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Comets unveil 2011 squad
Alan Kennedy
5th November 2010
WE ARE yet to feel the heat of the summer on our backs and CQ Comets coach Wayne Barnett is already unveiling his 2011 squad.
Little wonder as the Comets begin their pre-season at St Brendan's tomorrow with full training about to begin on Monday.
Yesterday two of the lads the club will be pinning hopes on to make a lot of metres over the coming season rolled into town.
Although the Comets looked to have a fair quota of big men when starting last season's campaign, injury, disciplinary actions and defections depleted those stocks dramatically.
This year Gerard Parle has taken a coaching position at Redcliffe, George Tuakura will play his football in Gladstone, Aaron Summers left the club late in the 2010 program and so new players needed to be found.
Two of the front-rowers the club has big hopes for arrived in Rockhampton yesterday.
Already both James Crombie and Daniel Palavi have a burden of expectation on their broad shoulders.
For Palavi it is a big move as he has left his family environment in Auckland, arriving in Rockhampton on his 20th birthday, to train and trial with the Comets.
“I'm looking at it as a good opportunity for making the first grade,” he said, producing his trademark slow grin.
“I'm hoping for a good season.”
Palavi has experience with the New Zealand Warriors and was a member of the club's Toyota Cupwinning squad last season.
Talking to the Morning Bulletin yesterday morning, the youngster was still coming to terms with his new environment.
“I have met Scott (Minto) and Wayne (Barnett) and they have been very welcoming,” he said.
Palavi admits he knows little about the Comets and had met very few of his teammates but he does have a tentative link with the club as it was Barnett's former coach John Ackland who recommended him.
Despite his dad Tui, who travelled to Rockhampton with him, being a former rugby union player, Palavi said he is from a league background, beginning as an under-9 player while his younger brother is following a similar career path with the Warriors' junior program.
So what does Palavi want to bring to the Comets?
“Strength and some skills, and a little bit of footwork,” he grinned.
Crombie may be just two years the senior of Palavi but he is used to being away from family in Auckland having spent three years contracted to the Melbourne Storm.
He also knows about playing football in the Intrust Super Cup.
“When I was with the Storm I was playing for Norths,” he said.
Last year he was in the Redcliffe squad and still has his eyes on the ultimate goal of playing in the NRL and looks at his signing for the Comets as an opportunity to start again.
“I have played against the Comets plenty of times,” he recalled.
“This is a good opportunity, they asked me to come when I was 19.
“I'm up here to live the dream again just like any other young kid.”
Picture gets clearer
FOR coach Wayne Barnett the pieces of the 2011 puzzle are gradually coming into place.
However, while happy to see Palavi and Crombie he promises them nothing more than an opportunity to become a part of the club.
“There are no guarantees,” he said.
With seven front-rowers in the preliminary squad Barnett feels the Comets are well-covered.
“There is nothing like a little bit of competition,” he said.
Barnett is aware of the potential of the two and what they can provide for his team.
“Both have a bit of size. Daniel is not very tall but he is wide,” he said.
“I want them to provide that punch up the middle; they both come from a culture of hard work.”
While knowing their capabilities on the football field, Barnett is also aware it will be a test for them when they are not playing.
“It is a great learning experience and not just with the football stuff,” he observed.
More coming
ARRIVING this morning is another piece of the Comets puzzle with John Clayton, another powerhouse front-rower, ready for training.
While Welsh international Ian Webster is due back in December and Luke Dyer is resting in Sydney until the end of this month, Barnett is expecting more additions to his squad over the next few weeks.
Half back Johnathan Tavinor is set to partner Webster in the halves and he comes into the squad having played at Cronulla.
English front-rower Mark Applegarth is another capable of supplying muscle for the Comets forwards after a career in the English Super League with Wakefield Trinity.
Barnett said there were still a few question marks with Liam Anlezark not yet signed, while speculation of a return of former Comets captain Nat Bowman proved to be unfounded.
The Comets are yet to have their fixtures confirmed but Barnett said there were plans for pre-season games at Gladstone on February 5, against Mackay at Emerald or Mackay the following week before the annual clash with the Broncos on February 19.
