Why Roosters skipper Boyd Cordner walks with some of the game’s legends
Roosters captain Boyd Cordner will be following in the footsteps f some of the game’s greatest ever players when he leads the Roosters onto the SCG.
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The moment won’t be lost on Roosters champion Boyd Cordner when he follows in the footsteps of legendary Roosters who have led their teams out of the old Members Stand and onto the Sydney Cricket Ground.
In the club’s proud 111-year history, the names have included Arthur Beetson, Bob Fulton, Dally Messenger, Dave Brown, Ray Stehr, Brad Fittler, Craig Fitzgibbon and Kevin Hastings — most of whom led sides in finals matches.
Saturday night Cordner and co-skipper Jake Friend will lead the Roosters out of the SCG home dressing rooms to meet Melbourne Storm in a preliminary final.
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“There is that history,” Cordner said. “Looking back on the history of the club, with Arthur Beetson and Freddie, they are legends of this club.
“When you think about it, it is pretty humbling to be mentioned along with those guys.
“When you think about the captains through the history of the club, it’s the longest-serving club in the NRL.
“I don’t think about it a lot but now we’re talking about it, this club has been around a long time.
“The Roosters are built on success and it has a proud history of that. That is what you are judged on in this competition, your success.
“That is the responsibility of myself and Jake to keep driving that culture and standards.
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“I love this club so much. I want to soak it all up, we want to get the win, that’s for sure.
“What I will say before the game will come from the heart.”
Asked if he fully grasped leading an institution that is so old, Cordner said: “I don’t, I don’t.
“But it’s huge, a massive achievement. I am just so happy I can call it my home and I can call people here my family. I have spent a large part of my life in the red, white and blue.”
Cordner has developed into one of the finest skippers in rugby league, a player who has led NSW to successive State of Origin titles.
Tomorrow night will be his 60th match as Roosters captain.
“To get the opportunity to lead the boys out, it’s awesome, it’s such a great honour,” Cordner said. “It’s something I don’t take for granted.
“I think I lead by example. I also like to think I’m a student of the game. When I’ve got something to say, I like to speak from experience and it’s got a fair bit of emotion behind it.
“It helps with a leader like ‘Robbo’ (coach Trent Robinson), who doesn’t leave any stone unturned. He covers most things and is such a great coach.
“Your job as a captain, if you feel like you have to jump in and speak up when something has been left out or you think something is important, that’s when you do.
“I have had a lot of experience here as captain now. Sixty games. I feel comfortable leading this club, along with ‘Friendy’. He has been here longer than I have.”
Cordner is now just 80 minutes from a third grand final.
“At the start of the season, when you look towards this time of the year, it seems like an eternity away but this is what you work for,” he said.
“We have worked really hard to put ourselves in the position we are so it’s now up to us to capitalise.
“It’s not long now until where I want to be but there’s a lot of work between now and then.”
Originally published as Why Roosters skipper Boyd Cordner walks with some of the game’s legends