NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA – JULY 01: Titans players warm up during the round 16 NRL match between the Newcastle Knights and the Gold Coast Titans at McDonald Jones Stadium, on July 01, 2022, in Newcastle, Australia. (Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)
Aaron Booth isn’t exactly a household name as of yet, but give the hooker some time, and he’ll continue to show why his doubters dwindle with each game in the NRL.
Booth came through the South Sydney Rabbitohs system, playing alongside the likes of Angus Crichton and Siosifa Talakai while captaining the club’s Under 20s side, however the luxury of hookers on offer in Redfern drove Booth away from Sydney.
Between 2014 and 2017, the Rabbitohs had the likes of Issac Luke, Api Koroisau, Cameron McInnes, Robbie Farah and Damien Cook at the club at some point throughout those seasons.
So where does Booth eventually end up?
Where else than the Melbourne Storm, home to the likes of Cameron Smith, Harry Grant and Brandon Smith, which leaves you pondering which is better for a young hooker.
To go to a struggling club and play consistent first-grade at a young age, or sacrificing those early years of your career in order to play second-fiddle to a superstar you’ll learn from?
It’s like the old adage, you can have $100 right now, or you can wait a few years and be gifted $1000, Booth took the latter, and now it’s paying dividends.
Debuting in the final regular season match of 2020, Booth went on to play five NRL games in 2021 with the Storm before joining the Gold Coast for this season, making his Titans debut a fortnight ago.
Yet to taste victory with the club, Booth will have his eyes on the prize against Canberra this weekend when he plays his third consecutive game at hooker, and now he has a taste of the role, he wants to stay there for good.
“My headspace isn’t that I’m filling a role,” Booth told The Canberra Times.
“It’s definitely that that’s my role now and I definitely want to take that into the next five weeks, six weeks and then definitely into next year obviously.
“I feel like I can contribute to the team and help turn around what’s been a disappointing year, finish the year strong and then definitely going into next year I’d like to make that spot my own.”
Booth will once again don the number nine jersey this weekend, a crucial clash for both the Titans and Canberra at Cbus Super Stadium as the Gold Coast look to avoid the spoon, while the Raiders need to win to stay in the top eight hunt.
Source:: ZeroTackle
