Super Freak
International Captain
Forum Staff
- Jan 25, 2014
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Wayne Bennett will give him all the time he needs to find his lightning fast feet but Broncos teammate Darius Boyd says he will take it upon himself to get excitement machine James Roberts more involved.
Although the Bronocs have begun their 2016 campaign with wins over the Eels and the Warriors Roberts has been unable to find the time and space that netted him a club-record 16 tries for the Titans in 2015.
That is of absolutely no concern to coach Bennett who will show Roberts the same faith that he extended to Anthony Milford and Adam Blair last season but Boyd is aware there is a talent not yet being fully utilised.
Boyd gave the presence of Roberts on his outside credit for his second half try that iced the 25-10 win against the Warriors but did admit that he and the rest of the Brisbane playmakers need to find ways to get 'The Jet' into space.
"I don't think I would have scored that try if we didn't have Jimmy in the centres to be honest," Boyd said.
"I know they had some injuries and some other guys went out there for them but if there's someone else out there I don't know if that guy would have slid off.
"Sometimes it doesn't come your way when you play in the centres. Last week we really attacked the left side so it was away from him and that just happens some days.
"It's going to take time but he's doing his part for the team and that's all you can ask."
Over the course of the first two weeks of the season Roberts has had 17 runs for a total of 110 metres but has made 30 tackles and missed just two lining up against Michael Jennings and Solomone Kata.
Having only joined the Broncos in December much of Roberts' transition to his new surroundings has been spent shoring up his defence on Brisbane's right-hand side, Boyd confident his impact in attack will soon be felt.
"It's going to take time. Last year it took time when Milford came on board and it took time to gel and it's the same with Jimmy," said Boyd, whose try on Friday night was just his seventh in his past 34 NRL games.
"We've got to try and get him more ball and work out what the best way is to do that but in the meantime he's coming in and doing the runs and doing his part for the team.
"He was the Gold Coast's main weapon and we're very lucky here to have a whole heap of them so we don't have to rely on him which is a positive.
"In saying that, we still want to get him some good ball and we want to see him in space and doing what he can do.
"As long as he's coming in and getting those runs and working hard that's all we can ask.
"He looks likely in a couple of those runs that he's had, it's just going to take a bit of time."
Boyd's mission to get 'The Jet' involved - NRL.com
Although the Bronocs have begun their 2016 campaign with wins over the Eels and the Warriors Roberts has been unable to find the time and space that netted him a club-record 16 tries for the Titans in 2015.
That is of absolutely no concern to coach Bennett who will show Roberts the same faith that he extended to Anthony Milford and Adam Blair last season but Boyd is aware there is a talent not yet being fully utilised.
Boyd gave the presence of Roberts on his outside credit for his second half try that iced the 25-10 win against the Warriors but did admit that he and the rest of the Brisbane playmakers need to find ways to get 'The Jet' into space.
"I don't think I would have scored that try if we didn't have Jimmy in the centres to be honest," Boyd said.
"I know they had some injuries and some other guys went out there for them but if there's someone else out there I don't know if that guy would have slid off.
"Sometimes it doesn't come your way when you play in the centres. Last week we really attacked the left side so it was away from him and that just happens some days.
"It's going to take time but he's doing his part for the team and that's all you can ask."
Over the course of the first two weeks of the season Roberts has had 17 runs for a total of 110 metres but has made 30 tackles and missed just two lining up against Michael Jennings and Solomone Kata.
Having only joined the Broncos in December much of Roberts' transition to his new surroundings has been spent shoring up his defence on Brisbane's right-hand side, Boyd confident his impact in attack will soon be felt.
"It's going to take time. Last year it took time when Milford came on board and it took time to gel and it's the same with Jimmy," said Boyd, whose try on Friday night was just his seventh in his past 34 NRL games.
"We've got to try and get him more ball and work out what the best way is to do that but in the meantime he's coming in and doing the runs and doing his part for the team.
"He was the Gold Coast's main weapon and we're very lucky here to have a whole heap of them so we don't have to rely on him which is a positive.
"In saying that, we still want to get him some good ball and we want to see him in space and doing what he can do.
"As long as he's coming in and getting those runs and working hard that's all we can ask.
"He looks likely in a couple of those runs that he's had, it's just going to take a bit of time."
Boyd's mission to get 'The Jet' involved - NRL.com