Blake Green: How I'm building a special relationship with Kodi Nikorima at the Warriors

Blake Green and Kodi Nikorima. Photo / Photosport

COMMENT

I've really enjoyed getting to know Kodi Nikorima over the past few weeks.

It's one of the keys to a successful partnership. In my position I need to know him as well as I can, both on and off the field.

It's helped rooming together on our last two away trips; there's nothing like living with someone to see their character.

We get on well, which is great, and he came to my place for dinner on Wednesday night, so we are not yet sick of each other!

I cooked, and Kodi was getting into me a bit, saying it looked like I was trying to be on Masterchef. But it was a fun night and he enjoyed meeting my family.

In the NRL there is much more of a science now about off field stuff, and that extends to rooming arrangements.

Back in the day you might be put with your best mate – or it was random – but there has been more thought put into it in recent years.

Often it is by position – a centre with their winger, or two players on the same edge, or a rookie with an old head.

You hear some funny stories but I've been lucky with my roommates; they've all been clean freaks, like me.

In Melbourne Cooper Cronk was extremely tidy – he always folds everything into his bag and there was no mess or rubbish anywhere.

I know a lot of people are quite intrigued about Cooper but he's a pretty normal guy.

In the early days he was pretty intense about diet and preparation, though what he did back then is more standard now.

But he was easy to get along with, and on the day of the game we always had music playing, and were having a chat and a laugh.

When I roomed with Daly Cherry-Evans at Manly the NRL was always on the television.

He loves watching footy. Cooper and I never really watched any games - we would put on a movie, a comedy, something else. But not Daly. He wanted to see his mates play for other teams and has it on all the time.

Kodi has been the most different. He's still young, only 25, still enjoys Playstation and loves his sleep. He doesn't get up early and has a big nap on game day. I find myself staying away, keeping to myself in the lobby and allow him to do his thing.

The win at Penrith last week was very satisfying. The Panthers are known as fast, aggressive starters, particularly at home and they came out hard.

For us to stay strong early and be able to keep them out was probably the winning of the game.

This week we have managed three field sessions, which has set us up well for a huge clash with the Broncos.

I know their coach Anthony Seibold well – he was an assistant at Melbourne when I was there – and he is building a fast, aggressive, agile team.

He's big on the effort based areas in the game and that is showing in their performances.

It will be special to mark the Indigenous round, and we also will be paying tribute to Kiwis legend Quentin Pongia.

We certainly want to do his legacy proud on Saturday.