NRL grand final 2019: The amazing 12 months of Roosters rookie Sam Verrills
Sam Verrills watched the NRL grand final on his ipad last year. Now his form is so irresistible some are calling for the Roosters to overlook co-captain Jake Friend.
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Sam Verrills was a world away from playing in a grand final last year.
Now the Roosters rookie is preparing to play in his first premiership decider in his debut year. Verrills was holidaying in Portugal for a surfing competition when he pulled up his iPad to watch the Roosters win the title last year.
“I was watching it on my little iPad in my room,” Verrills said. “I was cheering the boys from Portugal. If you’d said, fast track a year and I'll be potentially playing in a grand final I couldn't have [believed it].
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“I was hanging by the beach, relaxing on my holiday and watching on my iPad. I was actually kind of jealous I wasn't here to watch it and support the boys.
“I was with the 20s last year and we got knocked out. I was always going to Europe, went there for six weeks. I knew I was training with first grade so the excitement was, ‘oh I'm about to train with first grade and they’re in a grand final’. Fast forward a year and I could be playing one so it’s pretty crazy.
“Sitting with my girlfriend and best friends in Europe, you get an email about when pre-season starts and you get a little buzz because you're training with first grade and that’s what I got last year.”
Verrills has been one of the finds of the season with co-captain Jake Friend playing just five games because of injury this year. The Roosters used Victor Radley at dummy-half during Friend’s first absence but they have not turned back since handing Verrills the 80-minute role in round 13.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson indicated he will have no hesitation in drafting Friend back into the side as he fights his way back from a calf strain. Friend will be named in the 21-man squad on Tuesday but Verrills’ form has been so impressive he could still feature in the 17 come game day given Friend’s extended lay-off.
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“I'll support him if he's playing,” Verrills said. “I look up to him as a person and a player. If he's back, I'll be very happy for him.
“You don’t really block it out — he’s either playing or he’s not. It’s not really a big focus. I’m there to train, I’m there to do whatever Robbo (Robinson) and the coaching staff and the players want me to do.
“If that’s play, it’s play, if it’s to support it’s to support the team.”
Originally published as NRL grand final 2019: The amazing 12 months of Roosters rookie Sam Verrills