ROBY’S EYE ON PRIZE
Saints veteran has a Grand hat-trick plan
JAMES ROBY is the silent assassin who is hooked on being the big noise of Super League.
The St Helens hooker refuses to go on social media because “privacy is power” and rarely seeks out the limelight.
Even some of his astonishing match stats go unnoticed because spectators just expect him to be great every week.
Roby said: “I’m just happy to turn up, do my job and help others shine.
“I’ve never been fussed with social media, it’s not for me.
“They say privacy is power. I like to do my job, go home and live a normal life. I’ve always been laid-back.”
There is one area, however, in which Roby demands to put himself front and centre. And that’s leading home-town club Saints to even more silverware.
In his 18-year career with the club, Roby has won four Grand Finals, three Challenge Cup finals, one World Club Challenge and seven League Leaders’ Shields.
He’s been named Man of Steel, won the Harry Sunderland Trophy twice as Grand Final man of the match, and been in the Super League Dream Team five times.
Motivation
With more than 500 games under his belt, 35-year-old
Roby has lost none of his motivation.
He said: “I know I am very lucky to play for Saints so I approach every training session and game with the mindset of being thankful and enjoying it.
“We’ve got a lot of very fit lads at Saints but I’m up there with them. That’s a little bit down to genetics but I also really enjoy working hard.
“Louie Mccarthy-scarsbrook, who is also 35, and me sometimes get given a ‘joker card’ each from the strength and conditioning department and are allowed to miss a tough session if we want. But to be
honest we’d just rather do everything.”
Roby skippered Saints to a second successive Super League title last November, pipping Wigan with a thrilling last-minute victory.
But he says they already have another target in sight – matching Leeds (2007, 2008 and 2009) as the only side to win three successive Grand Finals.
He said: “Anyone would be lying if they said they hadn’t thought about winning it again. That Leeds team that did it is still remembered for having a lot of the great players of the game. We know what is at stake if we are to match that.
“But other clubs have recruited well and will be gunning for us as reigning champions.”
Roby, the third-oldest player in
Super League behind Kev Brown and Tommy Leuluai has yet to decide whether to play on next year.
But he’s already looking ahead to his next career move, having been awarded his Masters degree in Sporting Directorship just days before playing in last season’s Grand Final.
Roby added: “I don’t know whether coaching is the right thing for me – but I would love to stay involved in professional sport.”