PRIDE COACH’S GAMBLE TO SWITCH CARNEY TO FULLBACK PAYS OFF
AN epiphany at 2am has sparked the Northern Pride’s attacking mojo and strengthened Todd Carney’s case as a versatile utility for the Cowboys.
After one early error, the 31year-old didn’t put a foot wrong for the rest of his 40minute fullback stint, scoring his first Pride try in a 28-24 win over Sunshine Coast at Barlow Park on Saturday night.
While it has been suggested Carney, who started his 2010 Dally M season at fullback for the Roosters, could be a backup No.1 should his Cowboys deal be approved, Pride coach Ty Williams said it was his own wake-up call that inspired the move.
“It was a 2am wake up in the middle of the night thought, I might chance my arm and throw Todd Carney there,” he said. “It was a big call and obviously he’s one of our key playmakers and once Gids was out we had to make that adjustment.
“I thought he was good with his kick returns and the shape he ran when he scored the try, which gave us a good option to run.”
Williams said Carney playing fullback helped “square up” a recently lateral attack and clearly “opened a bit more doors to him” in the future.
The change was largely possible thanks to Jordan Biodni-Odo’s versatility, starting in the halves then shifting to hooker in a 65-minute stint.
Williams was otherwise happy despite his side conceding the most points this season in a match the Pride dominated for the most part and the coach was furious about two questionable calls.
The Falcons’ first try to Jake Ainsworth came off a Justin Olam flick pass that looked forward, while Matt SoperLawler was awarded a try in the 62nd minute despite not grounding the ball, to the howls of the home crowd.
Past Pride sides would have been overrun but they held on to take a 4-4 win-loss record into a bye. “I think that’s the most points that’s been put on us this year, but in saying that we got a win out of it so it was good to see and they dug in for each other, so I was happy with it,” Williams said.
The match was also a milestone Pride return for Sheldon Powe-Hobbs after he suffered a neck injury last year.
More “tinkering” with positions is on the cards before the Pride play Redcliffe in a televised game on May 12, where both Darryn Schonig and Nathan Wales should be ripe to return.
Williams said he just wanted everyone to put their feet up over the weekend, reasonably comfortable with a solid start to the season.