NORTHERN Pride coach Andrew Dunemann has felt like "Old Mother Hubbard" when selecting his team over the past couple of weeks, with the cupboard bare because of injury and NRL call-ups.
But the arrival of Wests Tigers forward Luke Harlen on Thursday and a possible deal with Cairns Brothers junior and halfback Luke Millwood will add much-needed depth.
Harlen will line up against Burleigh at Barlow Park tonight, Dunemann having no hesitation in throwing him straight into the starting line-up for Matthew Bartlett, who was called up by the Cowboys.
"It’s a really timely arrival for us, we’re right down to the bare minimum at the moment,"
Dunemann said.
"I’ve said that a lot lately but it’s true. Had we not brought these guys in we would be really struggling at the moment."
Harlen, who played two NRL games in 2006 while at the Cronulla Sharks and was named on the bench for the Tigers last week before dropping out of the 17 when Bryce Gibbs returned, will have a simple role tonight after training with the team for the first time on Thursday night.
"I wouldn’t think he’d get (to know) too many of the calls before the weekend, so just keep it simple, take the pigskin forward and tackle hard, that’ll do," Dunemann said.
While he was on the cusp of NRL selection, Harlen did not consider heading back to the Queensland Cup a backward step.
"I think it’s what I need. I just needed a change, I was a bit over Sydney and I thought I’d come up here, it’s a bit different and try something out," he said.
The Pride’s link with the Cowboys is an added bonus for the Townsville product but not the motivating factor in his move north.
"If that happens, it happens, I’ll wait and see but I’ll just concentrate on playing good footy for the Pride and that might take care of itself," he said of any possible call up.
The hard-running forward will be vital tonight against the Bears’ strong pack which took the game up to defending Queensland Cup premiers Tweed Heads last week.
"They were outstanding last week against the Tweed Heads pack. We’re going to have to meet them in the middle and
hopefully if we can get over them there, we might have a good result," Dunemann said.
With Chris Sheppard and Chey Bird out injured, Ben Laity will lead the Pride tonight, a role Dunemann described as "just desserts for a great season".
