This week’s guest on Behind The Roar is former Dragons’ winger Alex Lobb, who will make his first starting appearance in the NRL on Friday night in Wollongong.

Lobb, a 22-year-old Wollongong local, joined Wests Tigers in the off-season looking for an opportunity. 

He was unexpectedly called on to make his NRL debut in the team’s most recent match against the Cowboys in Townsville.

It was an unlikely debut with little fuss or fanfare in the lead up to the game.  As Alex explains, it was not how he thought it would happen, but he’s just stoked that it did.

His debut milestone was belatedly celebrated this week at the club, with his family on hand at the Zurich Centre on Tuesday to present Alex with his very first NRL jersey.

They will be there on Friday night too when Alex gets to run out in the starting side for the very first time, against of all sides his former club, and just up the road from home.

We chat to Lobby about his first 12 minutes in first grade, about his pathway to Wests Tigers after switching from soccer to league, and about how he’s enjoyed his first season at Concord despite the daily journey from the Gong.

We also dig a bit deeper into the mindset of a player and how he prepares for a match when named as 18th man.

Alex is living proof that you’ve got prepare as if you’re going to play, and you just never know, 18th man or not, you might even make your NRL debut!