He said his confidence was boosted after the club named him in the squad.
“It’s given me a lot of confidence, especially coming from back- to- back ACL injuries,” he said.
“It’s obviously good for myself and confidence.
“It’s been tough but with all the coaching staff at the club here, it’s made it a lot easier and obviously family and friends too, keeping me involved and helping me stick to it.
“It’s always good coming to the club every day with blokes like this around you to keep you interested and keep you wanting to play for the NRL.”
The Sarina Croc junior said it was a childhood dream of his to play in the NRL.
“Growing up I wanted to play NRL when I was a kid. Just purely that, I wanted to play NRL,” he said.
Cotter said Cowboys coach Paul Green had already provided a challenging program in the first weeks of pre- season training.
“He pulled us up there when we ran amok a bit but it’s all good, we all get through it together,” he said.
Veteran second rower Gavin Cooper said he expected Green to go harder as training progressed.
Cooper joked he was getting a bit long in the tooth, but he said the selection of under- 20s recruits including Cotter, Logan Bayliss- Brown, Tom Gilbert and Kurt Wilshire would keep the club “fresh”.