CAPTAINCY RESTS EASY WITH FNQ’S HAMPTON
IT might “only be a trial” but the opportunity to captain the Cowboys means more to Mareeba product Ben Hampton than anyone might think.
Hampton will lead the Cowboys out on to Barlow Park for the club’s trial against the Dolphins on Sunday, an honour he is not taking lightly as Far North fans take a glimpse at the next generation of talent.
The former Mareeba junior and the returning James Tamou are the most experienced of the squad to take on the NRL newcomers, but it is a position Hampton will relish.
“It’s a pretty big thing for me when Toddy (Payten, coach) asked if I wanted to captain the trial,” he said.
“I know it’s a trial game, but it really meant something to me. I was more than happy to do it.
“There’s a couple of older boys in this trial game as well, there’s a bit of experience there, but with all our younger boys we’ve watched come through the junior system at the Cowboys.
“Some of them are in the full-time squad now, some of them aren’t, but I’ve got to know these boys over the past couple of years and seen them develop. To be somewhat of a leader for them on Sunday, I know it is a trial and we’ll be blowing some cobwebs out, but it means a lot.”
The NRL and RLPA’s discussions about the collective bargaining agreement has dominated headlines in recent time, and while there has been a threat of industrial action, Hampton said the players selected for the trial were preparing to play.
When he spoke to media, he could not provide an update on the talks due to his back-to-back commitments in the Cairns community throughout the day, but the utility, one of the Cowboys’ RLPA delegates, underlined the importance of getting this deal right.
“It’s something very, very important to us as a playing group, it’s very important we get these negotiations done and what we feel is fair and what we’re fighting for, we’ll continue to fight for because it’s what’s right and what we deserve,” Hampton said.
“It impacts the whole playing group across the NRL; until we get it done, there’s no real moving forward.
“In Cowboys, we have a couple of older boys who deal with the RLPA and we give messages back and forth and keep everyone in the loop.
“We’re here to play this weekend, the boys have been selected and that’s what we’re worried about. We have a game on Sunday.
“There’s been some talks and things happening as we speak, we’ve quite a busy day so haven’t spoken to other delegates at the club today.
“I’m sure when we get some quiet time we’ll have a chat and they’ll update me then.”
Hampton and the Cowboys squad spent Friday in Cairns visiting schools, hospitals and aged care facilities, and ran skills clinics in the afternoon. They will also hold a signing session and captain’s run on Saturday as they engage with fans in FNQ.