Williams back to fill Dugan's NRL boots26 June 2012, 9:39 pmWilliams back to fill Dugan's NRL boots Updated: 21:39, Tuesday June 26, 2012
Young halfback Sam Williams has been recalled to the Canberra NRL side to replace the injured Josh Dugan following a month in the NSW Cup.
Despite being a premiership heavyweight virtually every year of their existence, the Dragons have not won in the nation's capital in more than a decade.
While they have four players away with the NSW State of Origin side, the Dragons might not get a better chance to end the barren run than Monday night, with the Raiders themselves hit hard by injuries.
Halfback Williams has been recalled following a month in the NSW Cup, after he was dropped due to his ineffectiveness in defence.
He missed 14 tackles in his four games this season, including seven in one game against Cronulla.
'He's been working on his defence and parts of his game at (NSW Cup side) Mounties and we're confident in his ability,' Furner said.
Williams comes in for Josh Dugan, who is out for four weeks with an ankle injury, with Josh McCrone sliding over from halfback to five-eighth.
The Dragons welcome back veteran centre Matt Cooper, but coach Steve Price has been forced to call up little-used forwards Josh Miller and Leeson Ah Mau to cover for his Origin absentees.
Cronulla have stuck with the same combination which beat Gold Coast in their last Origin-affected game in round 14 for Friday night's game against Brisbane, with Chad Townsend filling in for Todd Carney and Wade Graham elevated to the starting line-up to replace Sharks and NSW skipper Paul Gallen.
The Broncos have Mitchell Dodds, Brendon Gibb and Dunamis Lui in a barely-recognisable forward pack.
Ben Roberts remains on the outer at Parramatta with Luke Kelly retaining the No.6 jumper for Saturday night's home game against Newcastle, while Reni Maitua returns from suspension on an extended bench.
The Knights have Peter Mata'utia at fullback, and he'll have large boots to fill following Queensland Origin star Darius Boyd's return to form in Monday night's upset win over Wests Tigers.
Michael Morgan slots into Johnathan Thurston's No.6 jumper for North Queensland's trip to Auckland to face the Warriors, Matt Bowen also named at fullback despite being picked in an extended Queensland Origin squad.
Source: Sky News Australia
Topic: Williams back to fill Dugan's NRL boots
