In 2004, Atkins travelled to the United Kingdom as a member of the Australian Universities rugby league team.

[4] Atkins made his first-grade début against the North Queensland Cowboys in round one of the National Rugby League (NRL) 2008 season.

Atkin's tally of four tries in that match equalled the standing record for most tries in an Australian first grade début set by Johnno Stuntz for Eastern Suburbs début 1908 season, which was the first match of the opening game of rugby league in Australia, and later Canterbury Bankstown's Tony Nash in the 1942 season.

[7] Atkins played 12 games for Parramatta in the 2011 NRL season as the club narrowly avoided the wooden spoon.

Parramatta managed to avoid the dreaded award by beating Atkins former club the Gold Coast in the final round of the year.