Aiken relishing new focus on fun with the Roosters

Tarryn Aiken put on a clinic to help the Roosters post an impressive win against the Titans, with the five-eighth in fine form since making the move to her new club earlier this year.

Already an outstanding talent, her move to Sydney after playing the past four seasons with the Broncos has seen the Australian Jillaroos half find a new level to her football, with coach John Strange saying it was good to see her “having fun”.

“She’s obviously a big part of our side and how we want to play this year,” Strange said.

“We've been pretty open about how we are going to play with our halves and Corbs (Corban Baxter) both switching both sides and moving around.

“She's just having fun, every time I talk to her about footy, ‘how do you go?’, she’s ‘it's just so much fun out there’ and at the end of the day, that's what it's about, that’s why the girls play the game.”

Aiken, a former Tweed Seagulls player, said she enjoyed her ‘homecoming’ game on the Gold Coast in front of family and friends, and was able to showcase the style of play Strange wanted his team to play.

“(I am) having lots of fun playing and just the style he's playing, and the game style, it just allows me to have fun,” Aiken, who finished the game with a try, two try assists, a line break and three line break assists said.

However, she was also happy to take on the role of senior playmaker given her experience, but praised the contribution of Rooster halfback Jocelyn Kelleher in steering the attack.

“Obviously, I am taking a bit more ownership, but I think Joce plays a really important role for our team as well,” Aiken said.

“She's guiding everyone around the park and doing a lot of the kicking and getting us to places and frees it up a lot for me, so I can do what I am good at.

“I think for me, and Joce particularly, (Strange) wanted us both sides of the field, not just stuck to one side and getting to play on and off the ball, so we're not stuck doing one thing and I think it really plays to both of our strengths.

“We're both very big runners as well, but ball players too, so it's worked really well for us.”

After suffering a loss in Round 2 against newcomers the Raiders led by former Rooster Zahara Temara, the Tricolours have since found the form many predicted them to show through the season and are expected to feature prominently in the finals.

However, while the side were building well, Aiken didn’t want too look too far beyond this week’s upcoming match against the Tigers.

“We're just focusing on staying in the top four at the moment and taking each game as it comes,” Aiken said. 

“We've probably learned the hard way of not showing up for games early on in the season.

“But since then, we've really been good each game and just taking the week as it is.”