Cold climate should not prevent Orford warming to his new task

MATT ORFORD believes re-awakening sleeping giants Bradford Bulls might serve as a greater achievement than anything his cruelly absent international career could ever offer.

The supreme scrum-half with all the gifts but bizarrely no Australian cap joined the Super League club on a lucrative three-year deal in November and immediately set his sights on transforming their fortunes.

Rated by many as the best player never to play for his country, Orford knows the slim chance of finally representing the Green and Golds has now effectively gone by moving to England.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It should be criminal that the gifted orchestrator never pulled on the famous jersey but he had the misfortune of gracing the game at the same time as a succession of stellar No 7s – Allan Langer, Andrew Johns, Brett Kimmorley and now Jonathan Thurston.

However, at 31, Orford holds no grudge and admits reaching the heights with Bradford who, after five Grand Finals in a row have now failed to make Old Trafford for four years and even missed out on the play-offs last season, is his sole aim.

Having completed his first training session yesterday, just over 24 hours after flying in from Sydney, the former Manly star admitted: "I think those Australian days are gone – done and dusted.

"I've always been behind the top half-backs – the likes of Andrew Johns and those guys – and it's always tough but that's football.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"I never let it get me down. It would have been a great honour to play for my country but they've looked towards youth now and I've always had goals.

"One of the goals I achieved was to win a Premiership and winning that (with Manly) was so much more than playing representative football.

"If I can do something special like that with this group over here then I'm going to be pretty satisfied as a footballer."

Orford led Manly to a record-breaking 40-0 NRL Grand Final victory over his former employers Melbourne Storm in 2008.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

His vintage performances during that campaign saw him win the prestigious Dally M Medal as the competition's most influential performer and the final success was doubly sweet having been vanquished by Melbourne in the showpiece 12 months earlier.

Bulls coach Steve McNamara has pinned his faith in Orford re-producing such form for Bradford when their season kicks off next month, much of the profits from Sam Burgess's move to South Sydney being ploughed into the deal to land the biggest capture of Super League XV.

He only agreed to let long-serving scrum-half Paul Deacon leave for Wigan this winter once he knew he had secured the services of the world-class replacement.

Now McNamara will build his side around the master tactician and Orford was welcomed yesterday by some familiar faces.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Another Manly legend – Steve Menzies – made the same move last year and proved a big hit in Super League, agreeing to play on for another season at 36, while fellow Sea Eagles Heath L'Estrange and Glenn Hall have both joined for 2010.

"It's made it easy speaking to those guys," admitted Orford, slightly embarrassed as Menzies and Hall arrived to take pictures and ask their own questions at his inaugural press conference yesterday.

"Beaver (Menzies) loves the club. He'd pretty much done everything in the game and he's a Manly boy through and through.

"So, for him to stay here another year, it didn't take me too long to come over too.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"When I looked at the roster I thought Bradford probably under-achieved last year but I see plenty of potential and think we can do some big things."

Orford could have stayed at Manly but, having helped them defeat Leeds Rhinos in the World Club Challenge at Elland Road last year, conceded he always wanted to try Super League.

"I really enjoyed that experience and it seems a faster game over here, more free-flowing," he said.

"Hopefully, that will suit my style and I want to play the same attacking game.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"I also want to be disciplined though and give the mental edge that saw us grind out wins like we did with Manly."

Orford is an obvious potential candidate to replace Deacon as captain but is first trying to get accustomed to the freezing conditions currently gripping the country.

"I knew it was cold but I'd never experienced training in anything like this," he said, after being met by a blanket of snow on his arrival from Down Under.

"I come from the Northern Beaches so from 35 degrees to minus five is a big change.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"It'll take a while getting used to but it's all an exciting new chapter in my life."

FEATHERSTONE Rovers' Chris Moyles Stadium will now be re-named Bigfellas Stadium after the Championship club agreed a two-year sponsorship deal with a local nightclub.

Matt Orford: The story so far

Name: Matt Orford

Age: 31

Born: Gosford, New South Wales, Australia

Position: Scrum-half

Previous clubs: 2000 – Northern Eagles: 11 games, 4 tries, 23 goals

2001-05 – Melbourne Storm: 120 games, 52 tries, 333 goals

2006-09 – Manly Sea Eagles: 98 games, 17 tries, 242 goals.

Honours: Captained Manly to a record 40-0 NRL Grand Final victory over Melbourne Storm in 2008; Dally M medallist winner 2008; NRL Grand Final runner-up 2007; City Origin: three appearances