The North Ballarat pick-up said his men were too slow to react in their first game at Crathern Park this season, but that he was happy to get through a full game after a six-week stint on the sidelines with a fractured shoulder blade.
Tipped by AFL Cairns coaches to feature in the ruck for representative sides this season, the VFL product has been slotted straight into the Cairns All Stars to play the indigenous South Pacific side in what is effectively a North Queensland selection trial at Cazalys next Wednesday.
“I got through it OK and the shoulder felt fine,” he said.
“I haven’t given any thought to rep stuff yet because I was just focused on getting back playing.”
Conroy’s presence could not help the Bulldogs bounce back from a tight loss to the Cairns City Lions last week though.
“We seemed to be behind the ball all game and were second to react once they got it,” he said.
“We were quite slow off the mark, even at the stoppages.
“It was my first game up here and a bit different to playing in eight degrees in Ballarat.”
Cutters had started the season with two losses while Centrals were the good news story of the league with big wins against Port Douglas and North Cairns.
Those results have turned in the past fortnight though and both teams find themselves with 2-2 records.
“It was a bit deflating but it shows you can’t sit back in this league,” Conroy said.
This weekend will be another tough test, with opponents Saints having hit their groove to share top spot with Port.
The sides will play for the Challenge Cup – created in 1998 when the two clubs were both quite dominant.
Saints lead that head-to-head 14-3 since the cup was installed but with both sides showing promise this season there is renewed hype in the clash.
Article courtesy of Murray Wenzel The Cairns Post
Last Modified on 05/05/2015 14:33