Souths Logan Magpies: Cup gains and losses for 2022

When he’s not training or working as an apprentice electrician, you will find Joshua James on the golf course perfecting his game.

But if you ask him, he’s already pretty good at it.

“I love golf and I love getting out on a course as much as I can... me and my family, we are pretty much into golf and we pretty much go once a week,” James said.

“I would say I am (a good player)... people that I play with will probably say I am not.”

While James, a former Brisbane Bronco, featured for Souths Logan Magpies last year as part of the NRL club’s affiliation with the Hostplus Cup side, this year he is one of their key signings and is looking forward to being part of the squad again and sharing his knowledge.

“Pre-season has been good, it’s been a little bit different going from training full-time to having to work full-time and then finish work and then go to training... it’s been tough, but I think I have just found the balance of it at the moment and it’s going really well,” James, who previously captained the Queensland Under 18 side, said.

“I think the environment, the feel of everything is unlike anything I have ever been a part of... I go to training and it just cheers me up... everything about training is so enjoyable - the coaching, the players, just everything about it, I love it… 100 per cent, it’s an awesome vibe.

“I think there’s a lot of professionalism around the Broncos and in a full-time NRL squad, and I have tried my best to take that professionalism into the Hostplus Cup squad.

“I am doing my best to share what I have learnt … especially around all the halves.

“I think we’ve got a pretty good mix of a bit of experience and a lot of youth... I think a lot of our energy comes from our youth and even though we are probably not the oldest team, we have a lot older heads on the ground and a lot of mature people around them that helps steer us in the right direction.”

Following a strong season last year, James, who usually plays halfback or five-eighth, said the whole squad was keen to build on what the team had achieved in 2021.

“I think all the boys are really looking forward to this year. I think last year, we spoke about it a little bit, was sort of a stepping stone for us, first time making finals in a long time, first time we won a semi-final in years, so it was a really good building block to work off and I think we’re hoping for and heading for bigger and better things this year," James said.

A Wests Mitchelton junior, James grew up with the game and even has fond memories of being at Davies Park, his home ground now with the Magpies.

“My dad played for West Mitchelton and I still remember… I think my first ever footy memory was going down to Davies Park, so Souths home ground, and seeing him win a grand final there, so that was pretty cool,” James said.

“It’s pretty cool and to be able to play my first Cup game there was pretty cool too.

“(My Cup debut) was awesome, it was something I had been wanting to do for a really long time and I waited a fair amount of time for it, and when the opportunity came, Bretho (coach Steve Bretherton) gave me full confidence and I knew that my job was to just keep it simple and he said to stick to my strengths and I think I did that, and we ended up coming up with a win.

“I think Ezra (Mam) scored a hat-trick and it was a good game.”

This year, the Magpies will begin their 2022 campaign on Sunday with a home game at Davies Park against the visiting Central Queensland Capras.