The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

How would you rate Beau's Blues chances?

Roar Rookie
17th April, 2014
Advertisement
Beau Scott - pictured here in his Dragons days - will play for his fourth NRL club after signing with Parramatta. (Source: AAP Image/Action Photographics/Grant Trouville)
Roar Rookie
17th April, 2014
44

If I asked you to pick the form forward after six rounds of the 2014 NRL season, who would you choose?

It has been a tumultuous period for many of the game’s big name forwards, such as Paul Gallen, Sonny Bill-Williams, Andrew Fifita and the Burgess brothers. Instead, I’d like to turn your attention to ex-NSW and current Newcastle Knights enforcer Beau Scott.

Scott, hailing from Camden in New South Wales, is playing some of the best football in his ten-year career. After another brilliant performance by the Camden hard-man, this time away from home against the Canberra Raiders, Knights head coach Wayne Bennett hailed Scott.

“He (Beau) is the form player in the comp, in terms of forwards,” Bennett said in the post match press conference.

“He has been outstanding every game. I think he has won four players’ player this season.”

And while the Knights have been through a tough start to the campaign, with the tragedy of the Alex McKinnon incident and losing key players in Jarrod Mullen and Darius Boyd for an early period, Scott has done his best to lift the team. These players’ player awards are a reflection on Scott’s efforts.

Against the Raiders he delivered a sublime inside offload to Dane Gagai, which resulted in a try. It was one of three offloads he managed during the game, as well as scoring a try himself. His impressive stat-line featured three off-loads (including the try-assist), a line break, a line break assist, a tackle break and 24 tackles playing on the edge.

These statistics however are not an anomaly for Scott this season. In a team lying in 13th on the NRL ladder, he has racked up 12 quality offloads, broken 14 tackles and broken the line four times.

Advertisement

Impressive statistics for a player whose game is renowned for it’s gritty defence, solid contact and that never-say-die attitude rather than attacking prowess. This new weapon, a deadly offload, will serve to further his claim for a New South Wales jersey in 2014.

In last year’s finals series, Scott’s more renowned parts of his game came to the front. Newcastle had just knocked Melbourne out of the finals, and as I sat in the Melbourne stands, among the sheer joy and somewhat disbelief at the improbable yet memorable victory, I analysed what I had just saw.

Scott had gone head-to-head with (then) current New South Wales second rower Ryan Hoffman. Scott, a 2012 Blues team member had, in my eyes, outplayed, out-classed and had shut down the usually damaging Hoffman, as well as playing an integral part in the victory.

This effort on his opposition second rower was repeated when Newcastle lost in Melbourne early this season. Scott still had Hoffman’s number; in skill, as well as a physical and mental edge. Perhaps even more so than in the finals.

Scott’s well-respected attitude is observed countless times as he takes control in the Newcastle huddle, firing the team up and embracing an unofficial leadership role. This never-say-die attitude was exemplified after Scott suffered a first half cork against the Raiders. True to his form and as Bennett said: “he guts it right out in the second half.”

Guts. A perfect word to describe the red and blue enforcer and a word synonymous with State of Origin. While New South Wales are certainly not lacking in this department, every ounce will be needed if they are to win this series, especially with two games in Queensland. Scott never backs down and his game has only improved since his last stint in a New South Wales jersey.

More so, Scott’s attitude epitomises what Origin is all about. As the expression goes, he is as tough as nails. The aforementioned aspects of his game and his dominance over the current Blues number 12 is why I believe you should and will see Beau Scott wearing the Blues Jersey in 2014.

Advertisement
close