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FEATURE
The most important phone call of McInnes' career
Author
Brad Walter Senior Reporter
Timestamp
Fri 14 Sep 2018, 04:49 PM
A phone call from Cameron McInnes to Paul McGregor to say he no longer wanted to join St George Illawarra has indirectly led to the proud South Sydney junior captaining the Dragons against the club where he was touted as a future skipper.
McInnes, who will share the captaincy duties with Tyson Frizell in Saturday night's sudden-death semi-final against the Rabbitohs at ANZ Stadium, had been poised to sign with St George Illawarra for the 2016 season but Souths persuaded him to stay after Issac Luke's shock departure for the Warriors.
It was then that McInnes made what may be the most important phone call of his career, and one that ensured the door was still open at the Dragons when he decided to leave the Rabbitohs the following year.
"I just phoned Mary out of respect because I had only met him once or twice but he is one of the most genuine people I had ever met and he would do anything for anybody," McInnes said.
"I just wanted to call him out of respect and he understood my decision fully and he was really good about it. Then 12 months later I had the opportunity to speak to him again and he was as supportive of me as he was the year before."
McGregor: Souths drama won't change Dragons' focus
After deciding to stay at Souths, he shared the hooking role with Damien Cook in 2016 but the club's decision to sign Robbie Farah at the end of that season prompted the former Junior Kangaroos and Rabbitohs under 20s captain to question his future at Redfern.
He again picked up the phone to McGregor and asked if there was an opportunity in 2017.
The Dragons had been in a contractual stand-off with hooker Mitch Rein and Heath L'Estrange was retiring so McGregor approached the club's director of pathways Ian Millward.
"When we were first looking at signing Cam, we had Mitch and we looked at bringing another hooker in," McGregor said.
"He had done some really good things in under 20s and as a junior, and I just thought he was a special player.
"Then Issac went to the Warriors and he rang me, and said 'I want to stay. It's my junior club'. I appreciated that and I understood. If someone comes through as a junior and there is opportunity at that club you should stay there so I was happy for him to stay there. It is the same with our juniors.
"At the end of 2016, Cam rang me again and said, 'is there a chance I could come now?' The club and Mitch had decided to go different ways and Robbie had turned up at Souths.
"He had been happy to take on Cookie but Souths had decided to bring in a third hooker, who was an experienced one, so Cam said obviously the pathway there was blocked and he wanted to know if there was a pathway for him at our club."
Cameron McInnes playing for South Sydney in 2016.Robb Cox/NRL Photos
Coincidentally, Cook - an Illawarra junior - had been in the Dragons' system and he played for the club in 2012 and 2013 before moving to Canterbury and then joining South Sydney in 2016 after Luke left.
Cook started six matches at hooker in 2016 and 10 last year but he has emerged as arguably the most improved player in the game this season and edged McInnes for the NSW No.9 jersey.
"Cam's a really good player, I rate him very highly, especially training alongside him as well, I know how hard he works," Cook said of his friendly rivalry with McInnes.
"We got along really well when he was here [at Souths] and we still do.
"I managed to get the Origin jersey this year but it's sudden-death footy now and being an ex-Bunny, he'll be looking to get the job done over his old team as well. It's always exciting playing against your old team."
McInnes insists he has now moved on and points out Saturday night's semi-final will be his 50th Telstra Premiership appearance for St George Illawarra, whereas he played 39 for the Rabbitohs.
"I am very thankful to Souths for giving me my start and also for allowing me to move on but I will always be in debt to Mary and the Dragons for taking a punt on me," McInnes said.
"I love the club, I am grateful for the opportunity they have given me and the belief that Mary showed in me from the first time I spoke to him made me feel really good. I have so much respect for Mary and I always want to play as hard as I can and do the job for the Dragons each week."
With Gareth Widdop out for the season after disclocating his shoulder in last Sunday's 48-18 elimination final defeat of Brisbane, McInnes and Frizell will share the captaincy role as they did when the English playmaker was absent for the previous three matches.
McInnes, who topped Marist College Pagewood in the 2011 HSC for biology, business studies and advanced English, while attaining Band 6 results for business studies and personal development, health and physical education, had been considered by many at Souths as a future captain.
Rabbitohs v Dragons - Semi-Final
"I remember there was some talk about that, but I was never focused on that," he said. "I was only a young kid trying to play some first-grade footy and it is no different now.
"The leadership role is something I embrace regardless of whether I am captain or not because I want to do the right thing by my team-mates. Having the 'C' next to my name, especially for such a great club, is a huge honour and I am very proud of that."
Despite only being in his second season at the Dragons, McInnes is a member of their four-man leadership group along with Widdop, Frizell and James Graham – and McGregor said he was an obvious choice for the captaincy role.
"With Cam, what you see on the field is pretty much what you see every day. He is hard working and will do anything that is needed for the team so he is easy to coach," McGregor said.
"James just does what he does anyway so he doesn’t need the C next to his name, Tyson is a leader by his inspirational stuff and Cam is a good talker who plays 80 minutes. Cam and Tyson will share the role but when Tyson is off the field Cam is the captain."
https://www.dragons.com.au/news/201...portant-phone-call-of-cameron-mcinnes-career/
MATCH PREVIEW
Dragons v Warriors: NRLW Round 2 preview
Author
Alicia Newton
Timestamp
Sat 15 Sep 2018, 04:11 PM
St George Illawarra will treat round two of the NRL Holden Women's Premiership like a do-or-die clash as they host the Warriors at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night.
