Former Hawk Cam Tragardh. Picture: GETTY IMAGES
Forget about personal point totals, Cairns Taipans forward Cam Tragardh just wants to be remembered as a winner.
The former Wollongong standout is with his fifth club after ending a two-year stint with Melbourne at the end of last season.
Tragardh has been one of the league’s most prolific scorers over the past few years and tallied a game-high 20 points in last week’s opening-round home win over Townsville.
But the 29-year-old doesn’t want to be known as a gun-for-hire journeyman who never won a championship.
A grand finalist with the Hawks in 2010, Tragardh knows he has a genuine chance to win a title with the deep and talented Taipans.
‘‘I really want a championship ring, so badly,’’ he said.
‘‘We’ve got a real team-based offence, so some nights you’ll see me scoring some points and other nights it’ll be other guys. Fearny [coach Aaron Fearne] really preaches team ball and at this point of my career I’m not stat-chasing, I’m win-chasing.’’
Not only do the Taipans have an impressive blend of youth and experience, they are big and versatile in the frontcourt and are powered by a strong four-guard rotation.
‘‘For me it doesn’t bother me who scores the points, as long as the end result is there,’’ Tragardh said.
‘‘Fearny brought me in for a reason, to help fix some offensive problems and keep the scoreboard ticking over, but I’m certainly not the only one. We’ll share it around.’’
Tragardh was Wollongong’s leading scorer in 2010 but didn’t stick around the following season.
The Tigers lurched from one crisis to another during that period, but he doesn’t regret his time with the club, believing it taught him valuable lessons.
The 205cm four-man is ecstatic to be back in his home state and said playing with the Taipans reminds him of his three years with the Hawks.
‘‘I’m loving it up here,’’ he said.
‘‘There’s a great family feel being a community team. There’s great support in the town. It’s just got that family feel that you only get from regional teams.’’
Since he left Wollongong, neither Tragardh nor the Hawks have returned to the play-offs.
He tipped his former club to have a successful season.
‘‘They’re just so dangerous at all times, simply because the core group’s been there for a long time,’’ he said.
‘‘They’re going to be a huge test for us. They’re one of the top sides and certainly the best drilled and best disciplined side in the comp.’’
Tragardh is looking forward to locking horns with Hawks centre Larry Davidson.
‘‘It’s always good,’’ he said.
‘‘Laz doesn’t like me very much on the court, but even when I was playing with Laz I’m not sure how much he loved me. He’s a great guy and such a fierce competitor. He sort of looks like he’s cruising along, but he gives his all and he loves that club.
‘‘We’ll certainly match up and I’m looking forward to it, and I’m sure he is too,’’ said Tragardh.