Fit Roache ready to tackle big workload
Young Warriors hooker Nathaniel Roache has fielded plenty of questions about his fitness over the past few days, but there should be no concerns about his ability to get through tomorrow night’s NRL clash against Manly in Perth.
After receiving minimal game time in five games this season, Roache proved his worth in last week’s win over the Bulldogs, with an impressive 47-minute outing off the bench after Issac Luke suffered a shoulder injury.
The talented 21-year-old is one of the club’s fittest players but you won’t hear him talking up his physical prowess, which is perhaps only matched by his modesty.
“I’m not the worst,” said Roache. “I do okay in the fitness. Hopefully it comes through in the game.”
Talk to coach Stephen Kearney and his teammates though, and you get a more accurate appraisal of Roache’s lung capacity and realise he’ll have no issues going the distance at nib Stadium.
“He’s a supreme athlete, there’s no doubt about that,” said Kearney. “In the last six weeks I’ve given him at stages sometimes seven minutes, sometimes 15 minutes and sometimes he hasn’t played.
“For him to come on and play 40 minutes like that, I know he’s very capable, so that’s not going to be a worry for me.”
Roache did more than plug a hole in the side, providing spark out of dummy-half and tackling strongly to help contain Canterbury’s formidable forward rotation.
A former five-eighth with the Junior Warriors, he showed his ballplaying ability and pace when he burst through the defence before throwing a no-look pass to Shaun Johnson. The No 7 was dragged down short of the line but Bulldogs backrower Josh Jackson was sin-binned for a professional foul and the resulting penalty gave the Warriors an 8-2 halftime lead.
His recent good fortune comes after some tough times over the past 18 months, which have taught him the benefit of patience and how to overcome adversity.
A pectoral tear delayed his eventual NRL debut against Wests Tigers in round one last season, and a troublesome ankle injury then required surgery over the offseason, before a thyroid operation delayed his start to this year’s campaign.
“They’re pretty annoying things but some footy players have to go through that,” he said.
Veteran lock Simon Mannering was not surprised by Roache’s impact last week.
“We all knew Nate was capable of that performance on the weekend and he’ll be better for it and continue to grow as a player, said Mannering.
“He’s very physical for a hooker and he’s strong and very fast and very confident defensively, so I’m looking forward to him playing more minutes.
“He’s more than capable. He’s one of the fittest guys at training so he’ll have no dramas [in Perth].”