Sport
15 March, 2024
Pride confident after win
NORTHERN Pride are nervous but confident going into round two of the Hostplus Cup tomorrow after their 32-16 win against Tweed Seagulls.
Pride take on Brisbane Tigers at Barlow Park from 3pm.
Coach Eric Smith said “there’s a bit of nerves in the lead up to the game but we’ve been able to perform well at last week’s game and that victory has given us more confidence heading into round two that what we’ve been working on is working for us, so definitely more confidence for this weekend.”
“I think we have the climate in our favour. It was a very wet game last weekend and the Tweeds had to come from Tweed Heads to this,” he said.
“We’ve been training in this monsoon rain for the last three months, and it seems we’re having more this weekend and, I think early in the season, this humidity plays to our advantage.
“Tigers also got beat in their round one game so that also leans in our favour after our strong performance.
“We’re still going against a team that won the grand final last year, with a high level of rugby and very experienced senior players, but it is a challenge we’re ready to take on.
“The goal is to win, those two points are always something you’re chasing, but it was really nice to see some things come out in that game that we’ve been working so hard on in pre-season, so I’d like to see more of that and I don’t want us to stray too far from the things that we know are going to work for us and sustain those things we know for longer periods of time.”
In the Seagulls game eight debutants and four Cowboys affiliate players were in the line up.
Jake Clifford returned to the Pride after stints with NQ Cowboys. He has also played for Newcastle Knights and the English Super League Hull FC.
About 1000 people braved the rain to support the team on Saturday, and the club is expecting a bigger crowd tomorrow.
Chief executive Garreth Smith said it was “a great crowd”.
“We are happy with the result. We still have some work to do and focus on preparing for the Tigers this Saturday. We want the entire community to come down and get behind this side,” he said.
Mr Smith said it was “a good reward for the players after a hard three months of training”.
“Jack Gosiewski was strong up front and led the way in the centre, which won him man of the match,” he said.
“Salam scored two tries for his first game for the club. The focus now is building on that performance heading in to round two.”
