Canterbury rookie Jayden Okunbor eager to build on his hot start

Canterbury rookie Jayden Okunbor’s performance against Melbourne was memorable for two reasons: his first NRL try and getting the better of Cameron Smith. But he’s not getting carried away.

It was a game to remember against Melbourne. Image: AAP Image/Hamish Blair

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Canterbury’s Jayden Okunbor scored his first NRL try last weekend but that won’t be the reason he remembers the clash against Melbourne.

The rookie achieved something very few have when playing the Storm, he got the better of skipper Cameron Smith, not once but twice.

In the first half Okunbor turned Smith into a speed hump and then in the second half he swatted away the greatest point scorer of all time to bust through the line.

It was a game to remember against Melbourne. Image: AAP Image/Hamish Blair

“I was seeking him [Smith] out because didn’t want to get tackled by Nelson Asofa Solomona or one of those big guys so it was the obvious decision to run at him, he’s a bit smaller than the rest of them,” Okunbor said.

“I was buzzing to just be paying down in Melbourne … it just happened that way but I reckon it won’t happen again. He won’t miss a tackle over the next few weeks. He’s one of the GOATs. I guess I was pretty lucky on that day.”

Okubor was promoted into the starting side after coach Dean Pay overhauled his line-up in round three.

The outside back admits he was a little shocked to receive the call-up because his performances in reserve grade, by his own admission, weren’t up to scratch.

The 22-year-old is determined to make his mark. Image: Matt King/Getty Images

“I didn’t play a good game in Canterbury Cup that week, when he called me in to his office I was very surprised,” he said.

“But he told me he believed in me and so did the other coaches. That gave me huge confidence and I just can’t look back now, I have to keep going with what I’m doing.”

And Okunbor is doing — with his barnstorming runs out of his own half — has helped the Bulldogs reverse their poor form over the first two rounds of the season.

The local junior backed up the 215 metres he notched up in his debut against Wests with another 270 run metres, 7 tackle busts and three line breaks against the Storm in round four.

Okunbor is keeping his feet on the floor. Image: AAP Image/Hamish Blair

“I wouldn’t say I’m killing it but I feel like I am doing OK. I have sort of always known I’ve had this in me. So to get this opportunity that Deano has given me, I just have to grab it with both hands,” he said.

“We’ve got depth here at the club and there’s guys wanting my jersey. If I have one bad week, they’re going take it. So I just have to get my job done so I can keep my jersey for as long as I can.”

The 22-year old is off-contract at the end of this season and his emergence into the top grade already has rival clubs circling. Another impressive showing against St George Illawarra will only raise his stocks even further.

But Okunbor revealed he is close to extending his time at the Belmore club.

“My manager is sorting that stuff out and we are pretty confident in getting a deal done sometime soon, I hope. This has been home since I was 13 and it’s where I see my future,” he said.

“With my debut, it’s perfect timing for me and they’ve [the club] seen what I can do and I feel like they want me a bit more.”

Okunbor has embraced the constant comparisons to former Bulldogs star and cult hero Jamal Idris. Okubor and Idris both have Nigerian heritage and strike a physical resemblance. But the Bulldogs winger is ready to be his own man.

“It’s understandable, I can see why people do it. But I want to make my own name and I think I’m on the way to doing that.

‘I have never met him but we’ve spoken a fair bit, he congratulated me on my debut.

“I’ve had a few messages like ‘oh you’re like Jamal Idris’ and I just get back to them and say ‘Nah, Nah I’m Jayden Okunbor’.”

Originally published as Canterbury rookie Jayden Okunbor eager to build on his hot start