Buttriss buzzing about finals
... Country Club. himself for the biggest challenge of his career, playing for the Canberra Raiders in tomorrow night’s
NRL semi final against
Cronulla.
...
Source: http://cootamundra.yourguide.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/buttriss-buzzing-about-finals/1271012.aspx
Buttriss buzzing about finals
12/09/2008 11:30:00 AM
PHOTO COURTESY ROBERT POWER PHOTOGRAPHY
IT was mid-April when Glen Buttriss received a phone call that would not only change his immediate future but would go a long way to changing his life as a whole.
The former Cootamundra Bulldog was plying his trade for South Logan in the Brisbane competition, supplementing his weeks by
working as a greenkeeper at the Wynnum Country Club.
Fast forward four and a half months and Glen Buttriss is preparing
himself for the biggest challenge of his career, playing for the Canberra Raiders in tomorrow night’s NRL semi final against Cronulla.
In between Buttriss has racked up 14 top grade appearances for the Raiders, extended his contract by another year, with the possibility of a further extension now a genuine one, and on Wednesday night he was named Rookie of the Year at the Raiders annual presentation evening.
It has been a meteoric rise for a man who made his first grade debut with the Bulldogs as a 16-year-old.
“The whole year has been pretty amazing,” Buttriss said this week, the morning after collecting his Rookie of the Year gong.
“It seems to have happened so fast and it doesn’t seem that long ago I was playing with Souths up in Brisbane.”
Buttriss got his initial chance in round six against none other than defending premiers Melbourne, coming off the bench to oppose the
player most regard as the best hooker in the world Cameron Smith.
“I went back up to Brisbane for a couple of weeks but then got the call to come back down to Canberra as the Raiders had a few injuries.”
Over the next four months Buttriss cemented his place in the Raiders squad, playing predominantly hooker, but slotting into the lock
forward role when required.
Tomorrow he will be thrown the number seven jumper, regarded by many as the most crucial position on the field.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” Buttriss said about playing
halfback.
“I won’t be trying to play like a Todd Carney or anything like that as I have my own style of play.”
With Buttriss still in the infancy stages of his career, his opposite
number tomorrow night will be Cronulla playmaker Brett Kimmorley.
“He’s obviously a very good player, but you can’t go into a game
worrying about one individual,” Buttriss said.
“We’ll be playing on opposite sides of the field so it’s not as though we’ll be directly opposed to each other all game.”
Buttriss has played a role in the Raiders charge towards the semi finals and admits he loves the free flowing style of play coach Neil Henry brings to the side.
“It seems everyone likes watching us throw the ball around,” he said.
“Our game plan is to get early ball to our outside backs like Colin Best Joel Monaghan and Adrian Purtell and my job on Saturday night will be to do just that.”
Fully aware of Cronulla’s reputation as a solid defensive unit, Buttriss said the Raiders will be hoping to strike early.
“They (Cronulla) have struggled to score points this year, so if we can bag a couple of early tries it will put the pressure on them,” he said.
Buttriss is lapping up the build-up to tomorrow night’s battle, stating there’s a real buzz around the nation’s capital.
“The vibe at the moment is unreal,” he said.
“We are all good mates and a close bunch and everyone from the players, coaching staff and office staff is buzzing at the moment.”
