Angus Crichton’s debut with the Roosters was 15 months in the making

Angus Crichton’s name sticks out like a sore thumb in Trent Robinson’s team list for Saturday’s Roosters’ trial against Manly.

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Angus Crichton’s name sticks out like a sore thumb in Trent Robinson’s team list for Saturday’s Roosters’ trial against Manly.

Not because he’s the most high profile Rooster who will run out onto Central Coast Stadium but because his tricolours debut has been 15 months in the making.

The former South Sydney forward made the decision to leave Redfern and join the Bondi club on a lucrative three-year deal back in 2017.

Angus Crichton will captain the Roosters in Saturday’s trial against Manly. Picture: Roosters Digital.

“I can’t wait to put all the training into work, especially in the new colours,” he said,

“It has been talked about a lot [his move to the Roosters] in the past year or so and to be finally able to put that jersey on and become a Roosters player will be a big step for me.”

Some of Crichton’s biggest fans will make the 980km round trip from Young, in central western NSW, to see the 23-year old make his first appearance for the premiers.

Angus Crichton of the Blues and teammates celebrate winning game two of the State of Origin series between the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons at ANZ Stadium. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“I’m feeling really excited to be honest. My dad and my grand parents will be making their way out to watch me Saturday,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

After a long preseason, Crichton is looking forward to putting everything he has learned under new coach Trent Robinson into practice.

He’ll get first crack at the right edge backrow spot, a position which caused Robinson some headaches last year.

The likes of Mitch Aubusson, Isaac Liu and Ryan Matterson all filled in on that edge during the course of 2018.

But Crichton told The Daily Telegraph he intends on making it his own in season 2019.

“That’s where I have been training so far and were I played in the past. But in all honesty I don’t mind where I play,” he said.

“Big Boyd [Cordner], our skipper, he’s on the left edge so I’m putting my hand up to make the right edge my own.”

Crichton is also hoping to rediscover his creative side on the field.

The backrower admits he was forced to change his playing style while at the Bunnies by focusing less on creating try scoring opportunities and more on becoming a battering ram.

“As you become more known and more experienced I think teams find ways to shut you down easier so you need to find ways to adapt and beat that and ways to keep being productive for the team,” he said.

“We ended up doing that at Souths so coming into the Roosters it will be interesting see where I'll find space and where I will find opportunities.

“Playing outside Cooper will be a big plus for me too.”

The Blues forward missed the Roosters’ World Club Challenge victory against the Wigan Warriors last month in England.

Robinson wasn’t willing to risk Crichton, who spent the bulk of the preseason in rehab for a shoulder injury which required surgery to fix in October last year.

“I probably could have pushed to play in England. If it was round one or a finals game I would have 100 per cent put my hand up. I wouldn’t want to miss that,” he said.

“But with round one so close we didn’t want to take any risks. Getting a couple of minutes out in this game tonight against the Sea Eagles will be a decent stint.”