Newly appointed Roosters assistant Jason Ryles has explained how he ended up taking the opportunity to coach under Trent Robinson.
Having spent time as a player with Sydney in 2010 and ’11, Ryles explained that he and then Roosters assistant Robinson hit it off and formed a relationship from that point.
He believes his chats with Robinson a decade ago helped land him his new role at the club.
“In 2010, he (Robinson) was Smithy’s assistant,” Ryles said on SEN 1170 Drive with Joel and Fletch.
“He’s only two years older than me, I was a bit of a go to obviously, not as a snitch, obviously, but to help who’s tracking and all of that.
“We just hit it off well, I don’t know why, because he’s way smarter than I am, but we shared a lot of the same interests and that sort of thing.
“Because our names a ‘R’ (Robinson and Ryles) we always had to sit next to each other on flights and talk … we ended up getting on well so that was the connection there.”
Coming from stints as an assistant with both the Melbourne Storm and England national rugby union side, Ryles revealed that it was him who initially contacted Robinson about a potential role with the Roosters.
“I actually rang him once I knew Fitz (Craig Fitzgibbon) was going,” Ryles said.
“I knew this job (with England) with COVID and what I was kind of thinking with it, I spoke with Eddie (Jones) and I was really honest with him
“Yeah, so I sort of initiated this job from there.”
Ryles has inked a three-year deal as an assistant with the tri-colours that will see him through until the end of the 2024 season.