By Dan Walsh
A glaring duck egg in key play-making statistics has piled pressure on Trent Robinson and his misfiring halfback Chad Townsend as a Roosters backline log jam also places English star Dominic Young in the selection crosshairs.
Townsend and his scrum base partner Sandon Smith have been increasingly thrust under the microscope as the Roosters attack has spluttered to a 1-4 start to the season.
Tricolours teammates defended Townsend’s offensive output ahead of a daunting trip to Brisbane, but rookie utility Hugo Savala is in line for a call-up as Robinson weighs up a critical selection call.
Across five games this season as the Roosters’ chief playmaker, Townsend is yet to register a try, try-assist or line break.
Smith has been more threatening to opposition defences having scored three tries and set up two more while averaging 10 runs per game.
The issue for Robinson to weigh up is that Townsend is his only game-managing half available with Sam Walker out injured until at least June. Townsend’s 2025 numbers reflect a focus on kicking and ball-playing.
Savala is regarded as a strong running half at 194cm and 96kg and has come into the NRL as a bench utility this season.
Guiding a side around Suncorp Stadium against the high-flying Broncos would be a big ask for either he or Smith, who struggled in a similar role last year.
Townsend, 34, endured a rough night in last week’s loss to South Sydney, kicking out on the full and mis-hitting a goal-line drop-out that bent back behind the Roosters own corner post.
A slew of Roosters errors didn’t help their halves’ cause against the Rabbitohs, nor has a season-long completion rate of 68 per cent, the worst in the NRL.
Chad Townsend has had a rough start to life at the Roosters.Credit: Getty Images
“Being a half, when you win the games, you get the credit. But when you lose the game or the side is going bad, it’s your fault,” NSW Origin utility Connor Watson said.
“We need to do a better job for our halves. We need to give them a better platform, and making errors out of our own end isn’t helping them.
“As a team, we can sort that discipline out, and it’ll make the halves’ job so much easier.
“We’re missing the mark a little bit, but I feel like we’re so close because our attack is really good all the way down the field. Once we get down [to the opposition tryline], we just need to think about every play, be on for every play and execute it.”
Dom Young: Dynamic in attack, questionable in defence.Credit: Getty Images
As well as a scrum base shake-up, Billy Smith’s long-awaited return from injury raises the prospect of Young being squeezed out of the Roosters back five.
Rugby convert Mark Nawaqanitawase is expected to return from a calf issue against the Broncos, along with Victor Radley (cracked cheekbone).
Given Robinson’s raps on rookie centre Rob Toia and veteran Daniel Tupou’s mortgage on the left wing, one of Young, Smith and Nawaqanitawase is likely to miss out.
Young has scored 25 tries in 27 games for the Roosters after arriving last season on a lucrative deal from Newcastle but has been regularly targeted by rival sides in defence.
“Credit to [Smith], he’s had a year away from the game with injury but to see him put in that performance on the weekend, it was awesome,” Tupou said.
“It’ll be interesting to see what happens with the team in terms of Billy and Mark.
“It puts that fire in any individual trying to earn a spot, but it’s all good competition. Everyone knows it’s whatever’s good for the team at the end of the week. We’ll wait to see what happens.”
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