Rex
Bencher
http://sportal.com.au/league-news-display/williams-a-chance-60595
17/11/2008 1:57 PM
Steve Orme
Sportal
David Williams has played down his chances of earning a shock selection in the Kangaroos' starting line-up for Saturday's World Cup Final showdown with the Kiwis in Brisbane.
Williams made the most of his Test debut scoring a hat-trick against the Kumuls in Townsville on last weekend and is the obvious replacement for injured flyer Brent Tate who succumbed to a hip injury in his side's 52-0 demolition of Fiji.
The bearded 22-year-old, who amazingly only made his NRL debut against the Broncos a matter of months ago, declared himself ready to go if required but expressed sympathy for his team-mate should he be forced out of the decider.
"It's not the way you want to get a spot in the squad but that's football these days, it's probably the only way you usually get a spot," Williams said at the side's recovery session in Sydney on Monday.
"It's how I got a spot at the start of the season and if it happens it happens."
Asked how Tate had pulled up on Monday morning after suffering the bizarre injury which saw him fall to the ground in agony without a hand being laid on him, Williams revealed: "He's a bit disappointed that he didn't get to finish the game but I think he's hopeful that his injury will come through and I think he should be sweet going into the rest of the week hopefully."
Williams, however, was willing to indulge the assembled media scrum when asked if he was responsible for Tate's downfall.
"I saw a sniper in I think it was the fifth row from the top (of the grandstand) but I've got an alibi - I'm not saying I wasn't an accomplice," he joked.
Meanwhile, the game's newest cult figure said his high-profile team-mates have helped keep him grounded throughout his dramatic rise to the top and said he has already begun mentally preparing for the game of his life if required.
"It's (playing in a World Cup Final) one of those things you always dream of - same as the grand-final and even just playing first grade," he said.
"But I suppose I've just got to get serious about it and put my head down and focus about it but it's not there yet so we'll see how we go."
17/11/2008 1:57 PM
Steve Orme
Sportal
David Williams has played down his chances of earning a shock selection in the Kangaroos' starting line-up for Saturday's World Cup Final showdown with the Kiwis in Brisbane.
Williams made the most of his Test debut scoring a hat-trick against the Kumuls in Townsville on last weekend and is the obvious replacement for injured flyer Brent Tate who succumbed to a hip injury in his side's 52-0 demolition of Fiji.
The bearded 22-year-old, who amazingly only made his NRL debut against the Broncos a matter of months ago, declared himself ready to go if required but expressed sympathy for his team-mate should he be forced out of the decider.
"It's not the way you want to get a spot in the squad but that's football these days, it's probably the only way you usually get a spot," Williams said at the side's recovery session in Sydney on Monday.
"It's how I got a spot at the start of the season and if it happens it happens."
Asked how Tate had pulled up on Monday morning after suffering the bizarre injury which saw him fall to the ground in agony without a hand being laid on him, Williams revealed: "He's a bit disappointed that he didn't get to finish the game but I think he's hopeful that his injury will come through and I think he should be sweet going into the rest of the week hopefully."
Williams, however, was willing to indulge the assembled media scrum when asked if he was responsible for Tate's downfall.
"I saw a sniper in I think it was the fifth row from the top (of the grandstand) but I've got an alibi - I'm not saying I wasn't an accomplice," he joked.
Meanwhile, the game's newest cult figure said his high-profile team-mates have helped keep him grounded throughout his dramatic rise to the top and said he has already begun mentally preparing for the game of his life if required.
"It's (playing in a World Cup Final) one of those things you always dream of - same as the grand-final and even just playing first grade," he said.
"But I suppose I've just got to get serious about it and put my head down and focus about it but it's not there yet so we'll see how we go."