Souths Logan Magpies five-eighth Guy Hamilton is relishing the opportunity to learn this year from experienced campaigner Darren Nicholls, who has been signed to the club for the 2020 season.
One of a number of impressive additions for the Magpies this season, Hamilton said the former St George Illawarra Dragons halfback’s ability to close out games was something he wanted to emulate.
“Dezzy Nicholls was a pretty big signing for us, he has come from St George (Illawarra), he has fitted in really well, he is someone we needed at the club,” Hamilton said of Nicholls, who was part of the Redcliffe Dolphins' 2016 grand final side.
“(He is) a really direct half who can direct us around the field and take control and he gives me and a few other players the opportunity to relax and play eyes-up footy, so that’s been good.
“We did a review at the end of the year and there were a lot of games where we lost within six points, so that comes down to obviously myself and a few players being able to close the game out, especially in key moments.
“I think we are lucky now in having someone like Dezzy. He is someone that does that really well, so I am hoping to learn a bit off him when it comes down to those crucial times in games.
“That’s one thing we have learnt, we might be in games, but you have to learn to win them and close them out, so for me, that is something I am trying to learn this pre-season off him and if we can do that, I think we will win a lot more than we lose this year.”
With a positive vibe being felt around the club, Hamilton said he was optimistic for the year ahead with the Magpies.
“If you don’t start the year wanting to win, you probably might as well not start, so that is definitely a goal, you want to win the whole thing,” Hamilton said.
“A few separate goals to that is obviously we want to really compete this year, we want to be top four and we want to beat the teams that are in the top four and we want to consistently play good footy.
“We have really good depth this year I would like to say, so every week that we play, we have to have a good side on the field, so we compete with every team.
“We want to be winning close games and see how we go in the back end of the year.”
Hamilton, who has previously played for Easts Tigers and Sunshine Coast Falcons, has most recently been wearing the maroon and yellow of the Brisbane Broncos, where he has signed on as part of a two-week train and trial.
The arrangement, helped made available by Souths Logan’s affiliation with the NRL club, saw the 80-game veteran of the Intrust Super Cup pull on a Broncos jersey for their pre-season trial match against the Central Queensland Capras.
Hamilton will be featuring again for the side in their trial match against Wynnum Manly Seagulls at Kitchener Park tonight at 7pm and has been named as starting fullback.
“It was fun, I got to spend a couple weeks in with them and did a bit of pre-season with them and it was pretty cool just to see how they prepare for their games and be shoulder-to-shoulder with players like the likes of Darius Boyd (who) you grow up watching,” Hamilton said.
“It was a pretty good experience (to play in the trial) and I get to play with them again this week so, it’s been good, so we will see how that goes.
“It was a two-week train and trial. Obviously we are lucky with us being under their cap here at Souths, so a couple of us got to go up for two weeks and rub shoulders with their players and learn as much as we could over the last couple of weeks.
“I think Souths will get a bit out of that when we come back as well, we are lucky that Souths have that link with them and we can use it to the best of our ability.”
