Head Coach Trent Robinson is looking to embrace his side's road trip to the nation's capital tomorrow afternoon as the Roosters take on the Canberra Raiders in icy conditions.
Despite undergoing one of the most notorious road trips in the competition and without a number of State of Origin stars, Robinson is looking forward to the challenge his side faces when they come up against the Raiders.
Robinson: "It's Great to See the Club Step Up"
“We enjoy going down there,” Robinson stated.
“It’s one of those trips where you get your head on, you focus on what’s important to your team and you respect the opposition.
“We play a tough sport. You don’t want it all to be sunshine and 22 degrees, you want uncomfortable moments.
“We’re a winter sport so you want to embrace that and you want to play a tough brand of footy and come home from a road trip a winner.
“They’ve been improving there over the last sort of month. It’s going to be a good tussle on Sunday.”
Now at the halfway mark of the season, the Tricolours' mentor is enjoying the prospect of seeing his side perform over the next few, challenging weeks.
I feel like we’ve worked really hard. I feel our cohesion off the field has been really good. Our work ethic at training and in games has been really good and now we’re starting to see the fruits of that.
Trent Robinson On his side's performance in 2022
With Origin players in and out of camp and a handful of those waiting in the wings for their chance to step up, Robinson is excited to see the Roosters rise to the occasion.
Those looking for their chance include youngster Billy Smith and veteran Kevin Naiqama, who have been key to steering the North Sydney Bears to fourth position on the NSW Cup ladder.
“It’s always a good time, this period of games,” he said.
“I feel like we’ve worked really hard. I feel our cohesion off the field has been really good. Our work ethic at training and in games has been really good and now we’re starting to see the fruits of that.
“A captain goes out or different players go out and different players get to play either a set of first or second games of the year or they get to play more time as well.
“The Bears have been playing well as a team. That’s what they’re there for – they’ve both played first-grade and Kev has played a lot of first-grade, so those are the guys you need walking back in. It’s nice to get those two back in.”
“It’s always enjoyable, this time of year, to see the Club step up. It’s enjoyable to watch guys develop their own skills.”
Robinson also paid tribute to another pair of outside backs in the form of Joseph Suaalii and Daniel Tupou, who were rewarded with their recent form with selection in Brad Fittler's New South Wales squad.
It's a tale of two players whose careers are at opposite ends, but both have certainly earned their stripes; with teenager Suaalii spending the week in camp before returning on Sunday while Tupou will resurrect his Origin career after a stellar 2022 so far.
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“He obviously enjoyed spending some time in there,” Robinson said of Suaalii.
“He’s a learner. He always picks up stuff and always observes and accelerates himself and his learning quickly.
“Often guys like that, it’s not a euphoric moment for them; they’ve dreamt about it, they’ve seen it happen. They eventually get the call up to those sorts of arenas.
“That’s the first stage to experience it for him. It’s a step towards something he’s thought about a lot. It’s been a good week for him.
“Players pick the team by the way they play consistently, and Toops has done that for a decade.
“He’s dominated the areas that dominate big games as well which are ends of sets both in defence and attack, coming out of your own end and win those inches and not even the metres, you have to fight for every centimetre you’ve got – and he finishes.
“There’s a game that’s really clear that’s built for big games and he’s proven that for a decade.”
