Roberts' debt of gratitude to his uncle Amos

Broncos centre James Roberts used to go to St George Illawarra training sessions with his uncle Amos Roberts and when he runs out against the Dragons on Thursday it will be with a debt of gratitude to the former Dally M winger of the year.

Last year Roberts told NRL.com that he had spent the morning of game two of the Holden State of Origin series at his uncle Amos' home in Sydney in a bid to take his mind off one of the biggest games of his career.

NSW went on to win the match, and the series, with Roberts an integral member of the side.

The Broncos centre touched on his uncle's influence on him at the time.

It was a subject he revisited with NRL.com as he prepares to play his next two games against two of the clubs Amos starred for in his 177-game NRL career.

It was early days as a schoolboy under Amos' guidance that convinced Roberts about the heights to which he wanted to take his career.

"My uncle Amos paved the way for me and showed me what I wanted from a young age. I feel very blessed to be able to do what he did himself and play rugby league for a living," Roberts told NRL.com.

"Since early on in my career he has always been a great role model. He didn't drink much at all. He was a real professional and it eventually rubbed off me. I wanted to be like him.

"When he was at the Roosters I used to live with him and go to training with him, and before that when he was at St George and I had my school holidays [with him].

"He was pretty strict. I remember I had to be home before the street lights came on otherwise I'd be in trouble and be grounded, and that was good for me. I am still very close to my uncle Amos. He is down in Sydney but I still give him a call every fortnight to catch up and have a yarn."

Roberts scored a double in the 29-10 win over the Cowboys after recovering from a back injury sustained against the Storm and is confident he will be fit to take on the Dragons at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night.

"I had twinged one of the discs in my back [against Melbourne] but it came good pretty quickly," he said.

"It is just a bit stiff. I’ll get a bit of physio done during the week and I will be ready to go.

"It is always good to cross the line, but it all came from the defence in the first half. I think we controlled the game pretty well and bounced back [from the loss to the Storm] really well. Hopefully, we can keep the winning streak going."

Roberts said he was relishing the "Blues brotherhood" at the Broncos with Tevita Pangai jnr, Payne Haas, Kotoni Staggs, Matt Lodge and Jack Bird all in NSW coach Brad Fittler's plans.

Pangai and Bird polled three and two Dally M points respectively from judge Wally Lewis in the win over the Cowboys to give their Blues hopes a lift.

"There are a few more of us each year and we try and get together and have a coffee," Roberts said of the NSW contingent.

"You saw what sort of player [Pangai] is and what he can do. He's a special talent and hopefully he does get a Blues jersey this year.

"If Birdy keeps playing the way he is then it will be hard not to pick him as well."