Pollock joins struggling Riggers at critical stage
When Sean Pollock dons the red and black of the Calgary Roughnecks on Friday night, he’ll have to quickly learn the ins and outs of a team that is struggling mightily to link some wins together.
But the 32- year- old forward doesn’t sound at all intimidated by the assignment.
“It’ll be a little bit of an adjustment,” admitted Pollock, recently signed by the National Lacrosse League club to a one- year deal. “In Colorado, our righties, all three or four of us, were used to playing without the ball because we had John Grant Jr. and Adam Jones on the left side. I come here and it’s flipflopped. It’ll be a little different, but both those guys ( Shawn Evans and Curtis Dickson) I’ve been in contact with them and we’re trying to get on the right page as fast as we can.”
Pollock will join Evans and Dickson on the right side of the floor as the Roughnecks host the New England Black Wolves ( 3- 5) at the Scotiabank Saddledome in a rare Friday night date ( 7 p. m., TSN Go).
After three- and- half years in Colorado, which came after seven seasons in Minnesota, Pollock was released by the Mammoth last week and quickly snapped up by Calgary.
“It was more the whole offensive group, we were on different pages from the coaching staff,” said Pollock of his former squad. “I was the odd man out, so to be able to come here and have Curtis Dickson and Shawnie Evans on the right side, they like the ball on their stick for good reason. It will allow me to focus on pick and roll and open them up. On the flip side, they’ll get double and triple teamed and I’ll be the open guy.
“If we can get things rolling, with its track record, I think it’s a team that can be successful and make a playoff run. It’s just getting things turned around.”
Pollock is well known to the Roughnecks’ coaches and is seen as someone who could be a catalyst.
“He’s been a target of our organization for the last three or four years,” said head coach Curt Malawsky. “We think he’s a phenomenal off- ball player. He plays in the dirty areas. He’ll score those tough goals and grab those loose balls. He’s a big- game player. Change of environment is probably a good thing for him.”
Originally from Wallaceburg, Ont., and living in Minnesota, Pollock works for a company that sells legal books to law firms. With his foot firmly in that door, his lacrosse playing days may be over sooner than later.
“I never say never,” he said, “but I was looking at this as my last year of playing. I have a young family, a four- year- old, and having to travel each weekend takes a toll. And I’m no spring chicken. So, as of right now, that’s the plan. But you never know what happens in life.”