Thunder missing key front row pair
Jun 27 2009 by Nick Purewal, The Journal
GATESHEAD Thunder will face Championship leaders Halifax without big-hitting forwards Jason Payne and Tabua Cakacaka.
Thunder will have to cope without the front-row duo for some time, with Tabua in plaster after breaking his foot in the win over Leigh two weeks ago and Payne heading back to a consultant for a second opinion on his groin problem.
Thunder coach Steve McCormack reckons Tabua will miss the next six weeks, but he is less sure of Payne’s position, with the former Castleford prop due to have his injury reviewed by fresh eyes.
Halifax ravaged Thunder 78-22 at The Shay back in April, but since then McCormack has come in and the expected influx of players has boosted results and the squad picture at Gateshead Stadium.
Thunder go into tomorrow’s home clash (kick-off 3pm) desperate to record back-to-back league wins for the first time this season after that 40-12 win at Leigh two weeks ago.
With no game last weekend, McCormack has put his men through their paces in an extended run, focusing specifically on everything.
“We’ve got to get better in every department,” said the former Widnes coach. “I don’t think any coach would ever tell you otherwise, but we certainly have a lot of improving still to do.
“I think that excites the players though, and they are very keen to continue the improvements we have already started.
“I’m not a fan of looking backwards and looking at what happened before I came or even too much the games that have gone so far – you learn the lessons and you move on.
“We might have lost heavily to Halifax earlier in the season but that was a long time ago and a lot has change since then, so it has no bearing on how we approach this game.
“We know what our deficiencies are and what we have to focus on in order to beat them tomorrow, and we also know that if we get everything right then we can beat them.
“It’s tough on Jason because he was in excellent form before the injury and we thought we were on top of the problem.
“But then it has flared up again and we are not quite sure what it is now, so we will send him to a different specialist in the hope of sorting that out as soon as possible.
“As for Tabua, he is still in plaster and might have that removed at the start of next week, and should be out for six weeks we think.”
