Dylan Clark's strong work ethic turns him into Roosters success story

Standing on a wet Kootingal Recreation Reserve, its new lights illuminating his rain-mugged dark, shaggy mop, Roosters winger Dylan Clark revealed that when he's not training and playing footy he likes nothing better than busting his hump as a concreter.

"I like work, as funny as that sounds," said the 22-year-old, who is amiable and has an easy smile.

"Far out, dude, it's great," he added, in reference to concreting. "Best thing ever, I reckon."

Unsurprisingly, Clark has often been told he is a throwback.

"A lot of people say that it's hard to find in a young bloke," he said of his strong work ethic - which was instilled when, as a teenager, he helped his stepfather Ian Blowes on a Somerton farm that Blowes managed.

Clark has employed that work ethic to regain his fitness and his starting spot at Kooty, after a serious knee injury derailed his debut season at the club last year and resulted in his weight ballooning.

And at Kootingal on Sunday afternoon, he lined up on the wing as the Roosters won their fourth straight match with a 28-16 defeat of Boggabri.

The former Pirates junior, who had a short-lived first-grade stint with Collegian Warriors, has rediscovered his love for footy at Kootingal-Moonbi - lured there by schoolmates such as Jack Anderson and Nic Zahra.

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"He does look after himself," Kooty president Lad Jones said of Clark after the Roos encounter. "We trained here Tuesday, Thursday and Friday this week, and he turned up the three days - and he didn't have to turn up Thursday.

"He always does the extras, and has a good attitude, a good attitude."

Kooty sit second on the ladder, equal on points with competition leaders Moree.

They led 18-0 at half-time against the fifth-placed Kangaroos, who lost for the second time this season.

Clark said: "I think the first half was probably our best first half this year, defensive wise. [Kooty coach Geoff] Sharpe says our attack comes off the back of our defence, and I think that showed today."

Kooty struck first when hard-running No 12 Logan Howard crashed over in the 14th minute. He scored another strong try in the 60th minute that extended the Roosters' lead to 28-6.

The home side's other first-half tries, which laid the platform for the win, were posted by No 4 Ethan Parry - whose big step inside the Roos' 20m zone propelled him to the tryline, and No 9 Kurt Hartmann - whose deadly dummy-half darts are a common sight.

In the 42nd minute, Parry - who played two games for the Eels in 2019 - climbed high to pull in a bomb by No 7 Sam Taylor - a double act that may become a common sight. Taylor converted and the Roosters led 24-0.

Boggabri are no joke. So it was unsurprising to see them grit their teeth and fight back through tries to No 15 Jay Urquhart, the always-dangerous No 3 Robert Doolan and No 10 Nick Lyons.

ROOSTERS 28 (Logan Howard 2, Ethan Parry 2, Kurt Hartmann tries; Sam Taylor 4 goals) d KANGAROOS 16 (Jay Urquhart, Rob Doolan, Nick Lyons tries; Doolan 2 goals). Group 4 best and fairest: 3 Hartmann (K), 2 Nick Millar (B), 1 Howard (K).

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