Spencer Leniu high shot and likely suspension rubs salt into Roosters wounds as Knights run rampant

The Sydney Roosters lost their trial match to the Knights in convincing fashion and face losing prop Spencer Leniu for the opening rounds of the regular season after a tackle went wrong.

Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu is in doubt to face Brisbane in round one after being put on report for a high shot in Sunday’s 48-10 loss to Newcastle in Gosford.

Leniu was sent to the sin bin just minutes into the contest for a brutal hit on Knights hooker Phoenix Crossland, showing contact from shoulder to chin.

The star prop is now facing an anxious wait for the NRL’s charge sheet to drop on Monday morning, which could rule him out of the opening round blockbuster at Allianz Stadium on March 6.

Coach Trent Robinson declined to comment on the tackle itself.

Spencer Leniu may face further scrutiny over this tackle.

“I haven’t looked at it, it was obviously put on report and he was sent to the bin, so they obviously saw something,” he said after the game.

“But I’m not nervous about that type of thing, you play with what you’ve got, but I’d like to think it’s not one of the ones that get a week, but we’ll wait and see.”

A suspension is the last thing the Roosters need.

The side is grappling with the loss of a stack of experience from their 2024 roster as well as a host of injuries to start the season.

Leniu is expected to move into the starting pack this season, but should he miss a game or two it will force an unwanted reshuffle so early in the year for the already depleted side.

New recruit Mark Nawaqanitawase also finished the afternoon with ice on his left calf for what Robinson said was “extreme cramps”.

“That’s what it looked like out there, I probably had to get him off, actually. I was probably going to leave him for a bit longer.”

Fletcher Sharpe carved up the Roosters.

COMBINATIONS

The Knights may have found their long term five-eighth in Fletcher Sharpe.

After a breakout year in 2024, his shift from fullback to the halves this preseason came as a surprise.

But on Sunday the 20-year-old tore through the Roosters with two tries, leading the Knights to a 36-4 lead at halftime.

With Jack Cogger at halfback, it looks as though the pair could be the first choice halves to start the season.

Tyson Gamble faced Parramatta last week and is the other option to partner Sharpe.

Coach Adam O’Brien was tight lipped when asked about his first choice combination for round one.

“I don’t need to (decide the halves for round one), I need to watch that game back,” he said.

Although he praised Sharpe.

“He’s a great kid. He’s not the finished product by any stretch of the imagination but he’s grown up on footy, that’s going give him an advantage playing in the halves.

“He understands the game and articulates it really well.”

Fletcher Sharpe turns on the jets 💨

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RECRUIT WATCH

Newcastle haven’t added any major signings for 2025, but former Canberra winger James Schiller looks to be a handy pickup.

He didn’t see much ball on the right edge on Sunday, but early in the first half he bumped off representative star Angus Crichton - no easy feat - and left the Roosters second-rower catching his breath on the turf.

If nothing else he’ll add another steely option to the edge.

ROOKIE WATCH

After the loss of backline stars Joseph Suaalii and Joey Manu, Trent Robinson insists Nawaqanitawase and Robert Toia don’t have any shoes to fill, they just need to be themselves.

At least for Nawaqanitawase that was true on Sunday.

He looked every bit a former Rugby 7s player setting up Daniel Tupou for the Roosters’ first try of the afternoon with a daring basketball pass around the Knights defence.

That kind of creativity and skill will be huge for the Roosters in 2025.

“He was good today, he defended well out there but he’s obviously creative, so he came up with some opportunities, he created them, the try that he created. He has a different way of going about things. He’s not a cookie cutter of a rugby league player.

“He’s going to come up with different stuff and he’s got really good balance and ball skills.

“He was good on both sides of the ball.”

Fletcher Sharpe (R) and Bradman Best celebrate a try.

HOT TAKE

Sharpe’s shift to the halves will release some pressure on Kalyn Ponga.

Although he’s very much still learning the job, Sharpe’s natural ball-playing skills and speed add another target in the line, and another option for the Knights in attack.

If Sunday is anything to go by, the two have everything it takes to break a club pointsscoring record for the season.

Connor Watson of the Roosters is swamped by Newcastle defenders. Picture: Getty Images

FINAL SAY

One or two injuries or unforeseen issues and the Roosters will struggle this season.

They lacked direction against the Knights and were easily rolled through early on.

Although Leniu’s sinbinning didn’t help, their representative stars were outmuscled by a pack still missing first choice Knights stars Tyson Frizell and Adam Elliott.

It’s very much a rebuilding year for the Roosters, but two tries for the afternoon should come as a huge wakeup call with less than two weeks to go until round one.

Originally published as Spencer Leniu high shot and likely suspension rubs salt into Roosters wounds as Knights run rampant