Source:http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=...0/11/05/comets-central-queensland-2011-squad/
Alan Kennedy
5th November 2010
WE ARE yet to feel the heat of the summer on our backs and CQ Comets coach Wayne Barnett is already unveiling his 2011 squad.
Little wonder as the Comets begin their pre-season at St Brendan's tomorrow with full training about to begin on Monday.
Yesterday two of the lads the club will be pinning hopes on to make a lot of metres over the coming season rolled into town.
Although the Comets looked to have a fair quota of big men when starting last season's campaign, injury, disciplinary actions and defections depleted those stocks dramatically.
This year Gerard Parle has taken a coaching position at Redcliffe, George Tuakura will play his football in Gladstone, Aaron Summers left the club late in the 2010 program and so new players needed to be found.
Two of the front-rowers the club has big hopes for arrived in Rockhampton yesterday.
Already both James Crombie and Daniel Palavi have a burden of expectation on their broad shoulders.
For Palavi it is a big move as he has left his family environment in Auckland, arriving in Rockhampton on his 20th birthday, to train and trial with the Comets.
“I'm looking at it as a good opportunity for making the first grade,” he said, producing his trademark slow grin.
“I'm hoping for a good season.”
Palavi has experience with the New Zealand Warriors and was a member of the club's Toyota Cupwinning squad last season.
Talking to the Morning Bulletin yesterday morning, the youngster was still coming to terms with his new environment.
“I have met Scott (Minto) and Wayne (Barnett) and they have been very welcoming,” he said.
Palavi admits he knows little about the Comets and had met very few of his teammates but he does have a tentative link with the club as it was Barnett's former coach John Ackland who recommended him.
Despite his dad Tui, who travelled to Rockhampton with him, being a former rugby union player, Palavi said he is from a league background, beginning as an under-9 player while his younger brother is following a similar career path with the Warriors' junior program.
So what does Palavi want to bring to the Comets?
“Strength and some skills, and a little bit of footwork,” he grinned.
Crombie may be just two years the senior of Palavi but he is used to being away from family in Auckland having spent three years contracted to the Melbourne Storm.
He also knows about playing football in the Intrust Super Cup.
“When I was with the Storm I was playing for Norths,” he said.
Last year he was in the Redcliffe squad and still has his eyes on the ultimate goal of playing in the NRL and looks at his signing for the Comets as an opportunity to start again.
“I have played against the Comets plenty of times,” he recalled.
“This is a good opportunity, they asked me to come when I was 19.
“I'm up here to live the dream again just like any other young kid.”
Picture gets clearer
FOR coach Wayne Barnett the pieces of the 2011 puzzle are gradually coming into place.
However, while happy to see Palavi and Crombie he promises them nothing more than an opportunity to become a part of the club.
“There are no guarantees,” he said.
With seven front-rowers in the preliminary squad Barnett feels the Comets are well-covered.
“There is nothing like a little bit of competition,” he said.
Barnett is aware of the potential of the two and what they can provide for his team.
“Both have a bit of size. Daniel is not very tall but he is wide,” he said.
“I want them to provide that punch up the middle; they both come from a culture of hard work.”
While knowing their capabilities on the football field, Barnett is also aware it will be a test for them when they are not playing.
“It is a great learning experience and not just with the football stuff,” he observed.
More coming
ARRIVING this morning is another piece of the Comets puzzle with John Clayton, another powerhouse front-rower, ready for training.
While Welsh international Ian Webster is due back in December and Luke Dyer is resting in Sydney until the end of this month, Barnett is expecting more additions to his squad over the next few weeks.
Half back Johnathan Tavinor is set to partner Webster in the halves and he comes into the squad having played at Cronulla.
English front-rower Mark Applegarth is another capable of supplying muscle for the Comets forwards after a career in the English Super League with Wakefield Trinity.
Barnett said there were still a few question marks with Liam Anlezark not yet signed, while speculation of a return of former Comets captain Nat Bowman proved to be unfounded.
The Comets are yet to have their fixtures confirmed but Barnett said there were plans for pre-season games at Gladstone on February 5, against Mackay at Emerald or Mackay the following week before the annual clash with the Broncos on February 19.
Source:http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=...0/11/05/comets-central-queensland-2011-squad/