McCrone feeling comfortable in Dragons No.7
Mitch Jennings@@Mitch_Jenno
24 Mar 2017, 2 p.m.
SUITED UP: Dragons halfback Josh McCrone models the Ant-Man strip by ISC that the club will wear in round four against the Warriors. Picture: Robert Peet
HE hasn’t regularly steered an NRL side around the paddock for more than two seasons, but Josh McCrone is starting to feel right at home in the Dragons No.7.
The former Raiders half is closing in on 150 NRL games, but has spent the best part of the last two seasons playing in a utility role, shifting between the halves, hooker and lock.
His endgame however, was always a return to a fulltime halfback role. He’ll play four consecutive games there for the first time since 2014 when the Dragons take on the Warriors on Sunday and feels he’s starting ti find his groove.
“I felt comfortable in my role [against Cronulla],” McCrone said.
“Everyone wants to be starting in the team and I see myself as a half first and foremost. I’ve had enough experience doing it in Canberra with Campo [Terry Campese] there, so I’ve spent most of my career at halfback.
“It’s a bit of a different system to what I’ve played in before but I’m enjoying it. It gives me more opportunity to run as well so it’s good.”
McCrone noticeably took most of the kicking duties against the Sharks as he looks to take as much pressure as possible of skipper Gareth Widdop.
“That right footer in the right side of the field is probably the easiest place to kick so I wanted to take control of that and just let Gaz think about playing his footy,” McCrone said.
“When he can play a bit of ad-lib footy, get the ball in his hands and just run, things happen for him which we saw against Penrith where he scored a couple of tries. If I can take a bit pressure off him… wonderful.”
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/4551498/mccrone-finding-his-niche/?cs=302