New Bulldog Blake makes fullback job his No.1 priority

Canterbury recruit Blake Taaffe knows he has a fight on his hands to secure the No.1 jersey but is adamant a positional battle will bring out his best in the pre-season.

Fresh off his NRL State Championship victory with the Rabbitohs, Taaffe revealed the race for the starting fullback role is wide open with the 24-year-old ready to fight it out for the prized position against fellow 2024 recruit Stephen Crichton.

While Crichton's status stands as a three-time premiership winning, World Cup and State of Origin outside back, the former South Sydney utility said there’s no position he’d rather be in than pushing against the odds for a starting spot next season.

“Cirro (Cameron Ciraldo) said that we’re pretty much going there both for the same spot but it’ll be up to whoever trains the best,” Taaffe told NRL.com.  

“I’ve been in this position before and there’s no better position to be in, it makes you train harder, be hungrier and I’m really looking forward to it.

“I've been given an opportunity to go over there and give it a red-hot crack and he said if I can prove them wrong, then the position is mine.

“But I’ve got to go over there and earn the respect from the team and the coaching staff so that’s what I’m going to do and can’t wait.”

The La Perouse junior became the least experienced grand final player when he filled in for a suspended Latrell Mitchell at fullback in 2021 but couldn’t cement a spot in Jason Demetriou’s side in the years since, playing just ten NRL games this season.

Capable at playing both in the halves and at fullback, Taaffe said he is grateful to have learnt off some of the game’s biggest stars but when Canterbury came knocking, he knew he was ready to call a jersey his own.

“Obviously I’ve been stuck behind the big fella here and only getting to play when he was injured," he said.

“Latrell (Mitchell) and Cody (Walker) both, I’ve been their apprentice the past four years and to be able to go out and do my own thing now, I’m really looking forward to it.

“There’s a great bunch of boys at Souths who I call my brothers and it's going to be sad leaving them but on to a bigger and better challenge and something I’m really looking forward to.”

After suffering a head knock in the early stages of South Sydney’s season-ending loss to the Roosters in Round 27, Taaffe returned to help his side take out the NSW Cup grand final in September.

Donning the famous red and green of South Sydney for the last time in Sunday’s State Championship at Accor stadium, Taaffe said one last win with the Rabbitohs was the “best way possible” to farewell his junior club.

“We've had a crazy year of ups and downs through both grades but to have finished on this note is pretty special," he said.

“It was an emotional week. I had my dad come in and present me my jersey so once he did that, it sort of hit me then that this was it but it’s been an unreal week and there’s no better way to finish it off.

“I’ve got a couple of weeks off so I’m just going to refresh, get away from footy for a bit so I can come back and hit the ground running with my new club.”