Cyclone keeps his cool
HE was unexpectedly thrust into the quarterback role.
But with a spot in the finals on the line, Thomas Jeeves is ready to cement himself as the Townsville Cyclones’ offensive linchpin.
An injury to Boeden Brunne and positional switch for Mitch Wittick open the door for Jeeves to stake his claim and he has impressed in his limited time.
Each game he has grown into the role, and with a semifinal berth no certainty he said he was at a point to steer the ship throughout the rest of the season.
“When I first started out even in the basic warm-ups I was getting a bit flustered. Now I know all the play calls and I’m a lot more conformable,” Jeeves said.
“Every game I try and go in a little calmer than other stereotypical gridiron players. I try not to think about all the pressure.
“Boeden and Mitch have still been around the offence as well so I’ve been able to pick their brains and learn off them.” The Cyclones have won all five titles of the North Queensland Gridiron competition.
But this year they have entered territory previously unseen.
Newcomers the Rockhampton Rockets sit atop of the ladder, immovable in their standing in the forthcoming finals series.
For Jeeves this is, however, a good thing.
“It has definitely changed some people’s attitudes at training,” Jeeves said.
“It has been a lot more intense and there’s a lot more competition, which brings up everyone else’s level throughout the league.
“The more teams we get the better the competition gets and the better our league gets.”
In the lead up to their final regular season match against Cairns Falcons Jeeves had noticed a rise in intensity from his side at training.
The focus has been on ensuring all the “little one percenters” are nailed down.
There is always extra fire in the belly when the Cyclones take on the Falcons, and given Townsville have never lost on home soil Jeeves said they would be out to make an impression tonight. “There’s always been a bit of rivalry,” he said. The Cyclones and Falcons will kick off at 5pm at Redskins Rugby Union Field.