Condon putting in hard yards
Coach encourages young Cowboys to have their say
THE early days of the Cowboys’ pre-season have been gruelling, almost tormenting, for the young brigade of the North Queensland club.
But for Ben Condon it is exactly what he was chasing – it is what he needs to ensure his debut performance in 2020 was not a flash in the pan.
The 20-year-old has been part of the group to start the new training regimen under coach Todd Payten, along with the likes of Mitch Dunn and Daejarn Asi.
Without the senior stars present, Condon said the initial sessions had encouraged the developing players to raise their voice – with Dunn a particularly strong influence.
Contending with the sweltering Townsville heat has already been a challenge in itself, combined with Payten’s nononsense approach.
However Condon said without the feedback the Cowboys would never pick themselves up back into title contention, and the emphasis on communication would prove pivotal in the youthful group’s development.
“I think it’s just putting more onus on us to speak up when you don’t have the senior boys there,” he said.
“You’ve got to really speak up in the drills and get the communication going, which has been a good challenge for us to be able to take on.
“Toddy’s got his style of work, he’s very honest and straightforward, which works for me. I don’t like things being sugar-coated, so it’s good to hear just straightforward feedback.
“He’s just really doing his job – he’s been hard on us but it’s what we need to become a better team in the future.
“I’ve got a bit from the assistants with areas I need to work on, a lot of this stuff is new to me too – it’s new to everyone with the whole coaching stuff. Everything has been constructive feedback so I’m just taking it.”
The up-and-coming forward was rewarded by interim coach Josh Hannay with his first NRL minutes against the Penrith Panthers, making 10 tackles and running for 27 metres in a limited stint.
While Condon did not grace Queensland Country Bank Stadium for too long, it was enough to give him a sniff of what it took to succeed in the rigours of the NRL.
There will be few more daunting tests than having Viliame Kikau running at him, and that trial by fire has instilled in him the belief he has what it takes to make an impact for the Cowboys in 2021.
“I’ve watched the clip over a lot of times just because I was that pumped about it but I’ve definitely analysed it myself and watched the areas I need to work on,” Condon said.
“It was good for me to get a run this year and have a bit more experience.”