Sydney Roosters co-captain Boyd Cordner has revealed the club had planned to rest him for more than the two games he missed before the COVID-19 shutdown.
But with the NRL on track to resume its season later this month, Cordner has vowed to play every single game for club and state for the rest of the year.
Cordner confirmed the club’s pre-season decision for him sit out the opening fortnight of the competition was due to load management.
“The plan was to miss a couple more games, to be honest,” Cordner said.
“It’s something that I’ve needed for a long time, just that proper off season, getting that load into my legs and body.
“I’ve had rep footy at the end of every year and I’ve slowly de-conditioned myself. That’s why I had a fair few niggling injuries throughout the last couple of years.”
However, with the Roosters losing both matches and the season reduced to 18 more rounds Cordner is determined to make up for lost time.
Having returned to group training this week after six weeks in isolation, the Kangaroos skipper declared himself recharged and injury-free.
“It’s a fresh start now coming in, the body’s rested,” he said.
“That break and having this time to just focus on myself and what I need to get done, it’s really helped. It’s given me a lot of confidence coming back in.”
Cordner also hoped the NRL retained the Roosters’ original round-three opponents, fierce rivals South Sydney, in the restructured schedule.
It would mark Latrell Mitchell’s first match against his former club since his controversial move to the Rabbitohs over the summer.
“It makes sense, doesn’t it? I’m not sure when the draw’s going to come out, but it does seem logical,” Cordner said.
“Any time we get to come up against South Sydney, it’s a game that we look forward to as a club and as players.”
The 27-year-old was unfazed about facing a gruelling schedule in 2020, with State of Origin being delayed until after the grand final in November.
The NSW captain also welcomed the prospect of playing three Origin games in as many weeks, instead of over the traditional six-week period.
“We can fully concentrate on that Origin series being back-to-back games. It shouldn’t be a problem at all,” he said.
“When you think of the hype around an Origin game and how much energy that takes out of you, that’ll probably the only thing, having that back-to-back.
“I’m pretty sure there’ll be a bigger squad coming in. It’s going to be fine.”