North Queensland Toyota Cowboys five-eighth Te Maire Martin says he's primed for the "sizeable" challenge of taking on a top-four side when the team travels south to play the Sydney Roosters on Saturday night.
The fifth-placed Cowboys will be hosted by the second-placed Roosters in a mouth-watering battle between two in-form teams, and the enormity of the challenge is not lost on Martin, who is just three games into his Cowboys career after switching mid-season from the Penrith Panthers.
And it’s the actual size of the opposition that took Martin’s eye.
“They’ve got some big boys in their forward pack and I expect them to run at me … I would if the situation was reversed,” Martin said.
“When I was at the Panthers, we played them and I made something like 30 tackles that game.”
Martin added that giant front rowers Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Dylan Napa aside, the Roosters also boasted sizeable strike out wide in the form of imposing outside backs Daniel Tupou, Latrell Mitchell and Blake Ferguson.
But one key Rooster the 21-year-old Kiwi won’t have to worry about is hard-as-nails NSW Blues skipper Boyd Cordner, who is out with injury.
“One thing I learned from that game for the Panthers earlier in the season is that Cordner is a hard man to tackle,” Martin said.
Cowboys head coach Paul Green will see Martin and Cowboys halfback Michael Morgan team up for the fourth time this year as the new halves combination grows in confidence and stature with each game together.
Saturday’s game kicks off at 7.30pm – join the Southern Stampede in Bay 39 at Allianz Stadium to cheer the boys on! Tickets at ticketek.com.au.
