Luke Kelly set to replace Rabbitohs star Adam Reynolds for blockbuster clash with Wests Tigers

HE’S filled in for some of the NRL’s biggest names and is likely to do so again on Friday — Luke Kelly is the NRL’s version of an Oscars seat filler.

Luke Kelly. South Sydney Rabbitohs training. General pictures of training and Sam, George and Tom Burgess, Robbie Farah, Damien Cook, Angus Crichton, John Sutton, Adam Reynolds, Cody Walker and Luke Kelly.

THE Oscars have seat fillers; the NRL has Luke Kelly.

The 27-year-old from the Katherine Bushrangers has played 47 NRL games, filling in for the likes of high-profile star Cooper Cronk at the Storm and Kieran Foran at the Eels when they’re unavailable.

Now he’s set to slot into the hot seat left vacant by injured Rabbitoh Adam Reynolds.

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The Daily Telegraph understands South Sydney coach Michael Maguire will name Kelly as his replacement for Reynolds, who is suffering from appendicitis.

And Kelly will feel the heat — facing Wests Tigers on Friday night in front of 25,000 fans at ANZ Stadium.

Kelly played his junior rugby league at Katherine — 320km southeast of Darwin — before linking with Melbourne and then Parramatta.

Kelly got his start at Melbourne as Cooper Cronk’s back-up.

He played six games for Melbourne and 41 for Parramatta over eight seasons but hasn’t played an NRL game since round one last year. A knee injury ended his 2016 season after four games for Wentworthville.

Maguire has several options to replace Reynolds, who will be out for up to four weeks. They are:

* Selecting Kelly;

* Moving Cody Walker into halfback with John Sutton reverting back to five-eighth;

* Shifting Greg Inglis into the halves; and

* Playing Damien Cook at halfback although that would mean Robbie Farah plays the entire 80 minutes.

“He (Maguire) will name his team but we have Luke Kelly who is an out-and-out seven so I would imagine that would have the least impact (on the side),” said Souths star Sam Burgess said. “Like-for-like swap. He (Kelly) is a good lad. He is from way up north, he’s good fella first-of-all. He is great in-and-around the boys, loves his golf.

Kelly spent five years with the Eels from 2012 to 2016.

“I haven’t played too much footy with him but have spent some time with him at training, he is a good general. He’s been unlucky with injury over the last couple of years. If he plays, we would certainly be confident in him.

“We played a trial against Manly out at Campbelltown and he basically played seven (halfback) the whole evening behind a different pack to what he will play with Friday. He did a great job, some good last-play options. It will be interesting to see how he goes. He controlled a young side pretty well.”

Souths veteran John Sutton said Reynolds had lost a few kilograms.

“He had sore guts and sent him up to hospital,” Sutton said. “He is one of our leaders and generals, he gets us around the park. It does affect us a bit but I’m sure whoever ‘Madge’ (Maguire) puts in their at half will do a good job.

“I don’t mind playing there but I don’t think it’s going to happen this week. But you never know, see what happens at training today.”

Asked about Kelly, Sutton said: “He is a little general himself. ‘Madge’ should throw him in. He definitely deserves a spot.”

Rabbitohs teammate Jason Clark also spoke about Kelly.

“I don’t think he (Maguire) will run with ‘Cooky’ (Cook) there,” Clark said. “I have been playing against Luke since the under 20s, we played there in 2008 and 2009, so I’ve been around him for a while. He’s got a good head on him and is very mature.”

Souths are paying $15 to win the title, according to the TAB, and are $1.65 favourites against Wests Tigers, the $2.25 outsiders.