When Scott Prince was signing a "lifetime" deal with the Gold Coast Titans earlier this year, Jeff Robson was contemplating whether he had a life in rugby league at all.

The understudy halfback at Parramatta, 27-year-old Robson has played second or even third fiddle ever since he made his NRL debut for Manly in 2004.

But fortune has favoured the battler from Leeton, NSW, with the early season release of Brett Finch handing Robson the first-grade opportunity he spent six years waiting for.

Now, after 16 consecutive NRL games as starting halfback for the Eels, he is confident he has a future in the top grade and will lead Parramatta into a semi-final battle with Prince's Titans at Sydney Football Stadium on Friday night.

"To be honest I was just hoping to get a handful of games this year and I've been lucky enough now to play I think 18 or 19 games now," said Robson.

"All I sort of needed was an opportunity to get some games back to back and build confidence."

While Robson is far from the flashiest halfback, he doesn't need to be spectacular in a side boasting the attacking genius of Jarryd Hayne and young gun Daniel Mortimer.

So anonymous was Robson out at Parramatta, the car parking attendant refused to believe he was a player when he arrived at the gates for a game earlier this year.

Not any more.

Robson has been the rock-solid player coach Daniel Anderson has needed while the likes of Hayne and Mortimer add the polish to their golden run.

Robson said the stunning turnaround individually and as a club has meant he has aborted plans to quit the NRL at the end of 2009, and he is negotiating another deal with the Eels.

"Yeah I was thinking about at the end of the season if it didn't work out I'd get a good job," said Robson.

"I would probably play park footy next year but hopefully I can get something worked out with Parra next year and it's all good.

"I'm pretty much sorted but I haven't signed on the dotted line yet.

"It's all about playing footy at the moment and I will sort it out later.

"Hopefully we can get those couple of wins to the grand final."

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