Former AFL and Sydney Swans star Nick Davis to play NRL nines with Sydney Roosters
He’s helped NRL clubs with their kicking game and now former Sydney Swan Nick Davis will fulfil a life long rugby league when he makes Sydney Roosters debut.
NRL
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Sydney Swans premiership hero Nick Davis has always dreamt about playing rugby league. The 39-year-old retired AFL player will get his chance after being selected as the Roosters “marquee” for the Nine’s tournament in Perth next month.
Davis played rugby league as a junior and the Sharks mad fan idolised Andrew Ettingshausen.
“There might’ve been a couple of times when I was in trouble that it might be easier to jump ship and change code,” Davis said. “There was a time there I would’ve liked to play rugby league
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“I grew up in Sydney and played league as a junior and followed league my whole life.
“I can catch and pass and can kick more than anything.”
Roosters coach Trent Robinson first floated the idea at the end of last year and Davis agreed instantly with the Roosters fielding an inexperienced squad because of World Club Challenge commitments. Robinson gave him some more time to think it through before the pair committed to going through with the idea.
Davis has spent the past two years as the Roosters kick and catch coach juggling the role with ongoing commitments with the Swans. He has spent time on the wing and Robinson will introduce him to more contact work in the coming weeks.
“Nick is a talented footballer,” Robinson said. “We saw him with the Swans for so many years. He moves well. He moves like a rugby league player. He has a good spirit but there is a fire in him as well. That’s what we’ve enjoyed seeing. For him to do it at his age with being an AFL player it’s not like coming from rugby union to rugby league. (He has a) quiet determination.
“There has been some impromptu wrestles with (assistant coach) Matt King. We’ll slowly get him into contact through wrestling and then on-field contact. The whole thing is to prepare him well enough to play well.”
Davis will wear the No.2 jersey he donned during his six year stint at the Swans including the 2005 premiership. His former Swans coach John Longmire said Davis “won’t lack confidence”.
“He has always been telling us he could’ve been a superstar in both,” Longmire said.
Meanwhile, Longmire said Buddy Franklin was recovering well from knee surgery but remained uncertain if his star player would be fit for round one.
“He feels good,” Longmire said. “He has bounced back, the swelling has gone down. He is on the march back.”
Originally published as Former AFL and Sydney Swans star Nick Davis to play NRL nines with Sydney Roosters