Hail Sezer
21-06-14, 04:59 PM
The Gold Coast Titans could be the third and final chance troubled kid James Roberts needs
Travis Meyn
The Gold Coast Bulletin
June 21, 2014
12:01am
http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2014/06/20/1226961/838127-5cb12f54-f82c-11e3-9b4b-c275dbac2021.jpg
AS he sips on a flat white at a Coolangatta cafe, James Roberts the quietly spoken speedster starts to open up.
Roberts knows that he is quickly running out of opportunities. The 21-year-old is at his third NRL club and there are only so many *chances you get, no matter how great a talent you are.
“Growing up in the eastern suburbs (of Sydney), all my mates have got different lives to me,” Roberts said.
“It took me a while to understand I can’t do the same things they do which is what got me in trouble.
“I’m waking up to myself. I realise there’s no chances after this.”
Roberts arrived at his last chance saloon, the Gold Coast Titans, from Penrith in April.
His Titans debut on Monday night was just his 17th NRL game since debuting for South Sydney in 2011, such has been the roller-coaster ride of his career.
Roberts lived a tough childhood. He moved out of his parents’ home when he was nine to live with a family friend at Burleigh Heads.
He found his feet under the guidance of uncle Amos Roberts, a former Sydney Roosters star, and was signed by the Rabbitohs as a 14-year-old.
His South Sydney career broke down after 10 matches and Roberts seemingly found stability at Penrith where he lived with his mother, Zianna, and three younger brothers.
But when everything was looking rosy, Roberts suffered a serious ankle injury in February which sent him on a downward spiral.
Roberts was placed on strict club-imposed conditions after an alcohol-fuelled incident in January ended with a taxi window being smashed and Penrith later decided to cut ties.
“It was a tough time,” he said. “I lost interest. You’ve got to have people around you to get through it. I’ve got plenty of that up here.”
One of those people is *Titans teammate, cousin and housemate Caleb Binge.
Binge and Roberts are an unlikely duo — the former is accustomed to bashing and crashing in the forward pack while many believe Roberts has the attributes of a true rugby league star.
But they feel fate is what brought them together again when Roberts was in need.
Binge was driving 15 minutes every morning from his Tweed Heads home to *Bilambil to pick up Roberts for training when he first arrived at the Titans before they recently decided to move in together.
The 20-year-old Binge made his NRL debut against the Storm and said it was fitting it was alongside Roberts, who he played his first game of football with for the Ballina Seagulls.
“We started together when we were five in under-7s. We played under-7s for three years,” Binge said.
“I’d do this little short kick-off. I’d get it as high as I could and James would run through because he had the speed, catch it then run the rest of the field and score.’’
Roberts made an impres*sive start to his Titans career, busting six tackles, running for 116m and scoring a try against the Storm.
He will start at right centre against the Dragons tomorrow and said there is improvement left in him.
http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/nrl/the-gold-coast-titans-could-be-the-third-and-final-chance-troubled-kid-james-roberts-needs/story-fnj9yd9w-1226961838155
Travis Meyn
The Gold Coast Bulletin
June 21, 2014
12:01am
http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2014/06/20/1226961/838127-5cb12f54-f82c-11e3-9b4b-c275dbac2021.jpg
AS he sips on a flat white at a Coolangatta cafe, James Roberts the quietly spoken speedster starts to open up.
Roberts knows that he is quickly running out of opportunities. The 21-year-old is at his third NRL club and there are only so many *chances you get, no matter how great a talent you are.
“Growing up in the eastern suburbs (of Sydney), all my mates have got different lives to me,” Roberts said.
“It took me a while to understand I can’t do the same things they do which is what got me in trouble.
“I’m waking up to myself. I realise there’s no chances after this.”
Roberts arrived at his last chance saloon, the Gold Coast Titans, from Penrith in April.
His Titans debut on Monday night was just his 17th NRL game since debuting for South Sydney in 2011, such has been the roller-coaster ride of his career.
Roberts lived a tough childhood. He moved out of his parents’ home when he was nine to live with a family friend at Burleigh Heads.
He found his feet under the guidance of uncle Amos Roberts, a former Sydney Roosters star, and was signed by the Rabbitohs as a 14-year-old.
His South Sydney career broke down after 10 matches and Roberts seemingly found stability at Penrith where he lived with his mother, Zianna, and three younger brothers.
But when everything was looking rosy, Roberts suffered a serious ankle injury in February which sent him on a downward spiral.
Roberts was placed on strict club-imposed conditions after an alcohol-fuelled incident in January ended with a taxi window being smashed and Penrith later decided to cut ties.
“It was a tough time,” he said. “I lost interest. You’ve got to have people around you to get through it. I’ve got plenty of that up here.”
One of those people is *Titans teammate, cousin and housemate Caleb Binge.
Binge and Roberts are an unlikely duo — the former is accustomed to bashing and crashing in the forward pack while many believe Roberts has the attributes of a true rugby league star.
But they feel fate is what brought them together again when Roberts was in need.
Binge was driving 15 minutes every morning from his Tweed Heads home to *Bilambil to pick up Roberts for training when he first arrived at the Titans before they recently decided to move in together.
The 20-year-old Binge made his NRL debut against the Storm and said it was fitting it was alongside Roberts, who he played his first game of football with for the Ballina Seagulls.
“We started together when we were five in under-7s. We played under-7s for three years,” Binge said.
“I’d do this little short kick-off. I’d get it as high as I could and James would run through because he had the speed, catch it then run the rest of the field and score.’’
Roberts made an impres*sive start to his Titans career, busting six tackles, running for 116m and scoring a try against the Storm.
He will start at right centre against the Dragons tomorrow and said there is improvement left in him.
http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/nrl/the-gold-coast-titans-could-be-the-third-and-final-chance-troubled-kid-james-roberts-needs/story-fnj9yd9w-1226961838155