Bastard Squad
Coach
- Messages
- 13,481
Passing comment persuades Tiger Collis to join Sharks
BY BRAD FORREST
01 Dec, 2009 04:00 AM
WHEN rugby league centre Dean Collis was looking for a move from the Wests Tigers, a good left-to-right pass was as important to him as joining up with a new coach.
Collis said he got both when he signed with the Cronulla Sharks for the upcoming season.
After two horror seasons with injuries playing for the Tigers, Collis said he "needed a change.''
The 24-year-old centre, who played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 2003 and represented in the 2007 City-Country fixture, said Sharks coach Ricky Stuart swayed his decision to move with the wraps Stuart gave former Test five-eight, Trent Barrett.
"Trent has one of the best left-to-right passes in the game and Ricky reminded me I'd be on the end of those passes if I joined up,'' said Collis, born and bred far from the water, in Campbelltown.
"I didn't need much convincing after I spoke to him.''
Collis' decision meant the Sharks grabbed two tigers by the tail, with Wests Tigers' teammate, utility John Morris, having already decided to switch to the Sharks.
Stuart describes Collis as a "genuine centre,'' who can play with the ball ``before the line or through the line''.
"He's got very good skill and is also very much a professional. You only have to go back two years ago and Dean had a representative experience playing for City.
"I think his best football is in front of him.''
Collis can count himself unlucky, after tearing his medial ligament and suffering hamstring injuries in 2008, because a freak off-field injury also put paid to most of his 2009 season.
"During a wrestling training session, I broke my forearm,'' said Collis, who played just eight top grade games for the Tigers in 2009. "That was a bizarre accident .... and it put me out of football for 12 weeks.''
And Collis, who made his NRL debut as a 17-year-old back in 2003, added:
"I'll certainly be watching out for any wrestling the Sharks do, that's for sure.''
While a recognised try-scorer, having crossed the stripe 20 times in his NRL career, Collis is also a competent goalkicker, slotting 15 goals from 18 attempts in 2008 at a very impressive 83 per cent strike rate and so, Stuart and the Sharks have a ready back-up for Luke Covell at Toyota Stadium.
The signing of Collis to a two-year contract with John Morris, adds to the signings of other first graders, including Penrith hooker Paul Aiton, second-rower Broderick Wright and winger Talima Tautai from Parramatta, big Adam Cuthbertson from Manly, hooker Stuart Flanagan from the Raiders and boom youngsters Albert Kelly and Nathan Gardner from the Eels, as well as young props Rodney Moefaauo and Siosaia Vave.
Collis said the Sharks were "winners'' with Morris and Flanagan, both former Tigers teammates, and he was excited about playing behind a back row that included Test players Paul Gallen, and Anthony Tupou, and Cuthbertson.
"I also can't wait to play with speedsters like Blake Ferguson and Nathan Stapleton. There's certainly plenty of excitement about the 2010 season,'' Collis said.
"And I'm lucky to have the chance to play under two Australian representative coaches [Tim Sheens and Ricky Stuart] in succession.''
http://www.theleader.com.au/news/lo...ollis-to-join-sharks/1691589.aspx?storypage=2
BY BRAD FORREST
01 Dec, 2009 04:00 AM
WHEN rugby league centre Dean Collis was looking for a move from the Wests Tigers, a good left-to-right pass was as important to him as joining up with a new coach.
Collis said he got both when he signed with the Cronulla Sharks for the upcoming season.
After two horror seasons with injuries playing for the Tigers, Collis said he "needed a change.''
The 24-year-old centre, who played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 2003 and represented in the 2007 City-Country fixture, said Sharks coach Ricky Stuart swayed his decision to move with the wraps Stuart gave former Test five-eight, Trent Barrett.
"Trent has one of the best left-to-right passes in the game and Ricky reminded me I'd be on the end of those passes if I joined up,'' said Collis, born and bred far from the water, in Campbelltown.
"I didn't need much convincing after I spoke to him.''
Collis' decision meant the Sharks grabbed two tigers by the tail, with Wests Tigers' teammate, utility John Morris, having already decided to switch to the Sharks.
Stuart describes Collis as a "genuine centre,'' who can play with the ball ``before the line or through the line''.
"He's got very good skill and is also very much a professional. You only have to go back two years ago and Dean had a representative experience playing for City.
"I think his best football is in front of him.''
Collis can count himself unlucky, after tearing his medial ligament and suffering hamstring injuries in 2008, because a freak off-field injury also put paid to most of his 2009 season.
"During a wrestling training session, I broke my forearm,'' said Collis, who played just eight top grade games for the Tigers in 2009. "That was a bizarre accident .... and it put me out of football for 12 weeks.''
And Collis, who made his NRL debut as a 17-year-old back in 2003, added:
"I'll certainly be watching out for any wrestling the Sharks do, that's for sure.''
While a recognised try-scorer, having crossed the stripe 20 times in his NRL career, Collis is also a competent goalkicker, slotting 15 goals from 18 attempts in 2008 at a very impressive 83 per cent strike rate and so, Stuart and the Sharks have a ready back-up for Luke Covell at Toyota Stadium.
The signing of Collis to a two-year contract with John Morris, adds to the signings of other first graders, including Penrith hooker Paul Aiton, second-rower Broderick Wright and winger Talima Tautai from Parramatta, big Adam Cuthbertson from Manly, hooker Stuart Flanagan from the Raiders and boom youngsters Albert Kelly and Nathan Gardner from the Eels, as well as young props Rodney Moefaauo and Siosaia Vave.
Collis said the Sharks were "winners'' with Morris and Flanagan, both former Tigers teammates, and he was excited about playing behind a back row that included Test players Paul Gallen, and Anthony Tupou, and Cuthbertson.
"I also can't wait to play with speedsters like Blake Ferguson and Nathan Stapleton. There's certainly plenty of excitement about the 2010 season,'' Collis said.
"And I'm lucky to have the chance to play under two Australian representative coaches [Tim Sheens and Ricky Stuart] in succession.''
http://www.theleader.com.au/news/lo...ollis-to-join-sharks/1691589.aspx?storypage=2
