Cougars welcome back Porter

AGAIN A COUGAR: Craig Porter has heeded the call of the Cougars and travels with the squad to Mareeba.

CHRIS ISON

WHEN Craig Porter retired from the Webbers Retravision Cougars towards the end of the 2009 season it was with regret as supporters felt he still had something to contribute.

Now he is back with the team for the difficult trip to Mareeba and the game against Far North Queensland Bulls.

With Michael Cay joining Dai Thomas on the list of unavailable players due to suspension, and Joe Burke likely to miss the remainder of the season through injury it looked as if the Cougars would be very light on for defensive numbers.

Already coach Brad Smith has successfully turned Rob Lupton into a back when his preferred position is in the midfield.

But, instead of trying to conjure up another defender from the stock of players available Smith turned to Porter and asked him to train with the Cougars.

“We know what we are getting with him,” he said.

The massive step up from the local league is always a problem for players coming into the squad and while Porter has been playing football in that lower-intensity environment with the Berserker Bears he at least knows what will be required of him.

The Cougars did have a little bit of good fortune as Bryce Ruthven’s brother, Troy, is visiting Rockhampton and he has also signed with the club.

Troy Ruthven will travel to Mareeba for tonight’s match but Smith is unlikely to name the defender/midfielder in the team’s starting line-up.

Smith said it is disappointing to make the squad up with players outside of the local competition, but there has been a general reluctance to try and play football with the region’s top squad, especially when they can play in the lower levels of the game and experience finals football.

Apart from Cay there appears to be few options for the Cougars when it comes to selection.

Anthony Hartnell has been playing well in the middle of the park and that makes it hard for a similar style of player like Oliver Saunders or Eduardo to be in the starting line-up.

Smith began the game with Bundaberg with three at the back and it was not successful.

Against a far better side like the Bulls, which likes to attack down the flanks, the coach said he will revert to a 4-4-2 set-up with Tom Evans and Tristan Fraser playing as front-runners.

“We will be adapting our team to the way they (Bulls) play,” he said.

It is a long day for the Cougars who fly to Brisbane this morning, and then have a three-hour wait at the airport before flying to Cairns.

Once at Cairns the team has an hour’s drive to Mareeba for the 8pm kick-off.

THE TEAM

The Cougars squad to play FNQ Bulls away tonight:

(From) Tim English, Gilly Buckley, Oliver Saunders, Rob Lupton, Anthony Hartnell, Fergus McIntosh, Tom Evans, Martyn Davies, Bryce Ruthven, Evan Wilkinson, Tristan Fraser, Eduardo, Ben McMaster, Craig Porter and Troy Ruthven

Coach: Brad Smith; assistants, Tim Grentell and Frank Murray

Points after Round 18, Sunshine Coast 46, Brisbane Strikers 39, FNQ Bulls 29, NQ Razorbacks 28, Cougars 17, QAS 17, Whitsunday Miners 14, Bundaberg 9.