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Sharks one up already
By JOSH MASSOUD
May 06, 2006
THERE'S nothing the Sharks enjoy more than getting one up on big brother, St George Illawarra.
Regardless of who wins tomorrow's local derby, Cronulla have already scored a major coup over their bitter rivals via boom prop Luke Douglas.
Lining up for his eighth straight NRL appearance, the 109kg rookie probably would be wearing the Red V if not for an administrative bungle that still leaves Dragons coach Nathan Brown disappointed.
Douglas was raised in Yamba, on the North coast a short drive from where Brown grew up.
Rugby league brought the two families close, with Douglas making regular trips to Sydney as a teen to watch the blond-haired hooker from the hill at Kogarah.
So when the time arrived for Douglas to follow Brown's lead, his destination was obvious.
At the behest of Brown's father John, the then 16-year-old joined St George's SG Ball squad in 2003 and arrangements were made for him to complete his HSC in Sydney.
But when the competition finished mid-year, the Dragons went quiet.
"They didn't show that much interest in me and didn't contact me," Douglas, now 19, said.
"I suppose I was a little bit . . . not angry . . . but a bit peeved off that they didn't look after me."
Assuming he had been exiled, Douglas thought he was better off playing park footy with his mates in Yamba. Within weeks he was back living with his parents, 700km from Kogarah.
That's when mum Trish – a lifelong Cronulla fan – picked up a pen.
Sharks recruitment manager Theo Burgess recalled his delight upon reading Ms Douglas's hand-written offer for her son's services.
Daily Telegraph
By JOSH MASSOUD
May 06, 2006
THERE'S nothing the Sharks enjoy more than getting one up on big brother, St George Illawarra.
Regardless of who wins tomorrow's local derby, Cronulla have already scored a major coup over their bitter rivals via boom prop Luke Douglas.
Lining up for his eighth straight NRL appearance, the 109kg rookie probably would be wearing the Red V if not for an administrative bungle that still leaves Dragons coach Nathan Brown disappointed.
Douglas was raised in Yamba, on the North coast a short drive from where Brown grew up.
Rugby league brought the two families close, with Douglas making regular trips to Sydney as a teen to watch the blond-haired hooker from the hill at Kogarah.
So when the time arrived for Douglas to follow Brown's lead, his destination was obvious.
At the behest of Brown's father John, the then 16-year-old joined St George's SG Ball squad in 2003 and arrangements were made for him to complete his HSC in Sydney.
But when the competition finished mid-year, the Dragons went quiet.
"They didn't show that much interest in me and didn't contact me," Douglas, now 19, said.
"I suppose I was a little bit . . . not angry . . . but a bit peeved off that they didn't look after me."
Assuming he had been exiled, Douglas thought he was better off playing park footy with his mates in Yamba. Within weeks he was back living with his parents, 700km from Kogarah.
That's when mum Trish – a lifelong Cronulla fan – picked up a pen.
Sharks recruitment manager Theo Burgess recalled his delight upon reading Ms Douglas's hand-written offer for her son's services.
Daily Telegraph
