Roosters receive huge boost with Manu in line for shock return

The Roosters may be struggling but have received some very good news on some of their injured stars.

The Roosters have received some positive news on the injury front. Picture; Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

The injury news isn’t as bad as first feared for the Roosters with veteran prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves a chance to play on Friday, while Sam Walker won’t require surgery on his injured knee.

And in a further boost, Golden Boot winner Joseph Manu is expected to miss just one game with the five-eighth set to return in Round 14 to take on the Bulldogs.

Manu left the field in the second half after he rolled his ankle and was in immediate agony, but halves partner Luke Keary isn’t too worried about his long-term fitness.

Joseph Manu might only miss one game with the Roosters hopeful that he’ll be back after the bye. Picture; Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

The Roosters have the bye next week, with utility Drew Hutchison expected to partner Keary in the halves for Friday’s game against the Dragons.

“I don’t think it’s a syndesmosis injury, which is a good sign. We’ve got the bye so hopefully he’s only a week or two,” Keary said.

“I’m really close to Drewy so I’m stoked that he gets an opportunity.”

Waerea-Hargreaves didn’t seem concerned by the pectoral injury he suffered on Friday night, with the big man spotted in good spirits in Moore Park on Monday afternoon.

He is likely to be named for their upcoming game, but the same can’t be said for Walker who will miss a few weeks with a knee injury that isn’t as serious as first feared.

“I think Sammy’s good. I spoke with him the other day. I don’t think he’s going to be out for too much longer,” Keary said.

“You never want to see a young player go down, you never want to see anyone go down. He just wants to get back on the field and play footy.”

The Roosters are outside the top eight following a poor performance in Penrith, but halfback Luke Keary is confident they can turn things around. Picture; NRL Photos

The Roosters have other things to worry about after they slumped to tenth spot following their heavy loss in Penrith.

Their defence fell apart against the premiers while there are serious concerns over their attack which has managed two tries in the past fortnight.

“We’re very realistic about where we’re at,” Keary said.

“We’re not playing the footy that we want to play, so that’s disappointing. But we’re still sitting right there where we’ve had some really good games and some not so good games.

“We understand that this is a long season where you go on a journey as a team. When you go through these harder periods as a team, they can really steel you as a team. When you come out the other end, it can make you a really resilient side.

“I have the utmost confidence and belief, especially in the spine. I know we’ll get better.”

Brandon Smith’s arrival from the Storm hasn’t panned out as the Roosters would have liked, but Keary is backing his teammate to hit top form soon. Picture; Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

The decision to drop Walker last month was supposed to spark their attack, but Manu’s move to the halves hasn’t done much to change that, while stars James Tedesco and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii have also failed to fire in recent weeks.

Much of the criticism in recent days has focused on new recruit Brandon Smith who hasn’t been his usual rampaging self, averaging just 4.8 runs per game and not offering much creativity around the ruck.

On his day he’s one of the best hookers in the world, and Keary is confident Smith can show the sort of form he did when he inspired the Roosters to victory over the Rabbitohs earlier in the year.

“He seems to be okay. He’d get a little bit more attention here in Sydney,” the halfback said.

“He’s come here and he probably hasn’t played the way he wanted to, although he’s played some games for us – you only have to go back to the Souths game – where he turned the whole game for us.

“He’s going to find over the course of his career here at the Roosters that there are periods when you’re going really well that they’ll lift you right up, but when you’re not going so well then you get the criticism which is warranted.

“Brandon is experienced enough to deal with that, so he’ll come out the other end.”

Originally published as Roosters receive huge boost with Manu in line for shock return