ROHAN Pottinger might be the man the Scone Thoroughbreds target intensely when they run out onto Scone Park for tomorrow afternoon's Aplus Contracting Group 21 first grade major semi final.
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Thoroughbreds captain-coach Daniel Ritter is a fan of the Ram prop and watched him develop into one of the leading forwards in the Group.
While he has two props in Wes Suckley and James Barker he wouldn't trade for anyone the young Ram prop has been a talent for a long while and will need to be tackled decisively by the Thoroughbred defenders
"I've watched Rohan come through the ranks," Ritter said.
"He's been a good kid and played in our Group sides (junior and senior) in the Northern Division (Greater Northern) Championships. The last few years he's come on really good."
He played along side him this year in Tamworth and was more than impressed.
"They have a good pack. Clinton Blenman (another group 21 representative) is also a big body," he said.
They will be watched along with the likes of playmaking halfback Cade Boney and livewire hooker Adam Grech, who was in Denman's side last year that beat Scone in a marathon grand final. Grech's teammate from Denman, Gary McKeon, is also steering the Thoroughbreds and back from a broken leg to help steer the side.
Muswellbrook co-coach Gary Jones said the Thoroughbreds have so many match winners "across the park" his side will have to be at its very best for the full 80 minutes if they are to upset the Thoroughbreds and hijack Sunday week's G21 Grand Final to Olympic Park.
He's relying on a spirit in the club where just about every player has played junior league for the Rams.
"15 of the 17 have played junior footie here," Jones said.
“The only two that haven't are Jeff Saarikko and Marcus Bower I think. We have used plenty of players from the Under 18s and second grade in first grade too this year. Most of them are all local juniors. They've helped hold the club together. But we'll be in there competing as best we can. I'm looking forward to it. sorry about the cliché, but its going to be a tough game and they do have some players with plenty of big game experience."
That Ritter and Tim Watson played for the Country Bulls in Perth just a few weeks ago testifies to that while the Muswellbrook club is growing stronger as evidenced by the fact it had one of its volunteers in the CRL's final for volunteer of the year as well as the club being in the running for the Club of the Year as well.
