Granty
16-09-2005, 07:23 AM
http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,16620666%255E14793,00.html
Grand final tests family's loyalties
By ADAM GARDINI
16sep05
THE Burleigh blood has flowed deep through the veins of the Amos family for over a decade but that will change to a certain degree for Bears president Ian Amos tomorrow.
The Burleigh president has the challenging task of supporting the club he has put years of work into while also cheering on his son Clint, who lines up at hooker for the North Queensland Young Guns in tomorrow's Queensland Cup grand final at Suncorp Stadium.
"Can you print this after the game otherwise I might not have a job on Monday," he joked.
"Yeah, it'll be 'Go Clint', 'come on Burleigh'.
"This is going to be pretty special for him."
The Amos family have a deep tradition with the Burleigh club.
When the Bears won the group 18 premiership in 1995, Ian was manager, wife Chris was the receptionist at the leagues club, daughter Larissa was one of the side's cheerleaders and Clint was the ball boy.
Eleven seasons on and now Clint, the Young Guns' player of the year in 2004, will be involved in a grand final against his former club -- taking on some of the players he grew up watching on the sidelines such as Burleigh stalwarts Shane O'Flannaghan, Ali Brown and Ryan Gundry.
"It's sort of a situation where you are playing against your heroes," Ian said of his son's position.
"When you're playing juniors the main blokes you look up to are in the local league."
Tomorrow will be a special day for the entire family with Clint's grandparents, aunts and uncles, as well as his sister and parents all attending.
"I find myself getting goosebumps just thinking about the game," Clint said in the buildup to tomorrow's clash. "Even two weeks ago just singing the (victory) song after we beat Burleigh I had them."
Ian recalled it didn't seem all that long ago when he went into the Bears' dressing sheds looking for his son after an under-17s match but was unable find him anywhere.
Unbeknown to him, Clint had been asked to back up against the old heads in reserve grade and since then things have mostly looked promising for Amos.
Ian, who coached his son in Bears sides from under-12s through to under-17s, has watched proudly as Clint firstly was given an opportunity with Melbourne Storm's feeder club, Norths Devils, before being signed by North Queensland two season ago.
"Mum and dad were stoked the Young Guns and Cowboys wanted me on board," he said. "He (Dad) is going on 'blood's thicker than water'.
"He's been giving me a few tips on where I should run.
"All during the year he's always backed me over Burleigh the three times we've got to play against them.
"Mum's the big fan.
"She rips right in and even though she's been a Burleigh supporter since I played under-12s, she still yells out 'get off him' and things like that."
Grand final tests family's loyalties
By ADAM GARDINI
16sep05
THE Burleigh blood has flowed deep through the veins of the Amos family for over a decade but that will change to a certain degree for Bears president Ian Amos tomorrow.
The Burleigh president has the challenging task of supporting the club he has put years of work into while also cheering on his son Clint, who lines up at hooker for the North Queensland Young Guns in tomorrow's Queensland Cup grand final at Suncorp Stadium.
"Can you print this after the game otherwise I might not have a job on Monday," he joked.
"Yeah, it'll be 'Go Clint', 'come on Burleigh'.
"This is going to be pretty special for him."
The Amos family have a deep tradition with the Burleigh club.
When the Bears won the group 18 premiership in 1995, Ian was manager, wife Chris was the receptionist at the leagues club, daughter Larissa was one of the side's cheerleaders and Clint was the ball boy.
Eleven seasons on and now Clint, the Young Guns' player of the year in 2004, will be involved in a grand final against his former club -- taking on some of the players he grew up watching on the sidelines such as Burleigh stalwarts Shane O'Flannaghan, Ali Brown and Ryan Gundry.
"It's sort of a situation where you are playing against your heroes," Ian said of his son's position.
"When you're playing juniors the main blokes you look up to are in the local league."
Tomorrow will be a special day for the entire family with Clint's grandparents, aunts and uncles, as well as his sister and parents all attending.
"I find myself getting goosebumps just thinking about the game," Clint said in the buildup to tomorrow's clash. "Even two weeks ago just singing the (victory) song after we beat Burleigh I had them."
Ian recalled it didn't seem all that long ago when he went into the Bears' dressing sheds looking for his son after an under-17s match but was unable find him anywhere.
Unbeknown to him, Clint had been asked to back up against the old heads in reserve grade and since then things have mostly looked promising for Amos.
Ian, who coached his son in Bears sides from under-12s through to under-17s, has watched proudly as Clint firstly was given an opportunity with Melbourne Storm's feeder club, Norths Devils, before being signed by North Queensland two season ago.
"Mum and dad were stoked the Young Guns and Cowboys wanted me on board," he said. "He (Dad) is going on 'blood's thicker than water'.
"He's been giving me a few tips on where I should run.
"All during the year he's always backed me over Burleigh the three times we've got to play against them.
"Mum's the big fan.
"She rips right in and even though she's been a Burleigh supporter since I played under-12s, she still yells out 'get off him' and things like that."