Berrigan out, Ben Ikin back in
by Raymond Burnett
Thursday May 13, 2004
Source: www.broncos.com.au

Shaun Berrigan has failed to make a comeback from a hamstring injury from the game against the Bulldogs. The talented test utility player asked Wayne Bennett to name him in the squad for the vital match against the Knights but was never able to get out of a jog at this morning’s training session.

27 year old former Queensland 5/8th Ben Ikin has been called into the Broncos lineup against the Knights tomorrow night at half-back to replace the injured Berrigan after making a comeback for the Broncos feeder club Toowoomba Clydesdales.

Ikin is just happy to be back playing football and is enjoying the opportunity to help out the Broncos during the injury crisis and play in the NRL one more time.
 
“I am just enjoying my football so much at the moment,” Ikin said.

“It isn’t my number one priority and more and that fact in itself relieves so much pressure.  I have a wife and two kids at home and a full-time job that I am focused on away from football so it means I can just enjoy the time I spend out on the field.

“I will still be competing at 100 per cent and doing everything I can to win.  But to not have the expectation you put on yourself as a professional footballer certainly makes for a relaxed build-up.”

Ikin said that the knee that caused so many problems for him last season feels 100% better then at the same time last season and he is not worried about the adjustment needed to be made going from the Queensland Cup up to the NRL.

“I had a bit of acid on the lungs after about 15 minutes down in Canberra, but I ran through it and I think I will be better for last week’s hit-out,” he said.