Fensom pushes on while those around him falter
BRISBANE players have dropped like flies during a steamy training session, but tough newcomer Shaun Fensom was left standing.
Darius Boyd, Joe Ofahengaue and rugby union recruit Izaia Perese all limped off with niggles during yesterday morning’s two-hour stint at Red Hill, while a head knock also forced rookie forward Tom Flegler to the sidelines.
Hard-nosed forward Fensom has been impressed with the club’s work ethic under new coach Anthony Seibold since arriving from North Queensland, where he spent two seasons.
“It’s a nice, high intensity, training above game level so when we come to round one we’ll knock it out easier than we would otherwise,” Fensom said. “It’s pretty physical and brutal, but that’s professional sport.”
Fensom has tried to play through a lacerated kidney and dislocated elbow as an NRL player, while he gave the thumbs up and later apologised after being taken from the field in the 2017 NRL grand final with a broken leg.
Back to full fitness, the 30year-old has been picked up by Brisbane to add experience since the departure of Sam Thaiday.
But Fensom wants to be more than just a mentor to the young forwards who have impressed him so far.
“l love helping out the young fellas and where I can I will; I’m a bit humbled to think that’s why I’m here,” he said.
“But if I wasn’t serious I wouldn’t be here – I will be doing everything I can to get that jersey.”
Fensom – a 174-game NRL player – made his first-grade debut with the Raiders in 2009 and was the club’s player of the year in 2011 and 2012.
He was a member of the Broncos’ talent squad in 2005.