North Queensland Toyota Cowboys centre Kane Linnett has allayed concerns he would be another addition to the club’s casualty ward as he prepares to tackle the red-hot Dragons in his home region this weekend.
BMD Coach's last words
Big learning curve for Leary
The former Dragons under-20s player has declared himself ready to roll after copping a heavy leg knock in the team’s Round 6 loss to Wests Tigers.
“I wouldn’t take the field if I didn’t think I could do my job out there for the boys,” Linnett said this week.
“I’ll be right to go and am looking forward to doing my bit.”
Linnett – one of nine Cowboys to have played all six games so far in 2017 – will link with young flyer Gideon Gela-Mosby on the left edge, where they will mark dangerous duo Nene MacDonald and Euan Aitken, who have combined for five tries so far this year.
The veteran centre is in his sixth season at the Cowboys and his availability for the Dragons match is a boon for the club as it fights through a heavy injury load, with captain Johnathan Thurston and middle forward Shaun Fensom the latest casualties.
That load, though, was lightened by one this week with right-side centre Justin O’Neill cleared to play after missing three matches with a hamstring injury.
Linnett and O’Neill are two of the more experienced campaigners in a team without regular co-captains Thurston (calf) and Matt Scott (knee), hooker Jake Granville (leg), fullback Lachlan Coote (calf) and winger Antonio Winterstein (broken arm).
All players bar Scott are expected back this season, most within the next few rounds.
Linnett, 28, hails from Shellharbour in the Illawarra region and played his junior footy for the nearby Port Kembla Blacks and the Windang Pelicans.
Saturday's game at WIN Stadium kicks off at 7.30pm.
