Pride pair ‘suited’ to captaincy
CAIRNS may be experiencing an unprecedented heatwave but the Northern Pride’s new skippers aren’t afraid to break a sweat — adopting a blue collar work ethic to ensure their side is a premiership contender again next season.
Eager to show that they mean business in 2019, co-captains Dave Murphy (right) and second rower Tom Hancock arrived for a Barlow Park photo shoot yesterday afternoon dressed in suits, despite the mercury soaring into the mid-30s. Murphy, a real estate agent and Hancock, a lawyer, were hand-picked by head coach Ty Williams last week with the board later endorsing the decision.
For second rower Hancock, the chance to follow in the footsteps of former skipper Ryan Ghietti is an honour he said he didn’t expect.
“I’ve been at the club for seven years now and played junior footy here too,” 87-game veteran said.
“So it makes it pretty special. When I first came to the club Ty was the skipper. There’s been Chris Sheppard, Brett Anderson, Jason Roos and ‘Ghiets’ along the way too.
“I’m not sure I belong in that group in terms of talent but it’s nice to be amongst it, that’s for sure.”
Last season, while his teammates unwound by blasting music in their headphones on long plane trips home, Hancock was often preparing depositions on his laptop for the following week.
Murphy also regularly backed up at work on a Sunday after a game, or showed homes all day Saturday before heading to Barlow Park for a night game. But the added responsibility of leading the Pride won’t affect the pair, having managed work and play for years.
“It’s pretty easy during the preseason,” Murphy said. “The away trips are hard. Especially the PNG trip where you leave on a Friday and sometimes you don’t get back until Sunday night.
“I’m lucky that I work with my brother and he picks up some of the slack for me.”
The duo’s appointment marks the first time the Pride have named co-captains since Jason Roos and Brett Anderson led the club in 2014, with the side named minor premiers, premiers and NRL state champions that season.
Like their predecessors, Murphy and Hancock said they wouldn’t let the job title change their approach to the game.
“I think Dave will still lead the social club and I’ll probably just take care of the serious stuff,” Hancock said laughing.
“I think one of the worst things you can do is act in a particular way, get appointed to a role and then change your behaviour.
“Obviously, something has been going well to get you there, you should probably maintain it. I think we’ll just grab on to it and not really delegate responsibilities.”
The Pride will train until December 21 before breaking for Christmas.