Jake Granville bides time for shot at playing hooker for Cowboys

IN a perfect world Jake Granville would’ve been playing for the Cowboys last season under the watch of North Queensland coach Paul Green.

The North Queensland Cowboys launch their 2015 jerseys at the Cowboys Club. Jake Granville in the away strip. Picture: Evan Morgan

IN A perfect world Jake Granville would’ve been playing for the Cowboys last season and trying to win a third premiership in four seasons with North Queensland coach Paul Green.

Green was the coach who brought the best out of Granville, deploying him as his fullback turned hooker during their successive Intrust Super Cup titles with Wynnum Manly in 2011 and 2012.

Had Granville waited an extra week before signing a one-year year contract extension with Brisbane last year then he almost certainly would have followed Green to the Cowboys for 2014.

Jake Granville at Broncos training.

But 12 frustrating months later, Granville has arrived in Townsville hungrier than ever to secure a permanent NRL gig and that chance to prove he belongs among the game’s elite.

He played just eight NRL games for the Broncos last season, averaged just 24 minutes, but now finds himself genuinely fighting for a starting gig alongside Cowboys incumbent Rory Kostjasyn, Ray Thompson and Cameron King who is returning from a knee injury.

“I know what Jake is capable of having coached him for as long as I did,” Green said.

“In saying that we’ve got Cameron King who unfortunately he was just starting to hit form when he hurt his knee so he has worked really hard and got himself just about back in full training as well.

“Rory did a great job for us there. Hooker is probably one position where there is a bit of heat on, that’s’ good a bit of competition is always good for the playing group and we will see how it all unfolds.”

Jake Granville of the Seagulls scores a try.

It has been two years since Green has coached Granville and while some things haven’t changed, like the wild mop of hair on the fleet-footed hooker, the coach can now see that he has a body ready to handle the rigours of NRL action.

“I know Jake well, he has fitted straight in. He is a pretty easygoing sort of a bloke, he is a good guy so he has fitted in well,” he said.

“He is probably a little bit heavier (than when I last saw him), obviously being in a full-time NRL system he has got himself a bit stronger and a bit fitter.

“He still hasn’t cut his hair.”