Robbie Rochow can’t wait to get back onto the park for the start of the NRL season following four months of training.
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The East Maitland Griffins junior, who made his senior debut with the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs, will run out for the Newcastle Knights when they host the New Zealand Warriors in their 2015 opener at Hunter Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
“I’m just looking forward to playing again,” Rochow told the Maitland Mercury.
“We started pre-season back in November so we have done a lot of training to get in shape and now it’s really exciting to have a game plan and to have something to focus on.”
The 24-year-old has been named to start in the second-row for new Knights coach Rick Stone and the NSW Country representative, who has been back at Newcastle since 2012 after two seasons with the Melbourne Storm, wants to make it a regular occurrence.
“It’s always nice to hear your name in the starting 13,” Rochow said.
“Now it’s my job to hold the spot and remain there for the rest of the year.”
Rochow said there has been uncertainty in the camp leading up to selections with Wayne Bennett’s replacement Stone wrestling with several key positions, including the omission of Australia’s youngest representative Sione Mata’utia for Joey Leilua and Dane Gagai in the centres.
“There has been a few guys on edge in the lead up but that’s not a bad thing,” Rochow said.
“There isn’t just a set 17 and players are fighting for positions.”
Kicking off the NRL season tonight will be defending champions South Sydney and the Broncos in Brisbane.
The Knights start at 4.30pm on Saturday.
In the lead up to the main game at Hunter Stadium on Saturday Maitland Junior Sportsperson of the Year finalist Brock Lamb will start at five-eighth for the Knights under 20s against the Warriors (noon) while Kurri Kurri connections Nathan Ross, Michael Steele and new recruit Theeran Pearson have been named in the NSW Cup side (2.10pm).
Elsewhere, West Maitland junior Sam Anderson will start from the bench for NSW Cup title holders Penrith against the Bulldogs at Pepper Stadium on Sunday (1.45pm).
In the meantime Rochow will be a guest speaker at tomorrow night’s Maitland Sportsperson of the Year awards along with Maitland Magpies signing and A-League veteran Matt Thompson.