Luke Keary overcomes broken jaw, declares will be ready to link with Cooper Cronk in Round 1
LUKE Keary will not let a broken jaw stop him from partnering Cooper Cronk in the halves and declared himself a certain starter for the Sydney Roosters’ opener against the Wests Tigers.
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LUKE Keary will not let a broken jaw stop him from partnering Cooper Cronk in the halves and declared himself a certain starter for the Sydney Roosters’ opener against the Wests Tigers.
Keary had hoped to play some minutes in last Saturday’s final trial against Manly, but is confident he can strike up an instant bond with Cronk, just as he did 12 months earlier with Mitchell Pearce.
The cheeky five-eighth said he would play the same role as last year with Cronk calling the shots and him and another new Chooks recruit, James Tedesco, allowed to ‘’cruise around and do some fun stuff’’.
Keary also told The Daily Telegraph he waited five days before getting an X-ray and realising his jaw was actually broken.
He has also felt the affects of a concussion from the same accidental hit from Roosters youngster Sitili Tupouniua.
“I thought I was sweet at the time, it happened on a Saturday, it got to the Wednesday and it was still sore, so I got it X-rayed. I thought I had just jarred it,’’ Keary said.
“We were having a contact session, I got into a bad position and one of the younger boys (Tupouniua), who is a bit taller, I caught his shoulder as I slipped on the pass.
“They put a plate over the break, and it acts like a guard. The break has healed now and it feels sweet.
“I’ll be right for round one.’’
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Keary underwent scans on Monday to make sure the plate protecting the break in his jaw had not shifted.
The fact he enjoyed a solid pre-season before the freak accident will only help return to peak physical shape in just 11 days time.
As for teaming up with the new No. 7, Keary said: “Coops will take control of the team, and me and ‘Teddy’ will get to cruise around and do some fun stuff,’’ Keary said.
“I got to play like a genuine five-eighth last year, and it will be a mirror image of last year.
“It would have been nice to get one run under the belt with him, but it’s not the be all and end all.
“When I came here last year, Mick Gordon came as well, it was a new spine again, and I thought we started the year well.
“He’s a pretty good player. The other one (Tedesco) goes all right, too.’’
Keary was in the US for his honeymoon when the Cronk and Pearce signing played out, and said it was probably a good thing he had limited access on his phone.
For a moment he wondered how “three would go into two’’ if Pearce chose to stay and not join Newcastle, but never felt the urge to contact coach Trent Robinson or any Roosters official for a please explain.
Keary eventually inked a new three-year deal to keep him at the club until the end of 2021.
While there was a “different feel’’ around Bondi without Pearce, as well as Connor Watson and Aidan Guerra, “it’s footy’’ and was keen to see his former teammates do well at Newcastle.