TEAM EFFORT: Claude Gordon hits the ball up in CYMS’ win over Lithgow on Sunday.
THEY’RE the baby-faced brigade leading Orange CYMS through the club’s 2012 injury crisis.
And captain-coach Mick Sullivan couldn’t be happier.
Jesse Nixon, Jacob Sutherland, Cody Robbins, Riley Law and Mat Egan have been thrown in the deep end to CYMS’ premiership defence, thrusted into the green and golds Group 10 premier league campaign to cover for a host of injured stars.
Last Sunday at Wade Park, they not only covered the loss of the likes of Ben McKenna, Brent Sargent, Kurt Beahan, Warick Colley and Sullivan, they performed out of their skin to defeat early front runners Lithgow Workies 12-6.
CYMS will also be without centre Dom Maley for an unknown period after he injured his pectorial muscle in his comeback from a hamstring worry.
Sullivan said he’d probably thrown his young players to the wolves a little earlier than he would have liked, but fresh out of the under 18s last year, every single one of the green and golds generation next has grabbed the chance with both hands.
“Definitely. Jess and Cody and Bubba (Sutherland), Bubba got thrown in the centres (against Lithgow) and did his job,” Sullivan said.
“Those guys probably stepped up earlier then they should have had to but they’ve done really well. And Riley and Matty Egan did the job in the backrow, taking on Lithgow they never shirked the responsibility.”
Sullivan said the early prognosis on Maley’s injury didn’t look good, but he was hopeful his strike centre will be back in green and gold sooner rather than later.
“That’s the nature of the game,” he said,
“Just when you think you’re fit and fighting to go another injury will pop up.”