Sharks star Eddie Daniel makes debut for the Northern Pride
A try and 40/20 on debut only added to a dream week for the FNQ favourite who played his first game for the Northern Pride. READ ABOUT HIS JOURNEY
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IF Eddie Daniel thought he was dreaming when he stood wearing a Northern Pride jersey on the sideline of a venue at which he played junior footy, the voice over the loudspeaker snapped him out of it.
Daniel became Pride player No.198 at Ken Brown Oval, Thursday Island, in a week he will never forget.
“I heard her say ‘introducing our very own, Northern Pride’s player 198’, and everyone was making noise,” Daniel said.
“It was unreal, hey.”
The 27-year-old made his debut for the Pride at Thursday Island’s Ken Brown Oval, lovingly known as “The Rock”, and scored the opening try to send the crowd into raptures.
But it was more than a game for Daniel. Born in Cairns and raised at Boigu Island, this was a dream opportunity to make his debut in front of extended family and friends with whom he grew up.
A return to his spiritual home ground, and the chance to connect with the community which showed they adored him throughout the 16-10 win against Souths Logan Magpies.
“I won’t forget it,” Daniel said.
It started on Tuesday, when coach Ty Williams sent Daniel a text message asking him to come to the club for a conversation.
“I thought I did something wrong,” Daniel said.
“They started asking some questions about TI and the oval, then he asked if I wanted to play.
“Heading there was unbelievable. The footy was the icing on the cake, but the whole week was great. “You don’t get to do that kind of thing often. Making a debut is one thing, but to have that whole experience made it even more.”
Daniel played well, scoring a try and kicking a 40/20 as the Mossman-Port Douglas Sharks star handled the step from Cairns District Rugby League to the Hostplus Cup.
“It was another step up. It’s faster and more physical than what I’m used to, you have to be on your toes,” Daniel said.
“It makes me want to put more work in and hopefully get another opportunity later in the year.”
Souths Logan hit back after Daniel’s opening try to lead the QRL Country Week contest 10-6 at the break. The Pride held Souths Logan scoreless in the second half, with tries to Mark Rosendale and Will Partridge the 16-10 win.
Northern Pride are now ninth on the Hostplus Cup ladder as the race for the finals heats up.
The Pride are locked in a three-way tie with Townsville Blackhawks (8th) and Brisbane Tigers (10th), with only the Tigers to play this week.
The Pride travel to Townsville next Saturday to face the Blackhawks in arguably the most important rivalry game in the clubs’ shared history.
MATCH PREVIEW
MOSSMAN-Port Douglas Sharks halfback Eddie Daniel will become Northern Pride player No.198 when he suits up for the Hostplus Cup side in their clash with Souths Logan Magpies at Thursday Island.
Daniel, from Boigu Island in the Torres Strait, has been in prime form for the Sharks, and is one of the key reasons why Mossman-Port Douglas has rocketed to the top of the Cairns District Rugby League ladder in recent weeks.
A skilful playmaker with an outstanding kicking game and great footwork, Daniel has long been in the sights of Pride coach Ty Williams.
The former Cowboys and Maroons flyer, who has coached the Pride in more than 100 games since taking the reins at the end of 2016, invited Daniel to be part of the Hostplus Cup club’s off-season program.
Daniel was joined by a number of the CDRL’s best players, including Gold Medal winner and recent debutant Jacob Wallace, for the pre-season component, which allows Williams and his staff to work closely with a number of potential Pride players.
Now, Daniel will get an opportunity many believed was due long ago.
In a video posted to the Pride’s social media channels, Daniel recalled how he played at Thursday Island’s Ken Brown Oval 10 years ago, when he his first Torres Strait Cup as a 17-year-old.
He has played at plenty of All Blacks carnivals at the venue since, and knows the ground - and conditions - intimately, which could give the Pride a tactical advantage.
Daniel, who captained the Cairns representative team in the Foley Shield earlier this year, will be thrust into a high-stakes clash for the Pride, who must beat the bottom-placed Magpies to stay in the fight for a spot in the top eight.
BARNES EARNS A RECALL
WHYATT Barnes has won a recall to the Northern Pride’s Hostplus Cup side for the Thursday Island clash with Souths Logan Magpies.
