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Ex-Tiger Gower earns stripes in Dragons' lair
Josh Rakic - SMH
April 10, 2011
WHILE David Gower was doing his best to avoid 240 volts to the chest, the Balmain Tigers forward and apprentice electrician could only watch on and smile as his best friends and childhood teammates went on to claim the 2005 NRL premiership.
Gower rose through the junior ranks with future internationals Robbie Farah and Bronson Harrison, who starred in the Tigers' march to their maiden title, but six years later he is a qualified sparkie and is now finally getting a chance to make his mark on the NRL. However, it's with the Dragons, courtesy of one Wayne Bennett.
"I was part of Jersey Flegg at Balmain with Robbie Farah, Bronson Harrison and those sort of boys," the 25-year-old told The Sun-Herald. "I actually played Harold Matthews, SG Ball and Flegg with them and then once they hit 18-19 they started playing first grade. I was a couple years younger and went into Premier League. They went on a lot earlier than I did, and I'm happy for them. I'm hopeful I can accomplish half the things all those boys have, because they've gone on to be unreal.
"I'm still mates with the boys and we chat when we get a chance. I was always full-time at the Tigers up until the pre-season ended in February and then I'd have to go back to work as a sparkie and work both.
"I've been lucky enough now to go full-time, which I'm pretty happy with. Working full-time and then training full-time takes it out of you. They're long days. I was getting up at 5.30am, working until 3.30pm and going straight to training and getting home at 8pm."
As a result of his gruelling schedule, Gower was never able to build up muscle and when he made his debut for Wests Tigers in 2009, against the Bulldogs, he tipped the scales at only 93 kilograms. But it'll be a different David Gower the Bulldogs face this afternoon – a matured, 102kg machine, all muscle, might and power.
"Wayne's already had a massive effect on my game – it's hard to describe how much," said the modest prop, who will play his third game for the Dragons today. "People always ask what's the difference between the two clubs and well, Wayne cares about the full squad. He wants a strong 30-32 players.
"We have a dietitian and putting weight on has been my biggest problem in the past. Working all day and training at night, I'd burn so much of it. Now I've managed to put on six-seven kilos. They just seem to care about the whole squad at the Dragons, which is something I hadn't had before.
"Having to work and play reserve grade, you're not really top of priorities. To be in a joint where they really want you to get to the weight they want you at, strong and fast – it's certainly paid off so far.
"The weight has made a lot of difference. Not just in terms of power, but I'm stronger in the gym and it's given me a lot more confidence. And when you're working physically as a sparkie, you're burning energy and calories and I wasn't able to eat enough. Now I can eat five times a day and my diet is spot-on. Being able to recover between sessions and not punch out eight hours has been helping a lot, too."
So as his former junior buddies Farah and Harrison, who is now with Canberra, embark on their ninth and eighth NRL seasons respectively, this former Salford prop will take to the NRL arena for only the fourth time. But he'll be carrying with him eight years of enthusiasm, passion, frustration, anger, experience, dedication and determination. The former sparkie is playing for a brighter future.
Josh Rakic - SMH
April 10, 2011
WHILE David Gower was doing his best to avoid 240 volts to the chest, the Balmain Tigers forward and apprentice electrician could only watch on and smile as his best friends and childhood teammates went on to claim the 2005 NRL premiership.
Gower rose through the junior ranks with future internationals Robbie Farah and Bronson Harrison, who starred in the Tigers' march to their maiden title, but six years later he is a qualified sparkie and is now finally getting a chance to make his mark on the NRL. However, it's with the Dragons, courtesy of one Wayne Bennett.
"I was part of Jersey Flegg at Balmain with Robbie Farah, Bronson Harrison and those sort of boys," the 25-year-old told The Sun-Herald. "I actually played Harold Matthews, SG Ball and Flegg with them and then once they hit 18-19 they started playing first grade. I was a couple years younger and went into Premier League. They went on a lot earlier than I did, and I'm happy for them. I'm hopeful I can accomplish half the things all those boys have, because they've gone on to be unreal.
"I'm still mates with the boys and we chat when we get a chance. I was always full-time at the Tigers up until the pre-season ended in February and then I'd have to go back to work as a sparkie and work both.
"I've been lucky enough now to go full-time, which I'm pretty happy with. Working full-time and then training full-time takes it out of you. They're long days. I was getting up at 5.30am, working until 3.30pm and going straight to training and getting home at 8pm."
As a result of his gruelling schedule, Gower was never able to build up muscle and when he made his debut for Wests Tigers in 2009, against the Bulldogs, he tipped the scales at only 93 kilograms. But it'll be a different David Gower the Bulldogs face this afternoon – a matured, 102kg machine, all muscle, might and power.
"Wayne's already had a massive effect on my game – it's hard to describe how much," said the modest prop, who will play his third game for the Dragons today. "People always ask what's the difference between the two clubs and well, Wayne cares about the full squad. He wants a strong 30-32 players.
"We have a dietitian and putting weight on has been my biggest problem in the past. Working all day and training at night, I'd burn so much of it. Now I've managed to put on six-seven kilos. They just seem to care about the whole squad at the Dragons, which is something I hadn't had before.
"Having to work and play reserve grade, you're not really top of priorities. To be in a joint where they really want you to get to the weight they want you at, strong and fast – it's certainly paid off so far.
"The weight has made a lot of difference. Not just in terms of power, but I'm stronger in the gym and it's given me a lot more confidence. And when you're working physically as a sparkie, you're burning energy and calories and I wasn't able to eat enough. Now I can eat five times a day and my diet is spot-on. Being able to recover between sessions and not punch out eight hours has been helping a lot, too."
So as his former junior buddies Farah and Harrison, who is now with Canberra, embark on their ninth and eighth NRL seasons respectively, this former Salford prop will take to the NRL arena for only the fourth time. But he'll be carrying with him eight years of enthusiasm, passion, frustration, anger, experience, dedication and determination. The former sparkie is playing for a brighter future.
