Kangaroos’ King makes impact in blue and gold
DENZEL King has been named 18th man for the Northern Pride but it is in blue and gold that he could do the most damage this weekend.
King has been on the cusp of the Hostplus Cup his entire senior career.
He has made 21 appearances since making his debut for the Pride in 2015, which includes three games for Ipswich over two years, having been part of state league systems for the best part of a decade.
While training with the Pride, King has made most of his impact on the footy field in recent years at Kangaroos – and there is no understating just what his experience does for the club.
Kangaroos coach and his former teammate Jared Allen sees that impact every week in the Cairns District Rugby League.
“He’s awesome for us, he’s definitely one of our leaders,” the second-year coach said.
“It’s massive for us whenever we get him into our side.
“He plays the game well, whether he starts at hooker or lock, where we prefer him, and he brings that leadership and experience to the team.”
King’s execution of even the most basic parts of the game – passing and kicking – makes life easier for Kangaroos’ fresh halves pairing of Theo Majid and Will Treston.
Majid joined the club from Brothers, while Treston played for the Bulls in FNQ Rugby.
“They love having him there, especially being on the end of his long ball,” Allen said.
The trio will be among the most-watched when Kangaroos make the trip to Mareeba to face the Gladiators on Sunday.
The Gladiators are 0-2 and are chasing their first win, while the undefeated Kangaroos are chasing consistency.
The game will be shown live on the Cairns Post website, kicking off with the under-18s at 2pm.
Southern Suburbs’ clash with Tully Tigers was originally set to be live streamed, but that fixture has been postponed after Alley Park was closed. As of Friday afternoon, all four other games are set to go ahead as scheduled.