OLD Bar captain-coach Mick Henry concedes that his players will have to 'keep a lid' on their emotions for tomorrow's Group Three Rugby League season-opener against Port Macquarie at Old Bar.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
As reported on Wednesday, this will also be the Joel Dark Memorial Day, which will act as a fund raiser for the Westpac Helicopter Service. Joel, a club junior, died following a game in Newcastle last year.
"Obviously there's going to be a lot of emotion there,'' Henry said.
"Joel was good mates with just about all the players in the club and highly respected in the community. But we can't let the emotion get the better of us on Saturday, we'll have to funnel that emotion into positive energy.''
Henry returns to the club this year after previously playing with Taree City and more recently Muswellbrook. A former representative halfback, Henry will start the season at hooker.
"We have an abundance of quality sevens,'' he said.
"So I think I'm better off at nine.''
The experienced duo of Jordan Worboys and Jake Hazard will be the halves. Worboys returns to the club this year after stints in Canberra, Sydney and Newcastle. His brother, Isaac, will be the lock. This will also be his comeback game with the Pirates after last playing on the Gold Coast.
Hazard is a Red Rover junior who had been involved in the Sydney Roosters' system.
"They'll be great,'' Henry predicted of the Hazard/Worboys combination.
"And they'll guide us around the park.''
RELATED:
He said the Pirates will have a mobile pack, led by props Shannon Ellem and Jared Wooster.
"Jared and (back rower) Nate Napier have played a lot of football together and they'll form a good partnership on the edge,'' he said.
Wooster is back in club colours after wintering with the Manning Ratz rugby club last year.
"Drey Mercy is back with us fulltime and playing SG Ball with Souths and he'll be in the centres,'' Henry said.
Mercy will partner the well travelled Tom Dooker, another gain this season.
Henry said there's plenty of depth in the club and revealed that veteran Danny Russell has linked with the Pirates, although he's unavailable this weekend. It is rumoured that there could also be some late additions to the Old Bar bench.
However, Henry said the Sharks will be formidable.
"I've never played here when either of the Port sides haven't been strong,'' he said.