The making of a king

Scott Prince isn’t just co-captain of the Jetstar Gold Coast Titans, he’s also one of the stars of the 2008 season

WORDS JASON SINTOME

Photo: Getty Images/
Bradley KanarisJetstar Gold Coast Titans’ co-captain Scott Prince is in arguably the best form of his career. This is somewhat of a big call when you consider what the Titans co-captain has achieved during his career: there’s been premiership glory, State of Origin football and he’s also played for his country.

But ask any of the players from the teams he terrorises each weekend with his amazing array of skills or any of the 27,000 Titans fans who flock to Skilled Park to watch the team in action and they’ll all tell you, Scott Prince has never, ever played better.

Question his teammates, in particular Prince’s partner in the halves Mat Rogers, and it’s the same story. “Without a shadow of a doubt, Princey is the best number seven in the game, hands down,” says Rogers, who simply can’t believe the Titans skipper has been overlooked for representative honours despite showing blistering form during the first half of the Premiership race. “If you’re picking a representative team on form, Princey walks straight in, no questions asked.”

Luke Bailey, a veteran State of Origin and Australian representative, agrees with Rogers wholeheartedly. “Scott simply can’t do any more to impress the selectors. Every game he has played this year, he’s been in sensational form and he’s got a collection of man-of-the-match awards in his gear bag that prove the country’s leading commentators, most of them former internationals, agree. I think that like Anthony Laffranchi, Prince just needs to keep focused and just keep doing what he’s doing and his time will come.”

When he’s told every day that he deserves to be picked, and is asked constantly about his representative ambitions during countless radio, television and newspaper interviews, being overlooked must be extremely frustrating. Nevertheless, Prince refuses to bite and holds back when asked for his thoughts. “My goal is to play the best I can each week for the Titans and for this team to achieve all that we can together. If I’m playing well enough and I am required for representative football, I’ll be ready to go.

I can’t do any more than that.” It’s an answer he has repeated time and time again in recent months.

If Prince was a New South Welshman and resided south of the border, he would be a walk-up start for the Blues number seven jumper and would probably even be captain. However, Queensland have an embarrassment of riches across their backline and there are no guarantees, despite his form and standing in the game, that Prince will pull on a cherished Maroons jumper in 2008.

They don’t come any more dyed-in-the-wool Queenslander than Titans assistant coach Trevor Gillmeister. “The Axe” says leaving Prince out of the Queensland squad this year will have their old foe jumping for joy. “I don’t envy the selectors’ job at all and at the end of the day, players who are capable of playing for their country will miss out on playing State of Origin this year. It’s just a sign of the depth across the board we have on offer in Queensland.

“I have watched Scott very closely this year and I just don’t see how we can afford to leave him out when week in and week out he has shown that he’s one of the best and most dangerous players in the game. He’s in great touch, he’s captain of one of the competition’s in-form sides and above all, he’s passionate and desperate to play for his state again.” He adds: “If Darren Lockyer isn’t right, the thought of Prince and Thurston wreaking havoc in the halves certainly excites me, I know the fans would love it and Princey certainly deserves the chance to impress.”

Photo: Getty Images/Ezra ShawOn and off the field, Prince is a natural leader, he demands perfection from himself and his teammates at training and then there are the extras: extra goal kicking, extra passing drills, extra massage and physio – Scott Prince is in every sense of the phrase “a true professional”.

For coach John Cartwright, having dedicated senior players with high work ethics such as Prince, Bailey, Laffranchi and Nathan Friend is a godsend. “They raise the bar continually and they take the other players with them,” enthuses Cartwright. “They are passionate about their footy and about this team and they have done a tremendous job in moulding a very tight-knit bunch of fellas who just want to keep the momentum that we have built during the first half of the season going.”

So the next time you attend a game or watch your team on television, make sure you keep your eyes on the Titans number seven and judge for yourself.

State of Origin 2008 – Maroons v Blues

Game 1 of the State of Origin season has been won but there’s still two more matches where you can scream for your team. Book your tickets now!

Wednesday, June 11, 2008
• Harvey Norman State of Origin Game Two – Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium

Wednesday, July 2, 2008
• Harvey Norman State of Origin Game Three – Sydney’s ANZ Stadium