While the likes of Smith and Slater were finishing their World Cup duties and enjoying a hard earned rest, Scott found himself needing to step up and lead.
Whatever he did and said must have done the trick because the Storm have promoted him to their emerging leaders program and he was also re-signed until the end of the 2021 season.
Scott is joined by Kenny Bromwich, Cheyse Blair, Christian Welch, Joe Stimson and Addo-Carr who will work with Storm leadership coach Nick Maxwell and veteran prop Ryan Hoffman.
The much-celebrated program has helped much of the Storm’s team become better players and leaders around the club during recent seasons.
But while Scott admits he was more vocal in November and December, since entering the program he has shut his mouth, listened and learned.
“When you go into the room with those guys you learn a lot and I just shut my mouth and listen,” Scott said.
“They notice little things, you don’t even think they matter that much or are that wrong, but they notice them and nip them in the bud early so they don’t become bigger things.”
Scott admits he was surprised to be invited into the program so soon.
“It wasn’t something I was thinking of as I’m still pretty young,” Scott said.
“I came back to training and you look around the room and there was only Josh and myself there from the premiership side so there were times where you needed to say something or help the other guys along.
“But you don’t think about it at all as it’s a Craig Bellamy pre-season so all I was worried about was how much are we going to run today, how much are we going to lift or tackle and what else do they have for us to do.
“Getting through all of that is all you can think about at that time of year.”
The Storm host Wests Tigers at AAMI Park on Saturday night for their first home game of the season and Scott said his side knew they had much work ahead of them as they look to replicate last year’s premiership win.
“We have a lot of improvement to come,” Scott said.
The Storm play Wests Tigers at AAMI Park on Saturday at 7.30pm.
Comments disabled
Roy Ward is a Sports writer for The Age.
Morning & Afternoon Newsletter
Delivered Mon–Fri.
[contf] [contfnew] 
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
[contfnewc] [contfnewc]
