Sydney Roosters: Kyle Flanagan giving off Cooper Cronk vibes to Luke Keary
No Cooper Cronk, no worries for the Sydney Roosters. Kyle Flanagan is already showing uncanny similarities to the four-time premiership winning halfback, including his unflappable temperament.
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Sydney Roosters five-eighth Luke Keary can already see the similarities between his new halves partner, Kyle Flanagan, and four-time premiership winner Cooper Cronk.
The tricolours playmaker told The Daily Telegraph that 21-year-old Flanagan’s temperament is already drawing comparisons to halfback legend Cronk around the Bondi club.
Flanagan’s composure is “rare” for a player of his inexperience and youth, Keary says.
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“I think the biggest similarity is their temperament, which is gold in a No.7 and it’s rare in a kid that age to be so cool and calm,” Keary said. “He doesn’t get flustered. He reminds me a lot of Cooper in his mindset.
“Physically they are built the same too, they have the same physical attributes. Kyle is not your flashy half who is going to step three blokes to score. He works hard at his game. He’s got very good skills and a good kicking and passing game.”
Flanagan, a Cronulla Sharks junior, was released from the final two years of his deal in the Shire to join the back-to-back premiers. He is being groomed as Cronk’s long-term replacement in the Roosters’ No.7 jumper.
Keary was particularly impressed with Flanagan’s performance in the Roosters’ World Club Challenge victory against St Helens last month.
“I thought he was super, super impressive for us in the World Club Challenge’” Keary said. “He didn’t try to overplay his hand - he got the basics right, he competed hard, he kicked, he chased, he defended well and he ended up icing a couple of tries for us at the end of the game too.”
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Cronk called time on his illustrious career after the Roosters’ grand final victory last October but he will remain heavily involved at the club and will work closely with Flanagan and Keary.
“Coops is good, he doesn’t try to shove things down our throat, we’ve gone through everything we need to do as a new halves partnership to prepare ourselves to be the best that we can,” Keary said. “We’ll keep on going through things every week with Cooper though.”
Meanwhile, former Roosters prop Zane Tetevano will be gunning to turn Panthers Stadium into a hunting ground in his first game in Penrith colours when he takes on his old club tonight.
Keary is expecting Tetevano - who was a crucial part of the Tricolours’ back-to-back title wins - to have a target on his teammates.
“He’s scary a dude; stay away from Zane - that’s my game plan,” Keary said with a laugh. “I don’t want him to run at me from the kick off.
“He’s taken his opportunity at Penrith but he was definitely one of the [unsung heroes], he won two competitions with us and he was a big part of our team.”
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Roosters captain Boyd Cordner hasn’t been named and he was also rested in the World Club Challenge. Rising forward Sitili Tupouniua was named to start instead.
Keary was reluctant to reveal if Boyd was carrying an injury or whether coach Trent Robinson was managing the forward’s workload to prevent burnout over the course of a long and gruelling season. Keary also revealed Cordner had no concrete return date scheduled.
“I’m not too sure what’s going on with Boydo, he was never a definite to play in round one and we knew he wasn’t going to play in the World Club Challenge and that he’d come back at the start of the year at some point. I’m not sure when,” he said.