The Pride will take its fierce fight for a spot in the top eight to Thursday Island’s Ken Brown Oval this Saturday, with a win against the bottom-placed Magpies a necessity as they target the finals.
Barnes, who plays for Ivanhoes in the Cairns District Rugby League when not required for the Pride, will return to the bench after a hamstring injury to Fiji international Joey Ratuvakacerivalu in last week’s 20-16 win against Wynnum-Manly in Innisfail.
Cowboys-contracted flyer and recent Papua New Guinea debutant Robert Derby is also a chance of return after missing the win against the Seagulls with a hip complaint.
They are the only changes coach Ty Williams has had to make to his team, as they seek their fourth win in five weeks.
“Whyatt fills in that spot for us,” Williams said. “Barnesy’s been very, very good for us, the same as when he goes back to Ivanhoes, but his attitude has been first class.
“He gets an opportunity this week up at Thursday Island to play, and we’re waiting to see how Rob Derby (on Tuesday) at Cowboys training.
“He could potentially come back to us as well.
“It’s all positive at the moment, we just need him to get through that session.”
Mark Rosendale will retain his spot on the wing if Derby is not available.
Williams said he did not expect any other Cowboys players to return to the Pride this week, with the club preparing for the important clash with the belief there will be no other changes.
That opens the door for Evan Child to keep his spot in the halves after his impressive performance last week.
Child will partner Matt Egan for just the second time this season, allowing the utility, who has also thrived in the centres, to show why he can be a serious halves option moving forward.
It means Tom Steadman may turn out for Southern Suburbs in the CDRL this weekend, provided he does not travel with the Pride and there is no late injury concern.
The Barlow Park club, who already have several players and staff at the Torres Strait Islands conducting clinics and school visits, are playing their Country Week clash at the venue in their first game at Thursday Island since 2019.
HOW CHILD CAN BE PRIDE’S MR FIX-IT
NORTHERN Pride utility Evan Child has come from nowhere to potentially become the Hostplus Cup’s Mr Fix-It in the halves after steering the Cairns club to a crucial 20-16 win against Wynnum-Manly.
Child was a shock call-up to partner Matt Egan in the halves of the Callendar Park clash, but may have done enough to leapfrog regular five-eighth Tom Steadman to become the first-choice option at pivot.
He started three games at centre earlier this season but missed a number of weeks through injury, but Child's 2022 is looking fairly similar to last season, when he swept in to the back line as injury cover and ultimately cemented his place in Pride coach Ty Williams’s 17.
The only difference is that this time it’s in the crucial playmaking position, with Williams opting for Child’s game management over Steadman, who was 18th man again.
“The 6-7-9 weren’t where we needed to be in that game last week,” Williams said.
“We didn’t need the big plays against Brisbane, we needed game management.
“Evan is very relaxed, he doesn’t overplay his hand too often. He’s someone who will see us go through a tough first few tackles in the set, kick early and lead that chase.
“He showed why we needed him against Wynnum. He was very, very good. He didn’t get as many opportunities with the football as I would have liked but he did well.”
Child’s stellar outing with the No. 6 on his back could mean he partners Egan in the halves when Cowboys utility Ben Hampton isn’t sent back to Barlow Park.
“The balance was very good. With that six and seven, we need them to work in with Julian Christian’s movements as well,” Williams said.
“Julian can over-exert himself a bit at times and we put that responsibility on the halves to help manage that.”
Child’s promotion means a step back for Steadman, who Williams said had to work on his game management.
“We spoke about game management a bit and that’s something we’ll work on at training,” Williams said. “He needs to be better in that area.
“Defensively he’s okay, but the best sixes are in the game all the time where Tom’s been in and out recently.”
Christian clocked up another 200m game, including a length of the field intercept try in which he showcased some slick footwork to shake off chasing Seagulls fullback Ben Farr to open the scoring.
Prop Nick Lui-Toso ran for 260m after he was forced to play a longer second stint as Fijian international Joseph Ratuvakacerivalu fell victim to a bad hamstring injury just four minutes into his first game for the club in months.
The Pride will play Souths Logan and Ken Browne Oval, Thursday Island, on Saturday.
matthew.mcinerney1@news.com.au
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Originally published as Sharks star Eddie Daniel makes debut for the Northern Pride