Roosters and Kangaroos back-rower Boyd Cordner says it is a humbling experience to play alongside a core of players that are now being spoken about as one of the greatest Australian outfits ever assembled.
Speaking after the side's 30-18 Trans-Tasman Test win over New Zealand at Allianz Stadium – Cordner's third Test match and first on home soil – the 21-year-old said the build-up and experience during the week leading up the game had been "crazy".
"Just being in the side, especially playing on my home ground, in front of my family, in [my home] country, it's definitely one I'll never forget," he said.
He added that taking the field alongside the likes of Johnathan Thurston, Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk, Billy Slater and others was "pretty humbling".
"I'm just taking it as it comes. There are some great players in the team and it's unreal to play alongside them," he said.
Cordner said that although he hadn't been happy personally with his start to the season he was now pleased with his form.
"I'm happy with how I'm playing; it was just the start of the year when we started off but other than that I'm happy with my form and I'm happy with how I've come along," he said.
"And obviously as a team tonight we didn't start off how we wanted to but the second half was a lot better."
He said he expected the inexperienced Kiwis outfit to take plenty of confidence from their strong performance for the end of year Four Nations tournament, where he declared they would be stronger again.
"We were expecting that. As soon as they put on that jersey ... they're a quality team and they've got strike everywhere, they played really good and full credit to them but I thought it was very good how we responded in the second half and came home in the end," he said.
"It was really satisfying, it's always good to win these sorts of games, it's unreal."
Speaking after the side's 30-18 Trans-Tasman Test win over New Zealand at Allianz Stadium – Cordner's third Test match and first on home soil – the 21-year-old said the build-up and experience during the week leading up the game had been "crazy".
"Just being in the side, especially playing on my home ground, in front of my family, in [my home] country, it's definitely one I'll never forget," he said.
Watch the NRL LIVE with a 2-week free trial.
Get the NRL Digital Pass now!
He added that taking the field alongside the likes of Johnathan Thurston, Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk, Billy Slater and others was "pretty humbling".
"I'm just taking it as it comes. There are some great players in the team and it's unreal to play alongside them," he said.
Cordner said that although he hadn't been happy personally with his start to the season he was now pleased with his form.
"I'm happy with how I'm playing; it was just the start of the year when we started off but other than that I'm happy with my form and I'm happy with how I've come along," he said.
"And obviously as a team tonight we didn't start off how we wanted to but the second half was a lot better."
He said he expected the inexperienced Kiwis outfit to take plenty of confidence from their strong performance for the end of year Four Nations tournament, where he declared they would be stronger again.
"We were expecting that. As soon as they put on that jersey ... they're a quality team and they've got strike everywhere, they played really good and full credit to them but I thought it was very good how we responded in the second half and came home in the end," he said.
"It was really satisfying, it's always good to win these sorts of games, it's unreal."
