Four-some Nat butchers Tigers to earn new Mr. Fix It tag

Despite sporting a bruise from a stray elbow under his left eye, nothing could take the shine of Nat Butcher’s four-try performance in the Sydney Roosters final game at the SCG.

In what is likely to be one of the hardest rugby league trivia questions of the future, Butcher — who had scored 12 tries in his previous 98 games — was a constant threat for the Wests Tigers defence and crossed the stripe in the 11th, 29th, 52nd and 72nd minutes.

His blossoming partnership with Sam Walker bookended the quartet, with the crafty No.7 serving up two of his tries from deft kicks. Luke Keary put the back-rower through for his second try and he was the beneficiary of a Joseph Suaalii grab off a bomb for his hat-trick.

It’s the first time he can remember crossing for four tries in a game.

But, as is his unassuming way, he was quick to downplay the achievement.

“Honestly I’m not really too fussed about it,” he said about the four-try haul.

“I was just happy to get the win in the way that we did. Our last night playing on the SCG, it was a big game for us and we knew how much it meant and we have loved it being our home for the past couple of seasons so to be able to play the way we did as a team that meant the most.

“I just get to be at the right place at the right time and playing with guys like Keary, Teddy [James Tedesco] and Sam Walker, opportunities like that are going to happen.”

It was left for Butcher’s coach and captain to shower the Roosters’ new Mr Fix-it with praise. 

“We’re really proud of Nat Butcher and the player he is and how hard he works. He has got the rewards this year. He is one of our players and we love the way that he plays,” coach Trent Robinson.

Said Tedesco: “He probably does a lot of the work that goes unnoticed. Defensively, a lot of those one per cent areas we know we’re going to get that out of Nat.”

After switching between a few different roles, Butcher said he is enjoying being part of the Roosters’ damaging right edge following the injury to Sitili Tupouniua which has yielded him seven tries in the past four games.

He said he is enjoying his combination with Walker heading into his 100th game next week against the Melbourne Storm.

“I enjoy playing with Sam Walker; he is a young kid and an exciting player and he has really come a long way since his debut so I am really enjoying it and I love playing with him,” he said.