No more ‘Bambi legs’ Pride playmaker sporting gym-toned bod
Bennett’s return the big finale
A CHEEKY young fridge mechanic has returned to the Northern Pride a changed man this preseason with a renewed sense of resolve following a breakout year in the under-20s.
Brothers junior Evan Child’s switch from back row to halfback last season led a resurgent Pride all the way to the finals with the talented playmaker stamping his authority in a 66-6 mauling of the Sun- shine Coast Falcons at Hervey Bay in July.
While coaches once put Child’s “Bambi legs” and gangly arms down to a lack of conditioning, Pride strength coach Scott Callaghan said the development player is sporting a more toned physique this preseason.
“You can tell he’s kept going after the season finished,” Callaghan said. “I thought last year the physical side was what he struggled with.
“His skill base was great but in the gym he had a few issues. He’s started in a far better place than he finished last year.
“He’s come back with a pretty serious attitude and you can see the difference.
“He’s 190cm and about 90kg so there’s a fair bit to work with.”
Under 20s coach Dave Scott said a boost in confidence had inspired Child to put in the work.
“For a lot of these guys it is tougher than being a full-time professional because they’ve all got work or study on top of training,” Scott said.
“By all accounts Evan’s doing well with his conditioning. He had a good year in 2017 with Brothers but he probably didn’t have the belief in himself that other boys do.
“He’s a real diamond in the rough. With his frame and his size, he’s got a few strings to his bow and can play more than one position. I think there’s a potential NRL player there and I don’t say that about many boys.”
The Pride will complete 18 sessions as a team before a short Christmas break.
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WAYNE Bennett will arrive back in Australia on Monday night – expediting a decision on whether he and Anthony Seibold will swap clubs next season.
Bennett is expected to immediately hold talks with officials from Brisbane and Souths about whether he would leave the Broncos in 2019 and land in Redfern.
That decision would then prompt Seibold to take up the Brisbane coaching job next season.
Bennett has been in England coaching the national side in a 2-1 series win over New Zealand.
Until Bennett returns, the situation has been stuck in what has been described as a “holding pattern.”
Should the swap occur, it is expected to be finalised quickly next week.
Bennett has maintained he will coach Brisbane next season but there is still a desire from both clubs that the swap happens.
It remains unknown whether Seibold will take his assistant coaches, Peter Gentle and Willie Peters, to Brisbane if the swap happened for next season. If Gentle and Peters left, that would leave an opportunity for Bennett’s assistant at Brisbane, former Northern Pride coach Jason Demetriou, to sign with South Sydney.
It is understood Bennett would be prepared to work with Gentle and Peters. Bennett and Demetriou have a solid working relationship.