Roosters utility Ryan Matterson says the ship has sailed on his days as a half
THE man most likely to replace Cooper Cronk in Sunday’s grand final for the Sydney Roosters has admitted the “ship has sailed” on his days as a playmaker.
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THE man most likely to replace Cooper Cronk in Sunday’s grand final has admitted the “ship has sailed” on his days as a playmaker.
Sydney Roosters utility Ryan Matterson told The Daily Telegraph, this weekend’s decider would not only be his last game for the Tricolours, but probably the last time he’ll play in the halves.
“I think I’m about 15 kilos too heavy for halves right now. I think that ship has sailed for me. In the edge backrow is where I see myself and that’s where I feel the most comfortable,” he said.
But the versatile Matterson, who played most of his junior football as a five-eighth, says he’ll be ready to run out in any position that coach Trent Robinson picks him.
“I’ll take the opportunity with both hands. I know I’m here to do a job for the team and whatever is best for us, I’m going to do it,” the Wests Tigers-bound Matterson said.
“There are some other contenders for the spot. So it’s up to Trent on who he’ll put there but we probably won’t be focusing on that until Wednesday.
“But obviously we all still have our fingers crossed that Cooper can still play.”
Standing at 194cm and weighing in at 107kg, Matterson says while his size has dictated his move into the forwards he hasn’t lost any of the skill that made him one of the best halve prospects coming through the junior ranks.
“At the start the switch had to do with the size and how my body has formed. I’m of a power athlete now and obviously I have lost a bit of speed,” he said.
“But I still have my vision and I’ve still got my game management. I still like getting the ball in my hands.”
The Bankstown Bulls junior was solid when called up in August to cover for injured five-eighth Luke Keary.
He’ll likely slot into the same position this time with Keary shifting to halfback.
“I’m a ball running half. So I probably wouldn’t be the halfback, I'd be the five-eighth,” he said.
“Keary has been the five-eighth all year but he’ll steer the ship if Cooper is not available.”
Ironically, Matterson is set to play in a grand final alongside the man who forced him to reassess his future as a playmaker.
“It wasn’t until I came to the Roosters I decided that I needed to change positions because Luke Keary was coming and I wanted to be a regular first grader,” Matterson said.
“One thing lead to another and I started playing backrow and I’ve loved it ever since.
“The versatile Matterson is eager to get rid of the “Mr Fix it” tag and cement his spot as a full-time forward but for now the only thing on his mind is getting the job done on Sunday.
“Since coming into the forwards I have found a new love of being dominant and running hard. The physicality of the game has changed in my eyes since becoming a forward and I’m really enjoying it,” he said.
“There is one more game to go and I just want to win the grand final. So I’m not focusing on that at the moment, I’m just focusing on what I can do for the team.”
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