The Dragons can ill-afford another loss if they want to keep their grand final hopes alive, while the Warriors are chasing back-to-back victories after their impressive 10-4 victory against the Roosters.
Last-start winners the Warriors will travel over to Australia for the second time of potentially four occasions this month and are expected to re-arrange their flight schedule after last week's chaotic travel preparation.
Venue: ANZ Stadium
Match broadcasters:
Buy Tickets
- Nine Network
- Fox League
- LIVE PASS
Key match-up: Sam Bremner v Apii Nicholls – Both fullbacks starred for their respective sides in the opening round and their sweeping ability will come into play once more on Saturday. Bremner accumulated 11 tackle breaks against the Broncos, while Nicholls was at her roaming best in both attack and defence to prove she's one of the elite fullbacks in rugby league.
For the Dragons to win: They'll need to tighten their goal-line defence after conceding 30 points against the Broncos, but will be better for the run after having no trial game leading into last week's clash. The scoreline probably wasn't a fair reflection of the game for a side who had never played together. Expect a better showing against the Warriors with some game-breakers in their line-up.
NRLW Dragons v Warriors - Round 2
For the Warriors to win: Their defence led them to victory last week and that will be a focus again for Luisa Avaiki's side. The game plan of kicking early in the tackle count worked against the Roosters, but 10 points in attack probably isn't going to be enough for a second week in a row against the Dragons, who are set to improve on last round's effort. The forward pack will need to get on the front foot and allow room for the outside backs to find space.
And another thing: The first 500 Dragons foundation members will receive a free ticket for the clash ahead of Saturday night's double-header, which includes the men's side playing South Sydney in the semi-final clash later in the evening.
Team Lists
Backs
Forwards
- Fullback for Dragons is number 4 Honey Hireme
4 1
Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Apii Nicholls- Winger for Dragons is number 2 Rikeya Horne
2 5
Winger for Warriors is number 5 Hilda Mariu- Centre for Dragons is number 3 Jessica Sergis
3 14
Centre for Warriors is number 14 Sarina Clark- Centre for Dragons is number 15 Hannah Southwell
15 2
Centre for Warriors is number 2 Langi Veainu- Winger for Dragons is number 5 Shakiah Tungai
5 21
Winger for Warriors is number 21 Lisa Edwards- Five-Eighth for Dragons is number 6 Keeley Davis
6
Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Laura Mariu- Halfback for Dragons is number 7 Raecene McGregor
7
Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Georgia Hale
Interchange
- Prop for Dragons is number 8 Oneata Schwalger
8
Prop for Warriors is number 8 Crystal Tamarua- Hooker for Dragons is number 9 Anneka Stephens
9
Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Krystal Rota- Prop for Dragons is number 14 Holli Wheeler
14 10
Prop for Warriors is number 10 Aieshaleigh Smalley- 2nd Row for Dragons is number 11 Kezie Apps
11 4
2nd Row for Warriors is number 4 Onjeurlina Leiataua- 2nd Row for Dragons is number 12 Talesha Quinn
12
2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Alice Vailea- Lock for Dragons is number 13 Annette Brander
13 18
Lock for Warriors is number 18 Masuisuimatamaalii Tauaua-Pauaraisa
Dragons Ins
- Interchange for Dragons is number 16 Teina Clark
16 13
Interchange for Warriors is number 13 Luisa Gago- Interchange for Dragons is number 17 Melanie Howard
17 15
Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Lorina Papali'i- Interchange for Dragons is number 18 Asipau Mafi
18 16
Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Amber Kani- Interchange for Dragons is number 19 Kate Haren
19 20
Interchange for Warriors is number 20 Raquel Anderson-Pitman
Ins
- Kate Haren
- Talesha Quinn
Warriors Ins
Dragons Outs
- Amber Kani
- Crystal Tamarua
- Lisa Edwards
- Raquel Anderson-Pitman
Outs
- Asoiva Karpani
- Sam Bremner
Warriors Ins
Using the NRL app? See all the team lists here
- Annetta Nuuausala
- Kahurangi Peters
- Shontelle Woodman
- Tanika-Jazz Noble
Dragons: A big blow for the Dragons with captain Sam Bremner ruled out through injury. Honey Hireme shifts to fullback, while Hannah Southwell has been promoted to start in the centres. Holly Wheeler will start at prop and Kate Haren moves from the reserves to the bench. Talia Atfield was omitted an hour prior to kick-off.
Warriors: The Warriors have made several changes, with Sarina Clark to start at centre after initially being named on the bench. Winger Langi Vaina has been moved from wing to centre, while Lisa Edwards has been promoted to start on the wing. Onjeurlina Leiataua has been dropped to the bench and Sui Tauaua moves from the reserves to starting lock. The new face on the bench is Raquel Anderson. Va'Nessa Molia-Fraser was cut an hour before kick-off.
https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/09/11/dragons-v-warriors-nrlw-round-2-preview/
Gregg Porteous/NRL Photos
They were all due to injury , and coach had no other options , otherwise we would never have known if any of them were any good .
Scott Davis/NRL Photos
Gregg Porteous/NRL Photos
