Roosters coach Trent Robinson sees plenty of similarities between new signing Reece Robson and club legend Jake Friend, as the former Cowboys hooker prepares to make his club debut against the Panthers on Friday night.
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Robinson shared many a good time with Friend, winning three premierships in 2013, 2018 and 2019.
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While Friend wasn’t seen as a superstar compared to the likes of other players in those teams like James Tedesco and Cooper Cronk – it’s no coincidence the Tricolours have struggled to taste success since Friend retired back in 2021.
Despite having a roster including several representative players, the Roosters have only made the top four once over the last five seasons, with 2024 being their best year since they last lifted the Provan-Summons trophy when they finished third and made a preliminary final.
Now with a State of Origin-level hooker in Robson coming into the fold, coach Robinson can see the New South Wales No.9 having the same impact on Sydney as his predecessor did.
“I think Jake (Friend) showed for more than a decade, just about the defensive work, he’s a hooker that made other players around him better,” Robinson said.
“Reece (Robson) will be his own man and his own style but there’s a hunger in both of them that are quite clear on both sides of the ball.
“They help their mate, and so the alignment there (between the two players) was pretty key in us signing him.”
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Like Friend, Robson is a player who flies under the radar despite representing his state five-times since 2023.
He has now made 140 NRL appearances for both the Cowboys and Dragons since his debut in 2018, and crucially for the Roosters has made at least 20 appearances a year for North Queensland for each of the last five seasons despite having representative duties.
The 27-year-old has been made to wait for his club debut after he fractured his left thumb during training in late February.
Recovery has been better than expected, with the new signing named this week to take on Penrith at Allianz stadium on Friday night.
While his signing did not attract the attention of fellow recruit Daly Cherry-Evans, his new coach knows how important he will be in unlocking other members of the spine.
“Daly was obviously quite a big signing with everything he’s done in the game,” Robinson said.
Reece Robson will make his Roosters debut tonight.Source: News Corp Australia
“As we often see, people from north of the border often don’t get as much hype in Sydney, but Reece was really key to how we wanted to develop our game.
“Getting, especially, the four spine players playing their first game together – it’s really good to get started on that,” Robinson continued.
“There will be improvement game-on-game but to get the four of them together…. is key for how we want to play.
“We want to base a lot of our play around that nine role, and him playing that.
“The hooking role is really important in attack, but in defence he’s been a warrior for a long, long time.
“It’s really important to our game, Reece is here for a reason.”
It’s a sentiment shared by the NRL360 panel, who said Robson is key to unlocking the likes of Tedesco, Cherry-Evans and Sam Walker.
“His signing has probably gone under the radar, he’s the New South Wales hooker,” Code Sports reporter Michael Carayiannis told the show.
“We all believe that one, six, seven, nine (combination) is potentially the best in the competition.”
Roosters coach Trent Robinson says Robson reminds him of Jake Friend.Source: News Corp Australia
Former Roosters half Braith Anasta, meanwhile, said Robson could hold the key.
“I think he’ll be perfect for them,” Anasta said.
“You’re going to get great service off the deck. (He) knows when to run, when not to run, great defender.
“He’ll let Walker, DCE and Tedesco shine, and that’s what you want. Not someone overplaying their hand in there.
“The Roosters have struggled against the heavyweights over the years and (against the) Panthers have got a shocking record. Do you think it changes now they’ve got Robson, DCE in the side?”
It’s a question which will be answered Friday night, with Robson’s club debut coming up against none other than the four-time premiers Penrith.
The Roosters have only tasted victory against the Panthers once over their last 12 matches, and it came during Penrith’s form slump last season when the tri-colours won 38-32 in round two.
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However, with Cherry-Evans and Robson coming into somewhat of a new-look spine for Sydney, Friday’s clash will test whether these new combinations can take them to the next level.
The Courier Mail’s Peter Badel told NRL 360 Robson is key to overcoming those demons.
“There’s a psychology there that they can’t get up against the big teams when it matters, on the big stages,” Badel said.
“I think he (Robson) provides that solidity around the ruck, they’ve sometimes been a bit leaky (in defence).
“You talk about his attack but he’s also got the smarts in defence to keep the rucks tight.
“I think though, working in combination with DCE and Sammy Walker, I think it’s a beautiful fusion there and they can get the job done this week.”
Robinson said Robson’s club debut will be around quality and not quantity as he returns from injury.
Robson could help unlock the likes of James TedescoSource: Getty Images
Despite still having a pin in around the injury site, the coach has assured fans that the new signing is ready to go for the blockbuster contest, and there is a contingency plan in place.
“The expectation there (with Robson) is not to do anything in particular other than just get his defensive work done, roll the rug for as, and then I’ll be able to judge it in game,” Robinson added.
Roosters fans will have their first glimpse of Robson in their colour at Allianz stadium on Friday night, with kick off at 6pm against the four-time premiers.
Sydney come into the game off the back of a good performance in their win over arch-rivals South Sydney last week, after an underwhelming round one defeat to the Warriors in New Zealand.
The Panthers, on the other hand, have shown they’re ready to push for a fifth title in six seasons this year, conceding just one try across their two wins against the Broncos and Sharks.
Their clash begins a massive double-header of rugby league, with the Melbourne Storm and Broncos to follow in a grand final rematch at AAMI Park.
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