JUNKYARD DOGS
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- January 28, 2020 12:20pm
- Darcie McDonald
- Source: FOX SPORTS
Lachlan Lewis is ready to step up and take more responsibility in the absence of playmaker Kieran Foran.Source: News Corp Australia
Kieran Foran – and the Bulldogs – can’t catch a break.
The 29-year-old’s ageing body has hindered him to just 26 games since joining the club in 2018.
Foran started last season with a bang, looking particularly dangerous in the Bulldogs’ Round 3 win over the Tigers.
However, the rest of the season turned into a rollercoaster of injuries with two extended stints on the sideline.
When Foran was fit, he was firing and that earned him a New Zealand selection at the end of last year.
But five minutes into his representative comeback he injured his shoulder.
What a cruel game rugby league can be.
As Foran sits on the sideline for what’s expected to be the entire 2020 season, Bulldogs coach Dean Pay finds himself with a mission to fill in the hole his star playmaker has left.
Lachlan Lewis looks to be a sure thing, but who will link up with him?
Three-game rookie Brandon Wakeham or Jack Cogger who has 40 NRL games under his belt.
Lewis is confident that it will be Cogger, however he expects that young gun Wakeham will get his chance at some stage throughout the season too.
“It’s going to be ‘Cogs’ – I’m sure it’s going to be him Round 1 – and he’ll play well,” Lewis told foxsports.com.au.
“But I work great with both of them and I can almost guarantee that all of us will play at one stage this season. We’ll get bashed and one of us will get suspended or injured.”
Wakeham’s talent was showcased while representing Fiji last year. The 21-year-old was so impressive he scored a Golden Boot nomination.
There’s no doubt he will be a star one day but coach Dean Pay can’t overlook Cogger’s level head when it comes to filling the shoes of a veteran.
Regardless of who Pay goes with, Lewis knows that with Foran out he’ll need to step up his own game.
“Kieran is going to be a big loss because he adds a lot of spark and creativity, so that’s going to be a challenge for us to fill.
“But I’ve got to take the same responsibility and it’s going to be a younger halves pairing so we’ve just got to be mature.”
If it’s maturity Pay is looking for then Cogger is his man. The 22-year-old may still be young, but Lewis says he plays beyond his years.
“They’re different players. ‘Wakes’ is a very ad lib kind of style with the most confidence in the world. He’ll screw up and then do something freakish the next play.
“Where ‘Cogs’ is really mature, he knows the game really well and he has great skill.”
There’s no doubt that Foran’s injury is a huge blow to the club, but it’s created opportunities for Lewis that may not have been there otherwise.
Last season he bounced between first grade and Canterbury Cup, so it’s nice to be sitting in a much more comfortable position heading into the upcoming season.
“There’s a huge opportunity for me and I’m loving that I have a position at the moment. All I’ve asked for is an opportunity and there’s one this year.”
Lewis is no fool though. He knows that his position in the squad isn’t cemented and he has to fight just us much as Cogger and Wakeham.
“Now that I’ve got the confidence of the coach and the squad I’ll get a Round 1 chance but I know that I can’t get comfortable in that spot, rugby league is cut throat and anything can happen.”
This will be interesting discussions hahaha
