Korbin Sims keen to fly high as Dean Young takes Dragons' reins
Dragons Den
Korbin Sims played 40 minutes off the Dragons bench in Friday's win against Parramatta. Photo: NRL Imagery
FRESH off their victory against Parramatta, the reign of Dean Young officially kicked off at the St George Illawarra Dragons on Monday.
Gerringong's Korbin Sims was one player that enjoyed the Red V's first training run under Young at WIN Stadium.
Sims has played under numerous head coaches during his 140-game NRL career.
"All the boys responded really well to Dean I thought and got stuck in," Sims said.
"Dean has come in with purpose and a plan of what he wants to achieve for the rest of the season, which all started from today [Monday].
"Dean isn't too different to Mary [Paul McGregor] but he's trying to make slight adjustments to all our games, to make us play to the levels he knows we are capable of.
"As a middle forwards, he just wants us to run hard and lay a platform for our halves and backs to play off.
"It's going to be a new challenge and I'm looking forward to what the next couple of weeks have in store for us."
Friday's victory, the Dragons' fifth of the season, saw everyone return to training on Monday with an extra skip in their step - after sending out their former mentor a winner.
"As happy as we all were with the win, there was a weird feeling in the change rooms after, as we knew it was his [McGregor] last game," he said.
"It's unfortunate to see someone like him go especially after such a long time at the club - to spend 25 years here as a player, coach and staff member is phenomenal.
"It was really satisfying to play the way we did and send him out on the right note."
The two-point win also marked Sims' first game for the side since round eight.
"It was frustrating to not be in the 17-man squad the past few weeks," he said.
"It's a very different year to try to improve your stocks and force you way back into the squad.
"However, I did enough to get back in the side against Parramatta and thought I did well.
"Hopefully the coaches do too and I can hold my position the rest of the year and start to enjoy my footy."
Gerringong's Korbin Sims is excited what new coach Dean Young brings to the club. Photo: NRL Imagery
Sims' stop-start season, after making just four appearances this season, has epitomised his tenure at the Dragons, largely due to a tough run of injuries.
"I'm not going to complain, as everyone is in a similar boat but 2020 has been a tough one to cope with for everyone inside and outside of footy," Sims, who admits his remorseful teammate Paul Vaughan is doing it tough in isolation at the moment, said.
"Unfortunately in the current landscape, that's how it goes for certain players like myself - I was in the side, then got injured, before getting back in the side and then dropped.
"It was tough to deal with, especially with no games but the great environment we have here at the club helped get me through it.
"I'm now back in the side and I hope it stays that way for the foreseeable future.
"All I can do is continue to try and play as well, if not better than I did last game and hope to hold my spot and finish the year strong."
If Sims, who played 40 minutes of the bench at Bankwest Stadium in round 14, is selected, he will come up against his former side Brisbane - who he played 44 times from 2017-18.
"It's tough to watch everything that's going on at the club [Brisbane] at the moment, as I still have so many close friends up there," the 28-year-old said.
"As much as I hold the Broncos near to my heart, it's difficult to see the way the club is being portrayed at the moment.
"Every club goes through good and bad times and I have no doubt everyone up there will rally together and bounce back soon - hopefully just not this weekend against us."
https://www.illawarramercury.com.au...een-to-fly-high-as-young-takes-dragons-reins/
