Sydney Roosters to field the most inexperienced halves combination in the NRL
THE Sydney Roosters will field the most inexperienced halves combination in the NRL when the season starts in a few weeks.
Roosters
Don't miss out on the headlines from Roosters. Followed categories will be added to My News.
They’ve become the story of the NRL pre-season by default, but Jackson Hastings and Jayden Nikorima can finally let their football do the talking.
The Sydney Roosters pair — the most inexperienced halves combination in the NRL — will step out for the Tri Colours against St Helens on Saturday morning (Sydney time) as replacements for Mitchell Pearce and James Maloney.
Even Roosters supremo Nick Politis is spending time with the youngsters and offering his words of wisdom from his 40-year involvement in the game as this photo shows on a beach in Dubai during last week’s pre-season training camp.
“We’re expecting they’ll do really well,” Politis said.
“Trent (Robinson) could have gone out and tried to buy another halfback when we lost Mitchell but he has tremendous confidence in the two boys.
“Everyone at the club feels the same way and most importantly their teammates do.”
Pearce is not expected to return to football until round 12 of the competition at the earliest, following his suspension as a result of a drunken episode on Australia Day.
He is still in a rehab clinic in Thailand and has to appear before the Roosters board and NRL integrity unit before his punishment is handed down.
Hastings and Nikorima are by far the most inexperienced halves combination the Roosters have ever fielded for an NRL kick-off.
They are old teammates from Australian schoolboys are shared a hotel room in Dubai last week during a pre-season training camp, and now Manchester for the World Club Series.
Both are now under the guidance of league Immortal Andrew Johns, who has joined Trent Robinson’s coaching staff from the Manly Sea Eagles.
“This whole trip has been about nurturing our young talent as much as the actual game against St Helens,” Politis said.
“We took a number of our best youngsters just to Dubai to get the feel of a high performance training camp and to learn more about the culture.
“They returned to Sydney when the players left Dubai for England.”
While Hastings is highly regarded after filling in so well for an injured Pearce at the end of last season, Nikorima, 19, is the rookie who turned his back on the Broncos and Wayne Bennett last year after they signed Anthony Milford from the Raiders.
He has already played for Australian schoolboys and is regarded as a future rep player.
NRL club concerns after ARLC reveals extraordinary new powers
The ARL Commission informed NRL clubs it has taken the extraordinary step of giving itself the power to charge players for offences on the field. SEE THE EMAIL.
Young plays as a Rooster, wakes up a Knight
The bizarre world of the rugby league transfer market was in full swing this weekend, with Dom Young playing as a Rooster before waking up on Sunday morning as a Newcastle Knight.