Matthew Musumeci, Northern Pride flyer, on fullback battle

Northern Pride flyer Matthew Musumeci is not feeling too much pressure despite an intense battle for coveted spots in the Intrust Super Cup squad’s backline.

NORTHERN Pride flyer Matthew Musumeci is not feeling the pressure despite an intense battle for coveted spots in the Intrust Super Cup squad’s backline.

The Tully product was an integral, yet underrated, member of the Pride’s squad in 2019, scoring four tries in 22 games in his most consistent campaign to date.

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He has primarily played on the wing for the Pride, but has trained at centre and fullback - a position in which he starred when Tully fell just short of the Cairns District Rugby League title in 2018.

Pride coach Ty Williams said Musumeci returned to training slightly underweight after a COVID-interrupted 2020, but the Tully gun had put his best foot forward.

“We’ve worked pretty hard with him to get weight back on,” Williams said.

“He has specialised on the wing, but we’ve been training him at fullback and in the centres. We need him to cover all of those areas.

“He’s pretty similar to Shaun Bowen, they’ve been in the system for three years now. This year, I’m expecting them to step up.”

Matthew Musumeci at preseason training. Picture: Brendan Radke

“I think he can cover the area pretty quickly. The big thing with Mus is I need him to cover several positions, he’s one of the guys in the squad who can do that, and he does it pretty easily.

“He’s adapted pretty well to all those positional areas.”

Musumeci is in a hard-fought battle to be in Williams’ 17 when the 2021 season finally kicks off on March 20.

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But rather than panic or feel the pressure, the easygoing Musumeci has taken the fresh challenge in his stride, with a goal to be among the names Williams reads out for that opener.

The lack of game time last year meant Musumeci lost size and a touch of speed, but it’s an area he’s targeted to ensure he’s ready to fly.

“I tried to do as much as I could with the circumstance,” Musumeci said. “Just tried to keep fit and keep running.

“(I’ve) been trying to focus on working to get that weight back … bit heavier to run around on the field … Trying to up the weight, eating more, putting the size on.”

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Originally published as Matthew Musumeci, Northern Pride flyer, on fullback battle