Dumped to the bench in the back half of last season and ultimately cut loose with a year remaining on his Bulldogs deal, Reed Mahoney says he’s still none the wiser over the reason for his fall from favour at Canterbury.
“If you find out, tell me,” the hooker said with a smile on Thursday.
Former Bulldogs rake Reed MahoneyCredit: Getty Images
“I’m not sure. Everyone has their own opinion. I won’t say too much. We were going really well … it was what was best for the team at the time, which is fine. I do know it was the toughest part of my career at that stage.”
With the Dogs flying high in the top four, Mahoney was given permission to find another club midway through last year, and was quickly snapped up by North Queensland.
The mid-season arrival of Lachie Galvin, Bailey Hayward’s shift to hooker, and Mahoney’s pending move to the Cowboys meant the 27-year-old became a bit-part player in the run home to the finals.
Galvin, unfairly, became a scapegoat when the Dogs started to splutter, while the reputations of Mahoney and Super League-bound Toby Sexton remained intact.
Mahoney, who averaged 60 minutes in his final year at Canterbury, insists he is an 80-minute player and says he will try to prove that at the Cowboys. He also confirmed discipline had nothing to do with his exit from Belmore.
“I thought last year my discipline was the best it’s been my whole career,” Mahoney said. “It was out of my control in a way. I learned a lot about myself. If anything, I’ve taken it as motivation.
“I know how hard I work. I know what I need to do to be an 80–minute player, and I play my best when I’m playing 80 minutes.”
Mahoney will go head-to-head with his old teammates in the season opener in Las Vegas on March 1.
The Sunshine Coast junior, who replaces NSW Origin hooker Reece Robson, said he had quickly adapted to the Townsville heat – and been blown away by the work ethic of one senior Cowboy.
“Whatever the captain does, I do,” Mahoney said of Reuben Cotter. “Since being at the club, I don’t think I’ve wanted to play with someone so badly. He’s someone you want to go war with. I can’t wait.”
Like Cotter, Mahoney is not afraid to get under the skin of his rivals, and will not be toning down his approach.
“People seem to think I’m a grub, which is funny,” said Mahoney. “If you’ve played sport, it’s passion, it’s being committed and standing up for your mates.
“Sometimes it goes overboard, but it’s not always me [at fault]. I play my best footy when I’m aggressive. We’ll see what happens.”
Most Viewed in Sport
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
