NRL ROUND 8 Holmes still a chance to line up at fullback
A DECISION on whether Valentine Holmes returns from injury is expected this morning after getting through most of the week’s training.
The star fullback will be given until the team prepares to embark for Bankwest Stadium to determine whether he is fit enough to take on a rampant Parramatta Eels outfit, however he will not be flown to Sydney if he is not confirmed.
Cowboys coach Paul Green said the dynamic custodian had got through most of the session and he “didn’t go backwards” in a promising sign.
But he said given the nature of the ankle injury Holmes sustained against the New Zealand Warriors they would not know how well it pulled up until it had been rested from Thursday’s session.
“He got through the session, but like I’ve said before with these soft tissue injuries you have to see how they pull up the next day,” Green said.
“Some have got through, some haven’t in the past so we’ll see how he pulls up, but he got through most of the session.
“If he’s not right we’ll have a fair idea how he wakes up. Travel for that sort of injury is not the best treatment for it.” At this stage it is likely teenage sensation Hamiso TabuaiFidow would drop out of the side should Holmes come in, however Green said that decision could be based on whether the latter could get through the full 80 minutes.
Should that not be the case, interchange utility Ben Hampton could also make way.
The North Queensland mentor said regardless of whether ‘The Hammer’ played or not, he had proved his worth at NRL level and had plenty of further upside in his future.
“I think he’s handled it pretty well, we knew how talented he was. The thing he needed to get used to was the intensity of NRL,” Green said.
“I think he’s had some really nice touches, I also think he’s still learning as well, particularly around some of the effort areas of the game, which for most young guys it takes time to get used to that level of intensity.
“I think Ben’s got probably more versatility than Hamiso, but it is an option for us – particularly if Val does play and we don’t feel he can get through 80 Hamiso is a like for like swap there.”
Faced with a mammoth Eels forward pack, halves pairing Jake Clifford and Scott Drinkwater are expected to cop a barrage of beeline runs from the likes of Junior Paulo, Reagan Campbell-gillard, Ryan Matterson and Shaun Lane.
But Green said his scrumbase would be up for the tough assignment, and the success of their attack would be on the back of how they respond to the challenge in defence.
“All halves at different times teams try to get their backrowers one-on-one with them,” he said.
“It’s the same message I give to Cliffo each week, often it’s the defensive side of the game they need to get into straight away, and once they get into that they build confidence on the back of that.”