DRAGONS veteran Jason Nightingale has gone all-in on a shift to the No.1 jersey saying he intends to spend the full 80 minutes at the back against a depleted Cowboys outfit at WIN Stadium on Saturday.
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With regular custodian Josh Dugan absent on NSW Origin duty, Dragons coach Paul McGregor has banked on experience to fill the void with Nightingale set to play at fullback for the first time since 2013.
Nightingale has played 26 of his 208 NRL games at fullback, the position in which he predominantly played as a junior.
He played the final five games of the 2008 season and the last nine games of 2012 in the No. 1 jersey. He’s spent the past two seasons exclusively on the flank but is looking forward to shifting from the wing on Saturday.
“I’ve played there a lot throughout my career on and off especially through this [Origin] period. I’ve played almost full seasons there in my career so it is like pulling an old glove,” Nightingale said.
“We’ve got a couple of guys playing Origin next week which is exciting so I have to fill a role there and I’m really looking forward to the challenge.
“Josh was carrying a bit of an injury and didn’t train at the start of last week, so I filled in a couple times there. I understood then that the next week when he was away I might be there so it was a good start building into this week.”
The fullback position has proven problematic for the Dragons for far this season with McGregor abandoning a plan to shift Dugan to the centres with Kurt Mann at fullback after two rounds. Adam Quinlan was also given a chance in the Dragons 26-10 loss to the Warriors in round nine.
Mann has earned a recall on the wing for Saturday’s clash prompting suggestions he could play fullback on Saturday but Nightingale has steeled himself for a full 80 minutes at the back against the Cowboys – and any other clash Dugan may miss on Origin duty.
“I might push [Mann] in for some carries but I don’t think I’ll go and stand out there [on the wing] unless I’m really really struggling and I don’t think Mary would be to happy with it,” Nightingale said.
“Definitely the fatigue levels will be a challenge especially in the first game. You probably do a lot more running than what you expect because you’re not 100 per cent sure how to do the role. I’m sure the lungs will be hurting more after the first game more than the second and third time I play there this year.”
The Dragons will also be boosted by the return of back-rower Tyson Frizell who was released from NSW camp on Wednesday.