GOSFORD, AUSTRALIA – MAY 26: Nat Butcher of the Roosters is tackled during the round 12 NRL match between the Sydney Roosters and the Gold Coast Titans at Central Coast Stadium on May 26, 2018 in Gosford, Australia. (Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images)
The Sydney Roosters have failed to name 21 players for this week’s clash against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, with the club’s injury crisis worsening.
The Roosters have plunged from one disaster to the next throughout 2021 in terms of injuries, yet, the club still sit in the top four, with a chance of a much-needed double chance come the finals.
Last Sunday’s topsy-turvy victory over the St George Illawarra Dragons has come at a cost though, with Nat Butcher and Dale Copley the next two players set to be ruled out for an extended period of time.
It means Brad Abbey comes into this week’s side on the wing, while Lachlan Lam will play in the centres, the Roosters then being forced to name an incredibly inexperienced bench of Ben Marschke (10 games), Naufahu Whyte (1 game), Fletcher Baker (13 games) and Ben Thomas (3 games), with the reserves then being Moala Graham-Taufa (0 games), Tuku Hau Tapuha (1 game) and Daniel Suluka Fifita (13 games).
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It has become a case of last man standing for Robinson, who confirmed Butcher has suffered a PCL injury when speaking to the media on Wednesday.
SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES – MARCH 05: Roosters coach Trent Robinson watches on during a Sydney Roosters NRL training session at Kippax Lake on March 5, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
“It was a PCL injury. It’s good news in a way, but also, it’s not a week or two. It’s going to be a couple more than that, so he will be racing the clock for some games into the finals,” Robinson said.
“It’s pretty early days at the moment, but I guess it’s good and bad news.”
Robinson also confirmed Copley scored most of the game against the Dragons with a broken foot, with the outside back unlikely to return this season.
Ironically, Copley was only signed by the Roosters from the Broncos on the August deadline as an injury replacement. He joins Billy Smith, Joseph Sualii, Brett Morris and Matt Ikuvalu as outside backs on the sideline.
“He (Copley) broke a bone in his foot. The first run where he stepped off the right to try and score that try and he kind of collapsed a bit. He played 78 minutes with a broken foot, so that was a courageous effort.
“It won’t be anytime soon.”
Robinson has been forced to bring Brad Abbey, who hasn’t played for weeks, into the side this week. It comes following the suspension of the New South Wales Cup competition and relocation of NRL teams to the Queensland hub.
Abbey has previously played for the Canberra Raiders, however, will debut for the Roosters this weekend.
Robinson has also been forced to call Lachlan Lam into the centres. The versatile utility has played in the halves and at hooker, but also shifted to the edge last weekend following a failed head injury assessment for Adam Keighran.
The Roosters have just kept winning no matter the complexion of their team, and Robinson is keen Lam will be able to do the job on the edge.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 25: Lachlan Lam of the Roosters runs the ball during the round 20 NRL match between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium on September 25, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
“He played there (centres) 37 minutes on the weekend, and he played at right centre against Parramatta. Lachy is a footy player and it’s gotten to that point where if I could wave a magic wand and turn a hooker into an outside back I would, but Lachy has been incredible at adapting.
“We obviously had the choice of 21, but we loaned Freddy Lussick to St George. It’s time for Freddy to go and play because we have Sam Verrills and Ben Marschke. We only need 17 to play and that’s what we will head out there with.”
The Roosters take on the Rabbitohs in prime time on Friday night.
Source:: ZeroTackle
