I do hope Daine has a good career. Except when he's playing the Tiges.
Sounds to me like he'll really fire up when he does though.
He also took a shot at mason in another article.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/bigger-faster-happy–laurie-the-panther-takes-swipe-at-sheens-20100130-n5du.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
PANTHERS recruit Daine Laurie has taken a swipe at the club that discarded him, revealing he never felt welcome at the Wests Tigers.
''I feel so much more comfortable at Penrith - I know the coach is behind me 100 per cent,'' said the 25-year-old, who played just 10 games for the Tigers last season after coach Tim Sheens cut him for failing to show up to a mid-season training session when he was sick.
''Matt Elliott has helped me get my passion back - hell, yeah. It was nothing but negative at the Tigers.
''It's been really refreshing to have a coach support me and trust like Matty has. He's a great bloke. He's the best coach I've had. Instead of giving me negative things, he's always giving me confidence and makes me want to work harder and put in for him. He doesn't tell me, 'You're doing this wrong, you're doing that wrong,' or get up me. He's really positive and says, 'You're doing this great, but just keep working on this and you'll get there.' ''
The Northern Rivers product fought tooth and nail for a release from the final year of his contract with the Tigers after he thought he had been poorly treated at the club. He has since proved his popularity in the NRL by being selected in the inaugural Indigenous All Stars team.
He has a new partner, a new address and a new attitude. The latter he credits to his coach.
''He's helped me big time off the field, too, just with advice and helping me to concentrate on things that matter rather than people trying to bring me down,'' Laurie said.
He was stood down by the Tigers in September after being charged with assaulting his former partner. The charge was dismissed.
''I'm heaps happier and settled off the field now and I'm loving footy. I'm calmer than I was last year and I'm more keen now to play footy than when I made my debut.
''It's such a welcoming environment. There are a heap of young boys and then guys like Petero [Civoniceva] to look up to. I'm very relaxed.''
The two-metre forward has been spending a lot of time in the gym, bulking up a big eight kilograms to tip the scales at 116kg. And, if anything, Laurie says he that has gained speed. Elliott believes Laurie is a representative star in the making.
''Geez, where do I start?'' he said. ''The guy has that much potential and he's been nothing but a dream to coach.
''He needs a little bit of extra attention, but some of the best players do. Luke Lewis is an international and he needs it, whereas someone like Matthew Bell, you could go the whole year without talking to him and he'd still turn up to training every day and put in 100 per cent.
''I've said it before. I don't think there are any limitations on Daine as far as rugby league goes. He's big, he's strong, he's got skills and he's that fast it's mind-blowing. If he keeps doing what he's doing, it could be a massive year for him and us.''
Laurie is expected to be sidelined for at least the next fortnight after breaking a toe during a beach training session at Cronulla last week, but hopes to return for the inaugural All Stars match on February 13.
''The toe's not really sore, it's just a touch unstable,'' he said.
Sounds to me like he'll really fire up when he does though.
He also took a shot at mason in another article.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/bigger-faster-happy–laurie-the-panther-takes-swipe-at-sheens-20100130-n5du.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
PANTHERS recruit Daine Laurie has taken a swipe at the club that discarded him, revealing he never felt welcome at the Wests Tigers.
''I feel so much more comfortable at Penrith - I know the coach is behind me 100 per cent,'' said the 25-year-old, who played just 10 games for the Tigers last season after coach Tim Sheens cut him for failing to show up to a mid-season training session when he was sick.
''Matt Elliott has helped me get my passion back - hell, yeah. It was nothing but negative at the Tigers.
''It's been really refreshing to have a coach support me and trust like Matty has. He's a great bloke. He's the best coach I've had. Instead of giving me negative things, he's always giving me confidence and makes me want to work harder and put in for him. He doesn't tell me, 'You're doing this wrong, you're doing that wrong,' or get up me. He's really positive and says, 'You're doing this great, but just keep working on this and you'll get there.' ''
The Northern Rivers product fought tooth and nail for a release from the final year of his contract with the Tigers after he thought he had been poorly treated at the club. He has since proved his popularity in the NRL by being selected in the inaugural Indigenous All Stars team.
He has a new partner, a new address and a new attitude. The latter he credits to his coach.
''He's helped me big time off the field, too, just with advice and helping me to concentrate on things that matter rather than people trying to bring me down,'' Laurie said.
He was stood down by the Tigers in September after being charged with assaulting his former partner. The charge was dismissed.
''I'm heaps happier and settled off the field now and I'm loving footy. I'm calmer than I was last year and I'm more keen now to play footy than when I made my debut.
''It's such a welcoming environment. There are a heap of young boys and then guys like Petero [Civoniceva] to look up to. I'm very relaxed.''
The two-metre forward has been spending a lot of time in the gym, bulking up a big eight kilograms to tip the scales at 116kg. And, if anything, Laurie says he that has gained speed. Elliott believes Laurie is a representative star in the making.
''Geez, where do I start?'' he said. ''The guy has that much potential and he's been nothing but a dream to coach.
''He needs a little bit of extra attention, but some of the best players do. Luke Lewis is an international and he needs it, whereas someone like Matthew Bell, you could go the whole year without talking to him and he'd still turn up to training every day and put in 100 per cent.
''I've said it before. I don't think there are any limitations on Daine as far as rugby league goes. He's big, he's strong, he's got skills and he's that fast it's mind-blowing. If he keeps doing what he's doing, it could be a massive year for him and us.''
Laurie is expected to be sidelined for at least the next fortnight after breaking a toe during a beach training session at Cronulla last week, but hopes to return for the inaugural All Stars match on February 13.
''The toe's not really sore, it's just a touch unstable,'' he said.
