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View Full Version : Nate Myles set for Origin debut, says Steve Price



Tamwelg
10-04-08, 08:53 AM
Nate Myles set for Origin debut, says Steve Price

Steve Ricketts and Karl deKroo | April 10, 2008 12:00am

LESS than 12 months after Nate Myles was almost sacked by the Roosters for turning up drunk to a training session, he is on the verge of his Test debut for Australia.

The Queensland Origin forward last night earned the endorsement of injured Test incumbent Steve Price to replace him for the May 9 Centenary Test against New Zealand in Sydney.

Price said Myles's form for the Roosters in the opening month of the NRL had been irresistible and it is understood Test selectors strongly agree with that assessment.

Myles, who has previously spent time in the back row for Queensland, has been moved full-time to the front row by Roosters coach Brad Fittler.

With Price and the Titans' Luke Bailey unavailable for the trans-Tasman Test through injury, he is knocking on the door to be Penrith captain Petero Civoniceva's bookend partner.

"I reckon Nate's been outstanding," Price said at the NRL's Regional Celebration in his home town of Toowoomba yesterday.

"He has been one of the Roosters' best players every week. He's got the opportunity to start and he hasn't been doing anything wrong.

"He's been playing good minutes. In defence he's been working hard and he's been doing the job with the ball."

Price said proven internationals Willie Mason and Mark O'Meley were viable options for Australia but admitted there was not an over-abundance of proven front-row talent available to tackle the physical Kiwi pack.

"David Shillington has been going well at the Roosters too and Carl Webb played great for the Cowboys the other night and he can build on that form," Price said. "But Nate has been the standout."

Price said he did not want to put a date on his likely return after he tore his hamstring in round 1 against the Bulldogs but Warriors medical staff believe he is on target to be back in round 8.

The Kangaroos team will be chosen after round 7 and the Queensland team after round 9 when the Warriors have a bye.

"I don't want to put a date on my return because everyone will get all freaky if I'm not ready on that date and I'll start to put pressure on myself," Price said.

He had no plan to step down from representative football.

"Origin and the World Cup are high on my to-do list, as was the Centenary Test. You never give up on those dreams," Price said.

Source - www.news.com.au