Raiders forward Brett White. Photo: Colleen Petch
On most other days, Canberra Raiders star Brett White's selection for his first NRL game in a year would be big news.
Related coverage:
- Dugan need only point finger at himself
- Tongue says compromise cannot be considered
- Frustrated fans make feelings known
- What their rap sheet reads like
Sadly, the limelight the prop's return from a knee injury should have received on Tuesday was taken away by two of his teammates for the wrong reasons.
Brett White in the tackle which ruptured his ACL. Photo: Getty Images
White, who wrecked his anterior cruciate ligament in round six last year against the Cowboys, was named on an extended five-man bench for Canberra's trip to the Gold Coast on Sunday.
Canberra coach David Furner travelled to Sydney on Saturday to watch White play 50 minutes of NSW Cup for Mounties and was impressed by what he saw.
White's experience and on-field leadership ensured that he got the nod to play the Titans, with young bookend Mark Nicholls named in the No.18 jersey.
Furner told Fairfax Media on Monday he felt the Canberra forwards' playing style was ''a bit the same'' in its round one loss to Penrith.
Lock Shaun Fensom was named despite injuring his wrist against the Panthers, with scans on Tuesday confirming he had avoided any broken bones. Fensom initially feared he may have damaged his scaphoid bone, which he had a screw inserted into after breaking his wrist two years ago.
But the 24-year-old said that he is in no doubt to take his place against the Titans.
''It's all good, just a lot of swelling and no breaks. It will be sweet, I'll just strap it up,'' he texted on Tuesday night.
White said he pulled up well after his Mounties hit-out and was confident he could step up to the intensity of the NRL under the hot Queensland sun.
''It felt good,'' White said. ''Mounties is not the speed of the NRL but I got a lot of game time out.
''I got through that amount of time without a worry in the knee, without doubt [I can get through it].''
The suspension of Josh Dugan and Blake Ferguson for alcohol-related indiscretions opens up opportunities for other players.
Reece Robinson has a chance to nail down the No.1 jersey after being named to make his return from a back injury, while Jack Wighton moves from wing to centre to fill Ferguson's void.
Edrick Lee, a late omission for the Panthers clash, will play his first game of the year on the left wing.
No comments:
Post a Comment