When Luke Keary took to the NRL field for the very first time back in 2013, he was a budding 21-year-old looking to make an impression off the interchange bench.
Now with 10-years of experience and 199 games under his belt, the Sydney Roosters Vice Captain is a three-time Premiership-winner, Clive Churchill Medallist and Irish International who continues to impress week-to-week.
The Best of Keary
His teammates could not be prouder of their Vice Captain, who has bounced back from gruelling injuries and stepped up in some of the biggest moments to help the Club achieve success.
“He’s been awesome to play with, there’s not a bad thing I can say about him,” Daniel Tupou said.
“The way he plays and the way he carries himself off the field, he’s an absolute legend.
Whenever I play outside him, I feel safe because he is someone that always performs.
- Daniel Tupou On his bond with Luke Keary
“He leads by his words and his actions and he motivates us, he knows exactly what to say for us to all get on the same page. He really knows how to talk to us and get us ready for a game.”
Keary and Tupou have been formidable on the left edge in recent years, guiding the Tricolours to victory on multiple occasions.
“Obviously I’m privileged to play alongside a player of his calibre, he has played a massive part in sharing my try-scoring achievement too,” he said.
“Our bond is second to none, we’ve got this connection that we’ve built over the years.
“It’s been an awesome ride so far, I can’t praise him enough for all that he’s done for the club, for himself and for myself.
“We’re still on that path creating more memories but he’s just an awesome player. He’s seen me grow as a player and as a person and vice versa so yeah, reaching this milestone is a big credit to him.”
Joseph Manu and Billy Smith echoed the veteran winger’s sentiments, explaining that Keary is an inspiring leader who should be proud of notching 200 NRL games.
“He’s awesome, he’s a great leader, he’s just a good guy,” Manu said.
“Off the field he looks after the boys, younger boys, older boys, it doesn’t really matter who you are, he’s awesome off the field.
On the field he’s got good leadership, he’s obviously got a lot of experience there but he’s always constantly looking to play footy, he attacks short sides and attacks long sides.
- Joseph Manu On Luke Keary's attacking flair
“He’s a great player and I’m happy for him that he gets to play his 200th and hopefully we can get the win.”
“Kez has been massive for me, obviously he’s one of the most respected guys in rugby league but for me personally, he’s been a good mate of mine ever since I came to the Club as an 18-year-old," Smith said.
“To be playing outside him now and to, I guess, enjoy the fruits of his labour a little bit, it’s awesome.
“He’s a good dude and obviously I can’t wait to play with him on his 200th.”
