Tyrone Roberts on his background, leading Gold Coast Titans in NRL Indigenous Round

“No matter how far you are away or where you go, you always remember where you come from.”

“NO matter how far you are away or where you go, you always remember where you come from.”

That’s the message Tyrone Roberts’ parents drilled into him as a youngster.

The now 27-year-old will do his heritage proud when he leads the Gold Coast Titans out as captain for the first time in an Indigenous Round fixture on Friday night at Lottoland.

Roberts hails from Ballina and is one of nine indigenous Titans players, along with Brian Kelly, Ash Taylor, Tyrone Peachey, Ryan James, Nathan Peats, Treymain Spry, Brenko Lee and Leilani Latu.

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A further four non-playing staff are of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent, taking the total representation across the organisation’s 87 people to 14.94 per cent.

Gold Coast will again celebrate the concept when they play at home next weekend against North Queensland but they’ll be sporting their specially designed jerseys against Manly for the 6pm Friday kick-off in what is the official Indigenous Round.

Titans players Tyrone Peachey and Tyrone Roberts wearing indigenous jerseys at Tallebudgera Beach creek. Picture: Jerad Williams

“I love anything to do with my culture, I love representing my people,” Roberts said.

“It comes back to where I started back home, any time I can do that and show how far I have come and who I represent, the community at the Titans and my people back home, the Bundjalung people.”

Roberts left home at just 14 years of age but never forgot his beginnings.

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“Don’t ever forget it, because it’s the way you were brought up and it sets apart who you are as a person,” was the second part of the message from his parents.

The reason he moved to Newcastle was to be educated at the Kirinari Hostel and become the first member of his family to complete Year 12. He spent five years there and achieved that mission.

Roberts (right) with Gold Coast Suns indigenous leader Jack Martin. Picture: Jerad Williams

“The first year was a tough one when I was 14 but I was staying at the Kirinari Hostel, which made it easier as an Aboriginal base hostel for kids that wanted to take an opportunity to get an education,” the five-eighth recalled.

“It just taught me discipline … once I left that hostel, reality hits. You have to supply for yourself, you don’t have the government foundation.”

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Roberts is now 145 games into his NRL career and will be looking to provide inspiration to spark his team to victory against the Sea Eagles.

“We have got to find a way to win. We have got to make sure we take it and don’t let it go,” he said.