Tandy to make Storm bow
Former Hull KR, Widnes and Whitehaven prop Ryan Tandy is set to make his Melbourne Storm debut in the NRL this weekend.
Tandy, 28, starred for Widnes in 2006 as they missed out on a Super League place before moving to the ill-fated full-time Doncaster side in 2007. He eventually ended up at Hull KR, making 12 appearances.
He returned down under last season, playing a handful of games for Wests Tigers, and after playing for Ireland in the World Cup, secured a deal with Melbourne.
Tandy has scored 14 tries for Melbourne’s feeder team the Central Coast Storm this season and will line-up against Manly for the first grade side this weekend.
Central Coast coach Jamie Feeney said: “He’s an attacking option for sure. He is a front-rower but he supports the ball players as well.”
“The speed is there to push through holes on an edge and he has a passing game too and can put the ball on the chests of other players. He’s very good quality.”
Tandy has defied his critics to make it to the NRL – he was once released while at Whitehaven to rivals Barrow – and is pleased to have broken through to the Storm first team.
He said: “It’s a very established team here. You can’t just expect to have one good game and be pushed up. You have to put four, five or six together and then hope something falls your way.
“Anytime is a good time to be coming in to first grade for me. I am experienced enough, old enough to come in and get the job done. I was just waiting for my opportunity and that has just happened to come at the end of the year rather the earlier on.
“I have been pretty fortunate (Storm coach Craig Bellamy) has shown a bit of faith in me and I am going to try and repay him with some good footy.”
Tandy, who has already been re-signed for next season, suffered a knee injury which limited his pre-season and then disclocated his shoulder, which has kept him from the fringes of the first team.
He added: “I’m just getting towards my peak, not so much my fitness – just getting my game to where it needs to be,” he said. “It took me a long time to find my feet and the high demands they have at the Storm, it has taken me a long time to get in to shape.
“Some injuries to other players have helped me but I am not a 20-year-old coming into the team. I’ve been around and played a lot of football at a lot of different levels but I am confident I can come in and get the job done.”