Reilly frustration over broken nose

TOUCHING DOWN: Roughyeds man Paul Reilly, who started at full-back for the first time in last week’s 32-18 defeat, scores the first try of his hat-trick in the 32-14 win at Hunslet earlier this season.

FULL-BACK STAR RELUCTANT TO SIT IT OUT

PAUL Reilly admits he had to be held back from stepping out onto the field after sustaining a broken nose last week.

Having been selected to start the Featherstone Northern Rail Cup tie at full-back for the first time this season, the 33-year-old former Huddersfield Giants hard man was forced out of the action late in the first half after sustaining a mighty blow to the face when bringing the ball out from near his own line.

Reilly then watched in horror from the blood bin as Rovers ran in three second-half tries which completely changed the complexion of the quarter-final tie — while Marcus St Hilaire was toiling away as replacement full-back despite having picked up a hamstring injury at virtually the same time.

“It is fine now, but it just wouldn't stop bleeding,” said Reilly, who was able to play a full part in last night’s team building exercise at Trafford Park.

“When I first did it, I didn’t know if it was my nose or possibly my cheekbone, but it was clear that I had to come off and I ended up being in the blood bin for quite a long time.

“I couldn’t breathe at first without opening my mouth, so it wasn’t the best.

“It was all a bit frustrating. It had started to clear up while the three tries were being scored and I was really eager to get back on, but the doctor told me I had to sit it out until it had stopped bleeding completely.

“We did well for most of the game but made vital errors which ended up costing us dearly.

“When you are in an arm wrestle you can’t afford to release the pressure and unfortunately that is what we did in that second half.

“For the majority of the game, we were on top but in that short spell we lost ourselves and ended up losing the game as well.”

Reilly, who spent 11 years at his home-town club Huddersfield before a brief and injury-plagued stint at Wakefield last season, has been biding his time for a shot at the full-back spot he has spent most of his career occupying.

With Paul O’Connor installed as coach Tony Benson’s number one up until last week, Reilly has spent the 2009 season battling for a starting shot at centre with best mate St Hilaire and Danny Halliwell— but admits that isn’t a position that comes particularly naturally to him.

“It has been tough at centre, learning the game again after playing for so much of my career at full-back,” added the former Moldgreen amateur.

“Due to injuries I haven’t played anywhere near as many games as I would have liked over the last two years but I was enjoying the Featherstone game before I had to come off.

“It has been frustrating as I have missed a lot of game time, though we have some quality centres here so it has been difficult and I have had to bide my time on the bench.

“You look at Paul O’Connor at full-back as well and he has done really well. I spoke with Tony Benson about it and I know he had a very tough decision to make and I am just glad I was picked to play there.

“I feel more at home at full-back and hopefully I have done enough to be picked there for the next game as well.”