North Queensland Cowboy Matt Scott finds pleasure in pain throughout new season
PAIN and fatigue is a seasonal thing for North Queensland forward Matt Scott and it all starts for him again next weekend.
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PAIN and fatigue is a seasonal thing for Matt Scott and it all starts for him again next weekend.
In 2013, Scott was involved in one of sport’s most unforgiving contests, the middle of an NRL field, 32 times between February 9, the All Stars game, and November 30, the World Cup final.
Putting the All Stars game aside for its lack of available statistics, the Cowboys prop threw himself into the colossal impacts of 461 runs and 709 tackles in 31 games.
One of the game’s once-each-set warriors, Scott made 4288m at a game average of 138.3m against opponents mostly loath to allow him an easy 1m.
“That’s a good year I suppose,’’ Scott said after learning of Fox Sports Stats’ summary of his year.
“I’m not a massive one for (making a lot of) stats. It’s the amount of games that is pleasing to me more than anything else. It means I managed my body really well and I was fortunate to get some rep games (10 including the All Stars game).
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“It’s testament to the great medical and support staff we have at the Cowboys that I kept on the field and managed my training load each week. It was really only one game I missed due to a broken finger and I had a few issues last year.’’
Scott had a cortisone injection to his neck just before he departed for the World Cup, where he played five more games.
He returned to training in mid-January with his body rested and his mind stimulated by a holiday in Portugal and Paris with his wife Lauren.
“It was matter of rest. It was enough time — I was really looking forward to getting back to training which is a fair sign,’’ Scott said.
Ask him to explain how difficult it gets after 163 games as an NRL forward to absorb the blows and keep going, the Cowboys co-captain said: “Some games are harder than others. It’s always difficult. Once you have been playing for a few years, nothing is ever 100 per cent.
“It can get draining, but the way I look at it, it’s a job I’m paid to do
“It’s about getting up to do the job I have to do and no one wants to let their teammates down.
“We are in a privileged position as rugby league players. I’m not saying it isn’t tough and being based in Townsville involves a certain amount fatigue (with air travel) and sometimes I have to get moving and get motivated.
“But when I look at when things get tough and I get sore or training is getting a little hard or the year is getting a bit long I slap myself around a bit because there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.’’
Scott counts himself fortunate to have had a career relatively unaffected by concussions but viewed with interest the NRL’s introduction this week of regulations about treatment of concussions this year.
“It’s definitely heading in the right direction. There has to be more accountability _ it’s a serious injury which I don’t think players have taken seriously enough,’’ he said.
“There are a lot of long term effects in playing soon after a concussion.’’
Two years ago, a former clubmate, Shaun Valentine, donated his brain to a US university advanced in research into the long-term impact of concussion. Valentine had come to the university’s attention because of interviews he gave about a history of dizzy spells and lost memories.
“Cases like Shaun Valentine _ and I am sure there are plenty more _ are something people can be in denial about. I’d hate to retire and have ongoing problems to that degree,’’ Scott said.
“These changes are about player welfare, put in place to benefit player long term and hopefully the clubs fully embrace it.’’
Scott, who made his first grade debut as an 18-year-old, enters his 11th season against Canberra next Saturday in Townsville with a clear idea of what works and what does not in his job.
And he feels the common fascination with workrate stats are misleading and even causing players to play with an eye to the stats sheet.
“There has been a big push for people to get their numbers up with the media reporting on how many metres a front-rower runs and the fantasy leagues have been a reason for that,’’ said Scott, who played 45 minutes in the preseason, against the Titans last weekend.
“Some people base that on whether we’ve had a good game or not. I couldn’t disagree more. It doesn’t tell the whole story.
“I’ve had games where I have had a lot of involvements but I’ve been really disappointed with how I’ve played. Conversely, I’ve been proud of the way I’ve gone in games when my number of metres haven’t.’’
AT THE COALFACE: MATT SCOTT IN 2013
22 NRL games
1 All Stars game
3 State of Origin games
1 May Test
5 World Cup games
Total: 32 games
MEASURE BY MEASURE
Games not including All Stars (no stats taken)
Runs: Total 461 _ 351 in NRL, 43 Origin, 67 Australia. Season best: 23 v Broncos, Round 20.
Metres made: 4288 _ 3218 NRL, 409 Origin, 661 Australia. Best: 204 v Parramatta, Round 8.
Tackles: 709 _ 494 NRL, 84 Queensland, 131 Australia. Best: 32 v Brisbane Round 6 and v NSW Origin 1
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