Courtesy of the The Sunday Mail - 26/3/06
By Andrew Dawson
MEET Chris Sandow(pictured), the Marsden High
School mighty mite who has been compared with
Cowboys thrill machine Matt Bowen.
The Souths Logan junior, 17, has been signed by the Gold Coast after a 12 month reconnaissance mission by Titans football manager Scott Sattler.
Sattler, the Penrith premiership-wininng lock and ex-Queensland State of Origin representative, watched the lightweight halfback-cum-fullback after he was identified "through people I trust in rugby league".
"I watched him a lot. He has the attributes to make the next step at a young age. There is a lot of Matty Bowen and Preston Campbell about him," Sattler said.
Campbell, a former teammate of Sattler's at Penrith, is one of the Gold Coast's top signings for next year.
Marsden teacher Kim Bray, in charge of the high school's rugby league program, said comparisons with Bowen were uncanny.
"He plays similar to Matt Bowen. He defends at fullback but he plays first receiver in attack," Bray said.
"He is exceptionally quick over 20m and 30m. If he gets through not too many people run him down.
"He is always having a crack at the line."
Like Bowen, Sandow was setting an example for his Aboriginal peers.
And like Bowen, Sandow was diminutive, Bray said.
Bowen stands at 175cm and Sandow is no taller.
Bowen weighs 78kg and although Sandow is only about 68kg, Bray was convinced another 10kg would be added to his frame as he grew.
"Down the track he could play at 78-80kg," Bray said.
There is one big difference between Sandow and Bowen.
While Bowen is as silent as a church mouse, Sandow loves to talk.
"He is very confident," Bray said.
Sandow's immediate priority this season was to play for the Queensland and Australian schoolboys.
After that there is an outside chance late in the season that Sandow may be blooded in Queensland Cup via the interchange bench.
Souths Logan first grade coach Mark Gliddon said Sattler, on behalf of the Titans, had given the Magpies permission to play Sandow in first grade this season.
"But what I think we will do is we will wait until after the Queensland under 17 representative season is finished around May," Gliddon said.
"Once that is over, then we will start looking at him."
Gliddon said Sandow was only a lightweight but he would have no hesitation in considering him for the top squad at some stage because of his rare talent.
"He is only tiny but he is exceptionally quick on his feet. He is a character," Gliddon said.
Sandow played fullback for the Souths Logan colts yesterday but Gliddon believed Sandow was "more of a halfback who can play fullback".
