https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/sport/cowboys-move-set-to-be-make-or-break-for-esan-marsters/news-story/039c1743d2a8d04f317516c8d9f08f1c A MOVE away from the Sydney rugby league cauldron could be the making of Esan Marsters. The Cowboys recruit established himself as one of the game’s premier centres at Wests Tigers. But something was missing, something about his performances in 2019 just did not sit right with the New Zealand international. Marsters believes his output diminished last season, and saw a move outside of his comfort zone as the best way to take his career to the next level. The move to Townsville with his wife has so far worked wonders, with the pair able to add Stevie the golden labrador to their lives.
Now, with the NRL season upon him, Marsters said his next step is matching the stability of his personal life with his on field performances. “It could be make or break for me, but I feel like I’m going really good and feeling a lot better than I was before,” he said. “I think it builds a lot of character, it creates a shield – you can be strong and mentally you can come back from anything. “For myself it was moving away from Sydney and getting out of my comfort zone, and I think that makes you stronger.” Marsters has already tasted plenty of success since his move across the border, helping his new club clinch the Perth Nines title while featuring in a victorious All Stars match. Despite his standing as one of the best three-quarter weapons in rugby league, the proud Maori representative is yet to play finals football. His last two seasons with the Tigers both finished in ninth place, the 23-year-old missing a maiden finals appearance by one competition point. He comes into a Cowboys team who have also been devoid of September football in the past two years. But Marsters has been impressed with the young group of players at the squad — from backline weapons such as Murray Tualagi to dynamo forwards including Tom Gilbert and Mitch Dunn. And with fellow recruits Valentine Holmes and Reece Robson added to the mix, Marsters said all they needed was to get the season’s end game and they would go all the way. “Coming into the season a lot of the guys who are younger than me have trained really well, they don’t really have to ask questions,” he said. “They all took ownership of their role in the team and a lot of them are going to go really well. “For myself it’s just focusing on my footy and if I can help the players around me I’m doing my job then.”
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AuthorThis section showcases a collection of some of the work I did covering the North Queensland Cowboys - from match reports, to player features to breaking news. Archives
June 2020
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