SADDLING UP FOR COWBOYS TEEN’S FINALS FEVER
Leps’ latest whiz hopes to send Cowboys great out a winner
FIFTEEN years after Ty William headed to the Cowboys, Innisfail’s latest teen ststar is retracing his captain/coach’scaptain steps to glory — but hopes to make one key improvement. In a neat crossing of paths ahead of Williams’ playing retirement, 17-year-old protege Michael Carroll, bound for North Queensland’s under-20s in 2016, hopes to claim the CDRL crown that eluded his legendary mentor in Sunday’s grand final with Ivanhoes.
MICHAEL Carroll’s plagiarising of Ty Williams’ footy script could be set for a very different next chapter in Sunday’s CDRL grand final.
Innisfail whiz-kid Carroll, 17, will join Cowboys great Williams in saying goodbye to their junior club against Ivanhoes at Barlow Park.
While 34-year-old Williams will draw the curtain on his playing days and become a fulltime coach in 2016, Carroll is bound for life in the NRL system at North Queensland’s under-20s.
In a poetic case of sliding doors, Carroll will line up on the wing for Leps this weekend as he chases the CDRL crown that eluded one-time Maroons flyer Williams before his own departure in 2000.
With a base of knowledge to draw on, the retiring master is keeping things as simple as possible for his student.
“He loves his rugby league so the best advice I can give is to keep playing his game,” Williams said.
“Michael is just enjoying his footy at the moment and that was the way I saw it too.
“I haven’t put any restraints on him and we all know he has got the ability.
“Until you get to a higher level and the training workload goes up, the best thing for a kid is to do what he loves.
“Michael might go to the Cowboys and put on a bit of muscle but as long as he doesn’t lose that speed he’s got a great future in front of him.”
While understandably keen on his own fairytale sayonara, Carroll would particularly savour a victory for his coach.
“Tae Bo (Williams) has been saying it’s just like any other game and don’t do any- thing different,” Carroll said.
“He knows what he’s talking about. He just tells me to train hard and keep doing what I’m doing because it’s only going to get harder.
“It will be a bit emotional leaving the boys because this club has been my life.
“I’d like to leave them with a premiership. But I’d especially like to send Ty out a winner.”
The excitement of the occasion, however, is proving a mental wrestle for Carroll, who is likely to shuffle on to the flank to accommodate the returning Jordan Biondi-Odo.
“I haven’t got much sleep yet, I’ve been thinking about the game a lot,” he said.
“I’ll be nervous before the game but once I’m on the field I’ll be right.
“I probably didn’t expect Ivanhoes to be here but I don’t think that’s an advantage in any way.
“We can’t take them more lightly than the other sides.”
Williams, who will join another former Cowboy, Rod Jensen, in retirement, says he won’t be using his exit as motivation.
“I’m pretty relaxed but I know it will be my last chance to play footy,” he said.
“But I have always said it’s not about me.
“Me being calm and mucking around at training is the best way to show the guys that this is just another week.” Sunday’s CDRL grand final at Barlow Park kicks off at 3.30pm. TOMORROW’S CAIRNS POST: Grand final preview, teams, stats and info.