A TWO-TIME NRL Academic Team of the Year member, Robbie Rochow returned to his junior club the Newcastle Knights in 2012 after three seasons at the Melbourne Storm.

The backrower, who didn’t miss an NRL match throughout the 2013 and 2014 seasons, remains committed to his professional rugby league career whilst studying a bachelor of civil engineering at the university.

Mr Rochow made his senior representative debut in 2014 when he played for Country in the annual City-Country Origin match.

His selection in the NRL Academic Team of the Year in 2013 and 2014 highlights a long-standing commitment to finishing his degree.

In an interview with Knights TV, Mr Rochow acknowledged the challenges of study but also mentioned the positive benefits of having a focus outside of football.

“The scheduling is one of the major challenges I’ve had with it, but over five or six years of studying you learn good habits and ways to get around it,” he says.

“It’s something that keeps me healthy.” 

A finalist for the 2013 University of Newcastle Sports Person of the Year Award, Mr Rochow looks likely to form the cornerstone of the Newcastle Knights forward pack for years to come.