The added burden of the captaincy plagued Ben Creagh in his first season at the helm of the Dragons last year. Creagh followed Ben Hornby as skipper last year after Hornby retired at the end of 2012. A candid Creagh said his form dipped as the Dragons languished towards the bottom of the premiership ladder for the bulk of the season. Advertisement It was a tough season, Creagh said. I was a little bit rattled at the start of the year with it being the first time I was captain. I put a bit too much pressure on myself to have all the answers in games, at training and away from training. I was thinking that it had to come back to me to come up with something. I didnt start the season so well. I put myself under a bit too much pressure but I think I finished off the season well. As the season went on, Creagh tried to ease the pressure by sharing some of the responsibilities at the club. He nominated the clubs leadership group, including Jason Nightingale, Brett Morris, Josh Dugan, Gareth Widdop and Bronson Harrison, as players who will need to lend a helping hand this year. I learnt that, as the year went on, that there were experienced and competent guys in the squad who can share the load that can help encourage the young guys and drive direction, Creagh said. Weve got a strong group of senior players who need to step up and also lead this side. Its important those guys do - its such a big team that it cant be left to one person. Creagh knows the scrutiny surrounding the club heading into this year. With coach Steve Price under pressure to extend his three-year stint as head coach, a poor start would build the strain. Creagh has experienced it before - as a rising rookie during Nathan Browns final seasons at the club. Ive been through it with Browny in 2007 and 2008, Creagh said. There was a lot of pressure on both sides. Looking back to then, they were completely different sides compared to now. We had a very experienced side back then but this is a very young side with a bit of experienced mixed in. The Dragons face a youthful Wests Tigers line-up after an indifferent pre-season preparation. They struggled at the Auckland Nines before a poor hit-out against South Sydney in the Charity Shield. Creagh said it was a wake-up call that the side needed before the competition proper. Hooker Mitch Rein is the only survivor from the Dragons attacking spine that featured in the final match of 2013 that will play the Tigers at ANZ Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Adam Quinlan will play fullback in Dugans injured absence, after finishing last season at five-eighth, and Gareth Widdop and Michael Witt will form a new halves pairing. Read more: smh.au/rugby-league/league-news/ben-creagh-keen-to-breathe-fire-back-into-dragons-20140308-34e29.html#ixzz2vRBRZdnv
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 04:42:34 +0000
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