Pumba
John Morris
K4P will be glad to see this article on one of his besties
Sydney Roosters throw 16-year-old Boyd Cordner in deep end
By Christian Nicolussi
MEET the 16-year-old bush prodigy set to join superstars Willie Mason and Mark O'Meley in the Roosters glamour forward pack this season.
Little-known Boyd Cordner has quickly made an impression in the short time he has been training with the Bondi club and despite his youth and inexperience is every chance of forcing his way into coach Brad Fittler's top-flight outfit.
Roosters hardman Craig Fitzgibbon believes Cordner will be a "special player" who would handle the pressure-cooker environment of the NRL. Mason said Cordner was destined to become a "household name in the coming years".
Cordner, who weighs 95kg and is 188cm tall and still growing, was initially starstruck at Bondi but quickly learned to feel comfortable around some of the biggest names in the game.
He played Harold Matthews Cup last season for Newcastle and S G Ball and Toyota Cup officials at the Roosters secretly fear Cordner will spend limited time in the lower grades.
"I'd love to get a game or two under my belt this year, even just in the trials," Cordner said.
"I've been given this opportunity and I want to grab it. I've been playing footy in older age groups all my life so I know what it's like to play against some of the bigger guys."
Cordner will return to Old Bar, near Taree on the Mid-North Coast, to start Year 11 at St Clare's High School but Roosters officials have already indicated they will rush him to Sydney full-time should he shine on the field.
Cordner has been likened to Fitzgibbon because of his brilliant work ethic and maturity. The pair pushed each other to near exhaustion during several 400m sprint drills.
"He's a super kid," Fitzgibbon said. "He looks like he's got all the attributes to develop into a top player.
"I know a few of the boys have had big raps on him.
"From what I've seen the past two weeks I think he'll be special. I don't think age will be a concern.
"You only have to look at Mitchell Pearce. He played first grade at a young age and was in Origin the following year.
"The only factor that comes into it is how many years he'll be able to play at top level and hold his form.
"It's probably not beneficial to start playing straight away, but it doesn't look like he'd struggle at the moment."
Fittler said there was a new challenge for NRL clubs to unearth promising teenagers because salary-cap restrictions had made it tough to retain experienced campaigners.
The coach could not fault Cordner's short time in the tricolours.
But he was also mindful not to place too much pressure on the new recruit - which he said had been the case last week with 22-year-old limited overs cricketer and Roosters fan David Warner.
"Boyd's pedigree is good, he's from the bush . . . and like all guys from the bush, they have that natural toughness," Fittler said.
"He actually has a very similar style to Fitzy. He's got a good mentality, loves his footy and enjoys the challenge of training hard and being with the older players.
"It's one of those things where he could play first grade but then you hope he doesn't because that will mean we've got a few injuries. We'll just have to wait and see."
There was some other good news coming out of Bondi yesterday.
Fans will no doubt take comfort in the fact a fit-looking Anthony Minichiello moved freely yesterday, as did Mason, who continues his comeback from knee surgery.
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Seriously if he does turn out to be a great player I will be ****ed. Roopy likes the look of his brother Dane though said "he is just like Billy Peden but on angry pills"
