From tripping around the world, stylish centre Sam Langford is about to get the harshest possible Group Nine homecoming.
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Only a week after ending a lengthy overseas odyssey, Langford has been rushed into the First Grade team to play rampaging Gundagai at Keith Cullen Oval on Sunday.
Langford was originally named on Young’s extended bench for the blockbuster, but the plan is now for him to partner Kiwi Pene Webber in the centres from the start.
Young captain-coach Neil Thorman revealed on Thursday that Langford’s return to Young was a massive late-season bonus.
A local product, Langford had several successful seasons in first grade before splitting with the club a year ago.
Although he only jetted in “from aboard” late last week, Langford still made a cameo appearance in reserve grade against Kangaroos at Alfred Oval on Sunday.
Thorman said Langford showed he was ready to play a part in Young’s push for their first premiership title since 1991.
“So he’ll (Langford) start and Boyd Strickland will go back to the second row,” Thorman said.
For Thorman, Sunday’s duel with the Tigers will be the acid test of character for his team.
The Englishman believes Gundagai is “the best team in the league” and the yardstick for other contenders.
Even so, he is optimistic Young is perfectly placed to take the “fight” to the Tigers.
“We’re a more complete team than we’ve been,” Thorman said.
Significantly, Thorman has only played once against the Gundagai Tigers since arriving from England at the start of 2015, copping a 44-16 hiding from the Tigers on August 9.
Despite the limited first-hand experience, Thorman has done his homework on the second-placed team.
“We’ve talked about their strengths and weaknesses,” he said.
“We’ll be well prepared.”
Equally, Thorman has a rigid game-plan set he hopes can take the sting out of the free-scoring Tigers.
“We can’t afford to give them (Gundagai) cheap possession or cheap repeat sets on our line,” he said.
“I’ve told the boys this will be our toughest game to date and it is important we keep it simple and don’t make mistakes.”
Thorman will play at five-eighth, with Gundagai captain-coach James Smart slotting in at halfback for the Tigers following a week off.
