Ben Roberts (rugby league)

Ben Roberts

Personal information
Full name	Benjamin Tapuloa Roberts
Born	(1985-07-08) 8 July 1985 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Height	173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Weight	94 kg (14 st 11 lb)
Playing information
Position	Five-eighth, Halfback, Hooker, Centre
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2006–11	Canterbury	93	10	0	1	41
2012–13	Parramatta Eels	37	2	1	0	10
2014	Melbourne Storm	18	2	3	0	14
2015–	Castleford Tigers	30	10	0	2	42
	Total	178	24	4	3	107
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2006–07	New Zealand	5	0	3	0	6
2008–14	Samoa	12	4	9	0	34
As of 25 September 2015
Source: Rugby League Project, Love Rugby League

Ben Roberts is an Australian professional rugby league player currently playing club football for the Castleford Tigers.

Background

Of Samoan descent, Roberts is the cousin of soccer players Tim Cahill and Chris Cahill. He was educated at John Therry Catholic High School, Rosemeadow, and Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield, alongside Sharks centre Dean Collis.

Playing career

Joining the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in 2006 as a five-eighth, Roberts was originally recruited from Western Suburbs Magpies before became a regular member of the NSWRL Premier League team. In 2007 he has started in halfback in the early rounds due to injury to regular playmaker Brent Sherwin. With Sherwin's return from injury and form, Roberts was shifted to five-eighth.

He made his second international appearance for the New Zealand Kiwis on Friday 20 April at the 2007 ANZAC Test against the Australia national rugby league team in Brisbane.

He was named in the New Zealand and Samoan extended training squads for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. In the end he was selected in the Samoan squad for the tournament.

5 years later he was selected for Samoa in April 2013, for a test match against Tonga in Penrith, New South Wales. Later in the year he was selected for Samoa again, but this time for their 2013 Rugby League World Cup campaign. He featured in all 4 games that the Samoans played, scoring two tries. He scored one try against heavyweights New Zealand in an entertaining 42-24 defeat. He scored his second try in Samoa's 38-4 thrashing of The Kumuls.

On 23 January 2014, it was announced he had signed on with the Melbourne Storm for the 2014 season.

In Round 1 of the 2014 NRL season, Roberts made his debut for the Melbourne Storm against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.

On 7 October 2014, Roberts was selected in the Samoa national rugby league team 24 man squad for the 2014 Four Nations series.

Super League Career

On the 7th of July 2014, It was confirmed that Ben Roberts signed a contract to play for the Super League club Castleford Tigers in 2015.

He played his first Super League game against the Catalans Dragons in the second round of the season. He scored his first Super League try against the Warrington Wolves in Round 9.

Ben has been somewhat of a utility player for Castleford in 2015. He has played stand off, centre, hooker and fullback so far.

Ben scored in Castlefords opening home fixture against Wakefield in round 2 of the 2016 season.

Club	Season	Super League					Challenge Cup					Total
		Apps	Tries	Goals	Drop Goals	Points	Apps	Tries	Goals	Drop Goals	Points	Apps	Tries	Goals	Drop Goals	Points
Castleford Tigers	2015	24	9	0	2	38	1	0	0	0	0	25	9	0	2	38
Career total		24	9	0	2	38	1	0	0	0	0	25	9	0	2	38

As of 25 September 2015

External links

• Bulldogs profile
• Players to watch - Ben Roberts (Samoa)