Coach delays Young for week
Newcastle Herald
Wednesday March 30, 2011
DEAN Young's return has been pushed back another week after coach Wayne Bennett left the hooker out of his 18-man squad for Sunday's clash against Newcastle.Bennett has resisted the temptation to rush Young back from a knee injury, holding off on naming him until next week's Bulldogs clash at the SCG.The Dragons will welcome back second-rower Beau Scott, who missed the Warriors victory through suspension, pushing Trent Merrin back to a five-man bench.David Gower will play his second game filling in for the injured Michael Weyman, alongside Dan Hunt in the front row.Gower took the Dragons' round two belting at the hands of Cronulla personally."There were questions raised in the media about the lack of grunt in the team following that game against Cronulla," Gower said. "We wanted to make sure those questions weren't raised again."Together with Hunt and a busy Merrin, Gower helped the reigning premiers silence the critics - at least for another week - in a dominant opening 20 minutes of football at Mt Smart Stadium.Gower, who has not played in the NRL since his debut for the Tigers in 2009, came to the club with high hopes of repaying Bennett for throwing him an NRL lifeline.But he did not expect the opportunity to come so early, nor did he expect to be filling the shoes of international prop Weyman in the starting line-up."Being named in the starting line-up was unexpected," he said."But it gave me confidence knowing Wayne had the confidence to put me in the starting team and believing I could get the job done."The 2009 NSW Cup player of the year, who was not given a look-in by Tigers coach Tim Sheens, is delighted with his move to the Dragons.Having given up his day job as an electrician, Gower is enjoying life as a Dragon under the tutelage of Bennett."I like the fact Wayne cares about his whole squad, from the top internationals to the fringe players," Gower said. "I haven't had that in the past. As far as my career is concerned, this is the best club by far . . . it was the best move of my career." Illawarra Mercury
© 2011 Newcastle Herald
