Ben Hornby had Dragons young gun Matt Dufty’s number from the start

IF not for a coach’s bold move to play Matt Dufty out of position, the rising Dragons star might still have been waiting to realise his NRL dream.

St George Illawarra player Matt Dufty at Win Jubliee Oval, Kogarah. Picture: Gregg Porteous

BEN Hornby is the most capped player in St George Illawarra’s history and led them to the 2010 premiership — and now he has helped deliver Josh Dugan’s No. 1 replacement, Matt Dufty.

Hornby had barely ended his playing career at the end of 2012 when he was appointed the Dragons’ SG Ball coach and switched Dufty from halfback to fullback.

Dufty, 21, was 4kg lighter but still smiling from ear to ear after his brilliant debut on Sunday when he scored a try and set up another two in the Dragons’ 52-22 blowout over Manly.

Matt Dufty sprints away to score a try on debut for the Dragons. Picture: Brett Costello

Coach Paul McGregor will need to quickly decide if he keeps Dufty in his squad for Saturday’s trip to Newcastle because Dugan is expected to overcome a hamstring injury.

With Euan Aitken walking around with his left shoulder in a sling on Monday, McGregor could be tempted to shift Dugan to the centres and keep Dufty at the back.

Dufty said that had it not been for Hornby’s bold move to play him out of position, he may still have been waiting to realise his NRL dream.

“I had scored a heap of tries in the Harold Matthews from running the ball, and he said ‘I think you’re a runner and better off out the back’,’’ Dufty said.

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“I wasn’t keen on it. It was scary, the thought of being out the back by yourself. I didn’t know how to play it and being under the high ball. He dropped me for round one because of my attitude.

“But he coached me through it, taught me how to be a good support player, and kicked about 100 bombs to me, and it went from there.

“Who knows if I would have made it this far if I didn’t change to fullback?’’

Hornby was not about to take credit for Dufty’s positional switch.

“I thought he had the attributes of a ball-playing fullback, and at the time I had a couple of halves who could get the job done, so he fit the bill,’’ Hornby said.

“We had our moments early on, but he understood where I was coming from. I’ve known he has really wanted to get out there (in the NRL) and show what he can do, and for him to go out and show it straight away was a little unexpected.”

Originally published as Ben Hornby had Dragons young gun Matt Dufty’s number from the start