Cordner's words come from the heart, not the script

The two-minute bell sounds in the SCG change rooms and Boyd Cordner starts to clear his throat.

He will make his 60th pre-game speech as Roosters captain on Saturday night, before he leads the team out for the preliminary final against the Storm.

Cordner has been doing a lot of solo captaining this year with co-captain Jake Friend (bicep, forearm) playing just five of 25 games to date. 

Cordner doesn't remember much of his previous 59 speeches because he doesn't take notes, or keep records of what he's said.

"I don't really like to plan that stuff. I like it to be spur of the moment," Cordner told NRL.com.

"I find if you pre-plan that sort of thing it doesn't come across as genuine, or in the moment."

Only three points have separated these sides in 2019 – 14-12 to Storm in Adelaide in round 15 and 21-20 to the Roosters at AAMI park in round four.

With that in mind, Cordner won't be scouring books on leadership or watching motivational videos to find a message pertinent to a NRL preliminary final that's bound to go down to the wire.

"It will mainly be a recap of what we've prepared throughout the whole week. I just try to get them focused before kick-off," he said.

"[Coach Trent Robinson] will also have his words just before we run out. I love doing it. It's a thing that comes with experience and leadership but to be honest, the boys will be ready to go.

"There will be a lot going on around the sheds, the ground, and that kind of thing. But it's just bringing back the focus to the team."

And the Roosters team on Saturday night has 12 members (13 if Friend plays) of the 17 who beat the Storm in last year's NRL grand final.

"That definitely helps. With Jake hopefully making his return for us on Saturday night that will be a massive bonus," Cordner said on Wednesday. Friend was later ruled out on Friday night. 

"Having that experience there means we know what to expect with that core group of players from the GF last year.

"Having that continuity there gives you confidence, and also the way we played our last game (30-6 qualifying final win over South Sydney).

"If you have the same personnel you give yourself the chance to be able to do it again."

In that victory a fortnight ago, the Roosters scored six tries to one; enjoyed 58 percent possession to 42 percent; made 40 more runs; eight line breaks to two; 26 kicks to 18; four forced drop-outs to zero.

"We've tried to train the best way we can during the week off and then this week we've trained hard again concentrating on Melbourne," Cordner said.

So what gets the win? The Roosters and Rabbitohs each made 11 errors a fortnight ago. Penalties were 5-4 to the Rabbitohs.