Dragon Soward sets sights on 2009 season
BY MICHAEL CARAYANNIS
2/01/2009 4:00:00 AM
Moving on: Jamie Soward hopes he can build on last season, despite being overlooked for the Dragons' last match. Picture: Chris Lane
JAMIE Soward has moved on, even though the disappointment of missing a place in the Dragons' semi-final team, which lost against Manly last season, still bubbles away.
Soward reflected on 2008 with mixed emotions. ``It was pretty well documented that I didn't finish the season the way I wanted to, but that's just football,'' Soward, 24, said.
``It was pretty frustrating knowing the boys worked hard all year and we worked as a unit all year to go out in that first week, when we could have finished a little higher.
``We lost five or six games by less than six points ... but in saying that, it happened last year and this is this year.''
Soward's 19 games were the most he had played in a first-grade season since making his debut in 2005.
He signed a two-year contract extension and was voted by Dragons' members as the Red-V player of the year.
But his up-and-down career continued when he was
dropped after the club won just one of its first five games.
His back injury opened the way for mid-season recruit Ben Rogers to claim his vacant spot as the Dragons pushed towards a finals berth.
While former coach Nathan Brown overlooked him for the semi, Soward sees his transformation from half-back to five-eighth as one of the biggest positives to come out of 2008.
It gave the former Sydney Rooster an opportunity to really enjoy his football.
``I used to think I was a half-back but I'm probably not ready for that role at the moment,'' Soward said. ``I like the six as it gives me a bit more space to run around and use my pace. Seven runs the team around a little bit more and has to be talking to his forwards and marching them around the park, whereas the five-eighth does more talking to the backs.''
Soward will battle for a starting spot in new coach Wayne Bennet's side, alongside returning half Mat Head and, of course, team captain Ben Hornby, who is equally at home in the No. 1 jumper.
Hornby underwent off-season surgery to repair ligaments in his left shoulder and was expected to resume training in the new year but might be a late ``starter''.
``Me and Heady get on well,'' Soward said. ``With Ben Hornby out at the moment it's sort of been me and Heady working together.
``We have a laugh in the gym and work hard together. I'm enjoying his company and am hopefully looking to playing alongside him.''
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