If ever proof was needed that there is a try-scoring gene, one look at the Cummins family would suffice.
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The Goulburn Bulldogs' Steve Cummins and Crookwell Green Devils' Ben Cummins scored a combined 41 tries this season in their respective competitions, and both were key components of their teams' grand final berths.
2019 was Steve's first year in the Canberra Raiders Cup. The 22-year-old winger played alongside Ben in the George Tooke Shield last year, but relented to pressure from Bulldogs coach Adam Kyle to make the move to Goulburn.
"You get a bit comfortable, and playing with my older brother as well [was a factor in my reluctance]," Steve said.
"I thought if I didn't go this year, then I'd never come to Goulburn. So I've come here and it's paid dividends really."
A total of 26 tries for the season was certainly worth the risk, and while Steve is no stranger to scoring heavily, he did not expect to lead the competition.
"I've never scored that many on the wing position," he said.
"For Crookwell last year I was up there again [with 25 tries], but that was George Tooke ... to be scoring this many in this comp, it's something special."
While Ben finished second in the George Tooke Shield's list of try-scorers, he led the competition for much of the season and was pipped at the post by North Canberra's Chris Thorley.
Aside from a good year in 2016, Ben has not dominated the try-scoring before, and put his strong run in 2019 down to a combination of luck and being in the right position.
"It's just one of those things. Bounce of the ball situations a lot of the time," Ben said.
An affinity for scoring tries is not the only thing the brothers share. Their physical resemblance is uncanny (both are tall, rangy players who are well-built for positions on the wing), but unlike Steve, Ben is not considering a move to Goulburn.
This is due to a number of factors, foremost of which is his history with the Green Devils and the proximity to his youngest brother.
"I'm actually [enjoying] playing with our youngest brother Josh at the moment," he said.
"It's something Steven wanted to do, go and play with Goulburn, and it's good that he did it while he can.
"I've always played for the Devils, and [moving] doesn't interest me too much."
Though he just missed out on claiming the leading try-scorer's trophy, Ben was unfazed by the accolade and said that he would rather have pulled in the premiership.
"It's nice to have that feather in your cap but it's not something that I strive toward," he said.
"I'd rather win a premiership."
