Former NSW Cup winger Sam McCann scores whopping 13 tries in five games in Illawarra Cup

Former NSW Cup and current Collegians winger Sam McCann has been scoring tries for fun in the Illawarra Cup this season and leads the league by a massive margin. Hear from the try machine.

Sam McCann taking a run for Collegians. Picture: Steve Montgomery

Collegians winger Sam McCann is on an absolute try frenzy in the 2023 Mojo Homes Illawarra Cup and is showing no signs of slowing down.

McCann, 24, has scored a whopping 13 tries in his last five games and 15 overall this season, leading the league outright by a substantial margin.

This would be an achievement for any competition, let alone the highest standard of rugby league in the Illawarra region in the Mojo Homes Illawarra Cup, which features and array of former and aspiring NRL talents.

Remaining humble though, the try-hungry winger puts it down to work of his teammates getting him in the right positions to finish off moves.

“It comes down to the rest of the boys, I’m just lucky to have been on the back end of their hard work,” McCann said.

“They’re laying the platform and I’m just doing my part in getting the ball over the line when I can.

Sam McCann of Collegians. Picture: Denis Ivaneza

“Our middle pack has been unreal, our front rowers are doing a crazy job in getting us out of our own end.

“I could go through everyone, the halves, the fullback, the centres, everyone’s doing their job and that’s reflecting in the results.”

McCann has already matched last season’s top try scoring total set by Jason Gillard of Collegians, while his closest competitor this season is his fullback teammate Callum Gromek who sits six tries behind him.

A big framed winger, McCann has been a handful to stop this season, often creating opportunities for himself by busting through the line himself, or sticking the head down and burrowing his way to the line from close range.

He’s shown his aerial threat to pluck the ball out of the air to score in round nine against De La Salle, also showing his versatility by lining up and dominating from the centre role on the opposite flank to normal against Thirroul in round eight.

Tries aren’t the only area of his game that has impressed Collegians coach Peter Hooper, who had nothing but praise for the winger so far this season.

Sam McCann scores a try for Collegians against Dapto. Picture: Steve Montgomery

“He’s been outstanding,” Hooper said.

“Not just his try scoring but his back-of-field work has been so important for us.”

A Batemans Bay Tigers and Milton Ulladulla Bulldogs junior, McCann has always been an impressive talent, but is really finding his stride more than ever in 2023.

In 2017 he was selected in the NSWCCC Opens team alongside current NRL players Stephen Crichton, Campbell Graham and Spencer Leniu.

McCann has had some stints playing in lower grades at the Dragons, playing Jersey Flegg in 2019 and NSW Cup in 2021 and 2022.

Injuries stopped him from getting full seasons here though, playing just 12 games across two seasons in the NSW Cup and scoring seven tries.

Now he’s committed to playing top flight Illawarra footy in the Mojo Homes Illawarra Cup with Collegians who he won a grand final with in 2022.

Sam McCann scores a try for Collegians against Western Suburbs Devils. Picture: Steve Montgomery

“The ultimate goal is obviously to go back-to-back,” McCann said.

“As a team we’re just looking to keep momentum going now that we’re first again, taking it one week at a time and sticking to the game plan.”

When posed the question about how many he thinks he can score this season, McCann once again humbly shrugged off the attention and said he’s just happy to be doing his part for the team.

“I have no idea if they’ll keep coming,” McCann joked.

“I’ll just keep doing my job the best I can and if they come, they come.”