Injury to limit Roosters star Luke Keary’s grand final preparation
Luke Keary’s first worry is over after he avoided a suspension, but the star five-eighth still isn’t out of the woods as he prepares for the NRL grand final.
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This time last year it was Cooper Cronk who hogged the headlines with his injury drama. While halves partner Luke Keary isn’t under a similar injury cloud he too will be limited in his preparation heading into Sunday’s grand final.
Keary’s first worry is over after avoiding a suspension for a high tackle which left Felise Kaufusi unable to return to the field because of a concussion.
Keary was hit with a grade one careless high tackle which attracts a $1150 fine with an early guilty plea.
The Roosters five-eighth, who has had his own concussion concerns this year, said he felt “really bad” for the tackle on Kaufusi which came just after he ripped a dreadlock from the Melbourne back-rower’s hair.
But it is a nagging ankle which will hamper Keary’s lead-up this week. The injury won’t rule him out but it flared up again in the win against Melbourne on Saturday night.
“It’s all right,” Keary said.
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“It’s a little bit sore. That’s expected. I was OK. I had a couple of runs on it. It was sore. I knew I was going to play. We had to manage it in a certain way. I knew I wasn’t going to do the Thursday session to keep the swelling down. I did everything on Friday. It was sore out there but nothing too bad.
“I tweaked it a bit in the Souths game … I came down a bit funny on it (on Saturday). I knew it was going to be sore at the end. I didn’t feel it too much throughout the game.”
The premiership decider against Canberra will also be the last time Keary and Cronk play alongside each other with Cronk to retire at full-time.
Cronk’s preparation in the lead-up to last year’s grand final was overshadowed by a serious shoulder injury. Cronk said he doesn’t expect to get sentimental this week in what will be his ninth grand final.
“It doesn’t matter when my last game is,” Cronk said.
“For me I am very blessed to have the career and memories I have. For me, what is really important about this game is the football club.
“Two years ago there was a big decision made and I owe a lot to this footy club for giving me the chance to come here, start a family and play football as well. This week isn’t about me. I am not going to make it about me for a second of time. It is about the Roosters, the football cub, the organisation and the people.
“I understand there will be storylines about last year. But last year is last year. It is done and dusted.
“Emotion can be a good thing. It can also be a pretty bad thing if you don’t handle it well. I am an emotional guy naturally. If I feel myself getting nostalgic or a little bit emotional, I will go have a look at a computer screen and focus on what I need to do. At the end of the day, emotion isn’t going to make me tackle, run or pass well.”