PARRA TROOPER

Q

Many remember your starring role as a rookie in Parra’s charge to the 2009 final. How do you look back on that?

A

I sat with my old man a few months ago and we watched the highlights. It feels like a movie I watched, that year, it’s just surreal to think I was 20 and a year and a half out of school.

Making my debut in itself was my life goal but to go on a run like that and some of those memories that we had that year, like I said it’s so surreal to look back now and think that you experienced it. It’s an odd one. I don’t remember too much from the year, it was such a whirlwind, but you sit back in times like this when you have retired and look back on it with really good memories.

Q

Was it hard to live up to the suddenly lofty expectations in years to come?

A

Definitely. As a whole team we struggled the year after. Those patches of form that teams have, it’s hard to replicate especially when you have got a lot of eyes on you.

Yeah, it’s frustrating not to live up to expectations but there is so many factors that influence that. We were definitely working hard enough but it’s just one of those things, it’s one of the mysteries of rugby league that we wish we all knew.

Q

What would you say to a player having trouble living up to expectations?

A

Just keep working hard. I had a few really tough years where I thought my career would be over and then I went to the Roosters and Trent Robinson pretty much resurrected my career. That wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t keep working hard.