Patrick Carrigan has revealed he could make the move to prop under Michael Maguire to allow Kobe Hetherington time at lock in a new-look Broncos line-up. Maguire has floated the idea on numerous occasions of moving Carrigan into the middle alongside Payne Haas to accomodate Hetherington into the team.
Carrigan has played the role for club and country and even recently excelled at prop in the Pacific Championships. And in Broncos training the Queensland and Australian star has been seen running in the front row.
Part of Maguire’s reasoning behind moving Carrigan alongside Haas is to get workhorse Hetherington into the fold. Hetherington was told he could potentially leave the Broncos when former coach Kevin Walters was in charge
Following Walters’ departure after a poor season in charge, Maguire quickly reversed the decision and told Hetherington he featured in his plans. And Hetherington has impressed Maguire so far to the point it’s looking like the forward could start at 13 this year.
And while this would mean moving one of the best locks in the game in Carrigan to a new position, the Broncos star admitted he would happily make the switch if it is best for the team. “I think we’re just playing with a few things at the moment as a club, but I’ll always put this club first and my teammates first and whatever position I have to play, it is what it is,” he said on Friday.
“It’s not too dissimilar to me.” Carrigan admitted he has been impressed with Hetherington’s work rate under their new coach with Maguire pushing the players hard in their ‘military’ style pre-season camps.
“Kobe’s a fine talent that’s more than capable of playing 13 at any other club in the NRL,” he said. “We’re both competing for whatever spot it is in the forward back, to be honest. So the more we work hard and work with each other the better we’re both going to be.