Palm Beach’s Dean Shegog is this week’s AP Cup Player of the week.
Dean Shegog is this week’s AP Cup Player of the week, after starring in Palm Beach’s win over Noosa on Saturday.
Shegog joined the Lions at the beginning of this season from Tasmania’s South Burnie, but he hasn’t taken long to find his feet.
In challenging conditions, Shegog stood up in the ruck against the Tigers, dominating the hit-outs.
“It wasn’t a really good for big guys, possession-wise, but winning the ball out of the middle I was pretty happy with it,” he said.
“It was more a game for one percenters.”
Shegog said having a few fellow Tasmanians, in Zane Murphy and Kristan Higgs at the club, has helped him get off to such a good start.
“Knowing a few guys helped me and I’ve found a little bit of form early so it’s good,” he said.
Shegog’s no stranger to the glitter strip, though, having previously played for Southport.
An injury-marred 2011 drove him to return to his native state for a year, playing in the grand final with South Burnie, before returning to the coast.
“I had three and a half years on the coast when I was 18 and had a crack at Southport,” he said.
“After playing in a grand final last year, I just felt like coming back and living up here.
“I really love it up here. It’s a good group of blokes and everyone’s been really welcoming.”
Lions coach, Daryn Cresswell, is one man who is very happy to have Shegog back up north.
“He brings plenty of aggression and he can play in ruck and at tall forward,” Cresswell said.
Cresswell said Shegog had plenty of upside for the season, having not completed a full pre-season – a scary thought, considering the 23 year-old has been among the Lions’ best already.
He hasn’t had a huge pre-season so you expect that the longer the season goes on, the better he will get,” Cresswell said.
Shegog said he was just hoping to say out of the medical rooms this season and be a part of another successful side.
“I’d like to play finals and I think we’ve got a group that can go all the way,” he said.
“I’d also like to stay injury-free.
“Last year was probably my first year that I’ve gone a whole year without being injured, so I’d like it to stay that way.”
