Shifted Crichton takes one for the team
“YOU’VE got to put the jersey and the locker room ahead of yourself.”
With those words Sydney Roosters star Angus Crichton has explained his move to centre as Latrell Mitchell’s replacement for tomorrow morning’s World Club Challenge final against Super League champions St Helens.
Crichton hasn’t played centre since his schoolboy rugby days and wasn’t expecting the positional switch despite the club losing Mitchell to the Rabbitohs and rookie Billy Smith with a knee injury.
“I was a bit surprised,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting it, but I’m the kind of person who is always up for a challenge.
“You can see good things in all of these situations. It’s an opportunity for me to up my skill set and improve myself physically with speed and footwork.
“I’ve been doing a heap of video to prepare to play centres. I’ll train, go back and watch the whole session, look at what I need to improve on.”
Roosters coach Trent Robinson tapped Crichton on the shoulder two weeks ago about moving from the forwards.
“Given the situation we’re in now with Latrell and then Billy and whatever’s going on with Josh Morris (who wants to go to the Roosters from the Sharks), for me to be part of this team, to be part of this club, you have to put the jersey and the locker room ahead of yourself,” Crichton said.
“If that means playing centre for a few weeks, months, however long, I’m happy to do that for the team.”
The Roosters are trying to become the first team to win five world club challenges.
They sit equal with St Helens on four victories.