Injuries hound Normanby but coach happy with effort
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Injuries are an inevitable part of rugby league, but the battling Normanby Hounds have been hit harder than most.
Head coach Wayne Treleaven believes his club’s unavailable list is one of the biggest he’s seen in his lengthy career.
“Last weekend we had 36 players unavailable with work or injuries throughout the club … and that’s pretty unheard of I would have thought,” he said.
The Hounds are in last place on the Brisbane Rugby League ladder, but Treleaven – a former Wests first grader – is not one to fall back on excuses.
“They’re trying their butts off every week and we’ve pushed some of the top teams.”
The Hounds solitary win came back in May, but results don’t do their efforts justice.
They almost pulled off an upset against Wynnum Manly Redland City in Round 10 and they were right in the game against West Brisbane last weekend.
Although the lengthy absentee list has given the coach a few headaches, it has also given players an opportunity to step up.
Treleaven said dummy half try-sneak Jack Walters and forwards Ben Falkner and Ryan Dorman were three standouts.
“I think Jack is someone who has stood up for us, he made the rep team (South-East Queensland Poinsettias).”
“Ben is an 80 minute front rower and those players don’t exist anymore … he’s probably more of a 1970s player and Ryan played Opens last year and has come into the BRL and acquitted him well.”
Normanby meet ninth-placed Valleys this weekend, with both teams desperate for a morale-boosting win.
“They’re probably in the same boat as us and we’ll need to have our A game on to win,” Treleaven said.
“We’d love to finish the final five weeks with a few more wins under our belt and be really competitive.”
The match is one of four fixtures on an action-packed Saturday.
West Brisbane Panthers play Easts Tigers at Kev McKell Oval, while Logan Brothers travel to South Pine Sports Complex to take on Gaters.
Carina host Wynnum Manly Redland City, with the Seagulls set to regain the services of Mitchell Lollback who scored a try in his Intrust Super Cup debut last weekend.
On Sunday, a top three battle between Ipswich and the resurgent Redcliffe looms at the match of the round at Dolphin Oval.
