An ever-modest Ben Marchke says he is feeling right at home at the Sydney Roosters after a whirlwind start to his NRL career and is determined to lock down the starting hooker role on a long-term position after a handful of opportunities.
After amassing a mammoth 69 tackles against the Eels, second only to Nat Butcher with 70, Marschke says he is reaping the ownership of the no.9 jersey with the retirement of Jake Friend and absence of Sam Verrills and has credited his teammates for his transition from part-time player to full-time player.
“I've been pretty sore the last two days but I’m all good now, I like to hold myself as a hard worker,” he said.
“I’m probably not the most talented player, but hard work is what I really take pride in.
“I love starting. I’m grateful to be wearing the no.9 and I take pride in that each week when I go out there. I’ve got pretty big shoes to fill with Sammy and Friendy going so I’m just looking to do my best.
Round 10 Media - Ben Marschke
“It was pretty confronting coming from part-time football into full-time. I’ve had to learn pretty quick on the run, I’m just taking it week-by-week learning as much as I can.
“Teddy’s one of our great players but our whole game plan doesn’t revolve around him. We play as a team and I think that’s when we’re at our best – as a team when everyone’s doing their job properly. People like Teddy can jump on the back of that and play his type of footy."
Having arrived at the Club as a teenager where he rose through the grades, Marschke has made a return to the Tricolours after brief stints in NSW Cup, and praised the playing and coaching staff for his meteoric rise to first-grade.
“They’ve been so supportive through the whole process," he said after his whirlwind start to the year.
I love starting. I’m grateful to be wearing the no.9 and I take pride in that each week when I go out there. I’ve got pretty big shoes to fill with Sammy and Friendy going so I’m just looking to do my best.
Ben Marschke Roosters Hooker
“I think it’s just that they’re an inviting Club. They’re a Club that feels like home. Since I’ve been brought into first-grade that’s the thing I think of – it feels like home.
"It’s just the way the boys get around you, how they support you, even on the training field, talking you through everything. They just really give you confidence and they have belief in me which gives me confidence as a player, and so does Robbo.
“Robbo just says to play your game. We have a structure we stick to but at the end of the day you’ve just got to play footy and he’s said that's what's got me here so far so I’ve got to keep doing that."
The 23-year-old says that the cherry on top would be to play alongside twin brother Jesse, who also came through the pathways systems at the Club and was even named 18th man earlier in the season.
“That would be a dream,” he said.
“We always talked about that as kids, dreaming of that.
“If that could happen, we’d love it.”
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