'Emotions hit me': Collins desperate to repay Robbo's selfless gesture
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Lindsay Collins will never forget the moment coach Trent Robinson called him over following the 2018 grand final.
A 22-year-old prop in his second season of first grade, the forward was forced out of the matchday squad when Cooper Cronk completed his miraculous recovery from a fractured scapula.
Match Highlights: Roosters v Storm
Collins' contribution, however, was not lost on Robinson and the Roosters coach had a present for his prop in the wake of a 21-6 victory over the Storm.
"It still feels like yesterday," Collins told NRL.com. "I had gone back into the sheds early and just saw Robbo there.
"He shook my hand and said thank you and in his hand was the ring. The emotions hit me then and all the boys got around me. As a young forward it was just awesome to be there but to get that gesture from Robbo was amazing."
Match: Roosters v Knights
Grand Final -
home Team
Roosters
4th Position
away Team
Knights
7th Position
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
Twelve months later and Collins found himself in a similar position, the prop dropping out of the Roosters' grand final side after Jared Waerea-Hargreaves returned from suspension.
It's been seven long years before another shot at an NRL grand final has emerged with the Tricolours preparing to take on Newcastle in this Sunday's decider.
Now a leader in the Roosters pack, Collins is preparing to take the battle to a young Knights forward pack at Accor Stadium.
For all the individual success the 30-year-old has enjoyed throughout his career, a premiership ring of his own has eluded him.
It's a situation Collins is desperate to change on Sunday night.
"It's still pretty surreal that we're here now," Collins said. "It hit me a little bit after [last week's] game and then hit a bit more after the [Knights] game on Sunday. It's that realisation that it's actually happening.
"It would be so special to have one to sit with the 2018 ring. You have goals and dreams throughout your career and this is one of them. To tick that one off the list would be awesome."
Collins recognises how much his life has changed on and off the field in the past seven years.
The prop has got married and started a family while developing into a leader of the Roosters pack.
Lindsay Collins Try
Collins is also a mainstay in the Queensland and Australian representative teams and is set to line up for the Kangaroos at the upcoming Rugby League World Cup.
The chance to end a lengthy wait to feature in a grand final has provided Collins with a chance to reflect on the journey to this point and he will use past experience as fuel throughout Sunday's game.
"Being back here you reflect on those times and the journey you've taken," Collins said. "Those thoughts have gone through my head the last couple of days. All the ups and downs, the questions you ask yourself and the tough seasons you have, but then the joys of it all as well.
"It's a big mixing pot of emotions and I look back on the journey very fondly. I'm a big believer in everything happens for a reason and those reasons are why I'm here today."
After 4 weeks of thrilling finals, it all comes down to this. One play can define a season. These are the moments that matter. Don't miss a second of the action with kick-off at 7.30pm Sunday night live on Nine, 9Now and Sky Sports NZ.
