Why Sattler agrees with Ricky’s take on Strange

SEN’s Scott Sattler has marvelled at the performance of Canberra’s five-eighth Ethan Strange after his stellar display against the Sea Eagles.

Strange, who was named by newly appointed Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters as his selection bolter for the Rugby League Ashes later in the year, showed everyone how talented he really is.

In that clash, he managed seven tackle breaks, three line breaks and three tries in Canberra’s 28-12 win to send them back to the top of the ladder.

This led his coach, Ricky Stuart, in his post-game press conference, to publicly declare that Strange should be selected for the Kangaroos for their upcoming tour and should be in the NSW Origin squad by next year.

“I have got a very strong opinion of Ethan,” he said.

“You look at his game today, to where he started with us a year and a half, two years ago. He’s still only 25 to 30 games, I suppose, into his career. He has an unbelievable future in front of him.

“I think he will play for Australia this year, and he will be our next five-eighth for NSW.

“I don’t sit here gloating; I don’t sit here as a happy coach saying that. I firmly believe that.

“He’s got Origin attitude, the way he defends, the way he runs the football.

“He’s got qualities of a representative player already as a young person. I don’t say that outlandishly.”

His praise did not stop there as Stuart went as far as to compare him to a legendary Raiders five-eighth in Laurie Daley.

“For a young player such as Ethan to be able to give off energy to his teammates, it’s similar to Laurie Daley when he was a young player,” he continued.

“I know I’m talking about big shoes to fill and ‘are you putting too much pressure on Ethan?’.

“Well, bad luck, handle it.

“If you’re ever going to make it in this game, you have to handle pressure, and he will.”

It was a comparison that Sattler couldn’t help but agree with.

“He plays a lot like Laurie,” Sattler noted on SEN’s Saturday League Kick-Off.

“Laurie used to get you as a defender. He’d get the ball at speed and start sort of heading towards the corner post, and you’d start chasing.

“And then he would stop on a dime and cut straight back in.

“They tied up Daly Cherry-Evans’ inside defender; got him to commit, and when Ethan got the ball, he just knew that if he came off the left foot, he would be able to straighten up and score.”

However, when he asked Andrew Webster whether or not he would make the Kangaroos side, Webster believes it would be a surprise. But if any young player was to be given an opportunity in the national team, Webster thinks it would be the 20-year-old who goes.

“It would (be a surprise),” Webster said.

“Just because it’s a short three-test burst.

“But if anyone deserved a start, it would be Ethan.”

Canberra has the bye this week, which will give them plenty of time to prepare for their Round 25 clash against Penrith at Glen Willow Oval in Mudgee.

BY NICHOLAS QUINLAN/SEN