There’s blended news for the Roosters forward of their historic conflict with the Dolphins subsequent week, with Luke Keary and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves anticipated to be match whereas Joseph Manu and Angus Crichton stay unsure.
Manu remains to be recovering from a facial fracture suffered in the course of the workforce’s pre-season journey to Queenstown when he collided arduous with new recruit Junior Pauga.
The Roosters would like to have the Golden Boot winner on deck for subsequent Sunday’s season opener, however they received’t rush him given he hasn’t began doing any contact work at coaching.
“I’m not sure. Obviously, that’s the goal, but if not round 1, then I should be there round 2,” the strike centre mentioned because the membership introduced a brand new sponsorship take care of Hyundai.
“I’m looking to try to get ready but I haven’t done any contact yet, so I’m taking it day by day.
“The bone is still healing, so I can’t do any contact because I don’t want to get another break.
“I just went in for a tackle off my edge and one of the boys turned outwards and got me right on the side there. I felt it straight away. I was coming in with a bit of speed, so the impact hit it pretty hard.
“It was one of the young boys, Junior Pauga. He was playing centre and I tried to shoot in on him. I think the ball went behind him, so he turned and I went straight into his elbow.
“I got stunned and felt it. I felt the indent because it was pretty pushed in. It felt similar to how this one was pushed in, so I just walked off the field and knew I was done.”
Manu mentioned this harm was on the opposite aspect of the face and wasn’t as graphic because the harm that ended his 2021 marketing campaign when Latrell Mitchell received him excessive in probably the most explosive moments of the yr.
That harm required a plate that’s nonetheless in place, however this one doesn’t seem as critical with Manu in a position to take care of the ache for a number of days earlier than he flew again to Sydney for surgical procedure.
“Once I felt it, I thought I fractured my face. It felt the same (as the Mitchell tackle) and my ears were ringing. I walked off the field, saw the coach and then sat down,” mentioned Manu, who was restricted to consuming ice cream and jelly as he recovered.
“After an hour or two I knew it wasn’t that bad because I was out on the field just watching. I was waiting for the hospital but it took a while, so I was just watching the boys train. I didn’t take any painkillers, so I was sweet.”
The Roosters don’t have to rush Manu again given their unimaginable roster that ought to embrace Keary for spherical 1 as he continues to recuperate from a knock to the jaw at coaching.
The playmaker sat out each pre-season matches and missed out on the prospect to get some sport time with halves associate Sam Walker, however Keary is again at coaching and anticipated to tackle the Dolphins.
“He’s always pretty closed and doesn’t give us much, but every time I ask he says he’s sweet and there are no dramas. I’ve just got to take his word for that,” skipper James Tedesco mentioned.
“He’s back doing full training. He just got a bit of a scare, but there was no damage or repercussions from it. He just wanted the week off so he could relax a bit to get ready for a big year.”
Veteran prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has additionally overcome a again grievance and will probably be high-quality for spherical 1 because the Roosters look to make an early assertion earlier than their spherical 4 bye.
However, they could possibly be with out consultant again rower Angus Crichton for the beginning of the season, along with his teammates rallying round him as he continues to take care of private points.
“We’ve just been supporting him. Obviously, he’s going through some things at the moment. I can’t really go into details, but we’re all supporting him,” Tedesco mentioned.
“Hopefully, he can be back at training because he’s an important part of our family and he was one of the best back rowers in the game last year. We miss him and we want him playing with us because he adds a lot to our team.”
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
