Titan Tyrone Roberts reveals dual focus in next year’s NRL All Stars game on the Gold Coast
INDIGENOUS half Tyrone Roberts is using next year’s NRL All Stars fixture to “reconnect with Mother Earth” and believes the chance to line up alongside Titans teammates could kickstart their 2020 redemption mission.
NRL
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INDIGENOUS half Tyrone Roberts is using next year’s NRL All Stars fixture to “reconnect with Mother Earth” and believes the chance to line up alongside Titans teammates could kickstart their 2020 redemption mission.
The 28-year-old joined forces with local indigenous dancers at Burleigh Heads yesterday to promote the start of ticket sales for the men’s and women’s double-header between the Indigenous and Maori All Stars at Robina’s Cbus Super Stadium on February 22.
With four previous appearances for the Indigenous side under his belt, Roberts again looms as a likely inclusion for next year’s encounter and could be joined on the field by as many as nine Gold Coast teammates.
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Kevin Proctor and Moeaki Fotuaika are both eligible for the Maori outfit, while Ryan James, Tyrone Peachey, Ash Taylor, Brian Kelly, Nathan Peats, Leilani Latu and Treymain Spry could line up for the Indigenous XIII.
While Roberts said the game itself took a back seat to the community work undertaken in the lead up, he believes it could be an important outing in the Titans’ bid to offload the wooden spoon.
“(The game) is a wonderful opportunity to represent your people. It’s a proud moment not only for themselves but for their family and where they come from,” Roberts, a veteran of 153 NRL games, said.
“It’s awesome to have that many Aboriginal representatives at one club, it makes not only the club feel good about that talent but (the players) feel welcomed.
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“Being young and being Aboriginal, you always feel you’ve got to be ashamed or you’re low on confidence but when there’s that many other players around you it just brings out the best in you.
“I’m sure if they get the opportunity (to play) they’ll do the same. I think I played my first (All Stars game) on the Gold Coast a couple of games ago and it’s always good to play in front of your people.
“For me personally, it’s the chance to reconnect to my culture and reconnect with Mother Earth … and what this wonderful country represents, all the wonderful trees, rocks, waters, the mountains, everything. It’s just reconnecting.”
Roberts said the All Stars game also represented an opportunity to inspire the next generation of Indigenous players.
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“I consider myself a leader, a role model for all Aboriginal kids out there doing it tough and want to play NRL or just want to do good,” he said.
“The game, at the end of the day, is just a bonus. The week leading up to it and what it represents is what it’s all about.”
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