Blake Lawrie, a prop for the St George Illawarra Dragons, recently opened up about a challenging discussion he had with coach Shane Flanagan, who pointed out that Lawrie was the lowest-ranked prop on his NRL roster.
As the pace of the game continues to accelerate, traditional forward players are essential to adapt and develop a more agile playing style.
Following an end-of-season evaluation, Flanagan shared his views with Lawrie, who is determined to return as a more athletic player and reclaim his starting position for the Red V.
This candid feedback motivated Lawrie to invest significant effort into his training over the summer. Speaking with the Daily Telegraph, he acknowledged that while the conversation was tough, it reignited his competitive drive for the offseason.
"He was honest and said 'mate you're the last front-rower on my list in the squad,'" Lawrie recalled. "I was like holy… It hurt me.
"It was a tough conversation but I thanked him for looking out for my career.
"I got left behind the last 18 to 24 months in terms of how fast the game has gotten. The game has changed. It's harder for bigger men. A lot of people were drifting out of the game. Hopefully I've done the work in the off-season that I am not one of them."
In their discussions, Lawrie and Flanagan addressed his participation in a specialized training program set apart from the NRL squad to enhance his athletic skills, which started in October.
The Wollongong junior successfully shed 12 kilograms of fat while adding four kilograms of muscle during the offseason.