‘We’re a 10 times better team’: Josh Schuster faces major test as veteran forward defends former teammate

Josh Schuster’s value has been laid bare, with one teammate making a huge call on his impact on the Sea Eagles.

Josh Schuster is racing the clock to prove his fitness for this weekend’s game against the Sharks. Picture; Jeremy Piper

Manly is a “10 times better team” when Josh Schuster is playing according to teammate Lachlan Croker, who is hoping the maligned five-eighth can overcome a quad injury to face Cronulla on Sunday.

Schuster has been limited to just three appearances this season due to niggling injuries, with the side winning two games and losing the other one in golden point.

His slick ball-playing ability has been sorely missed, with Manly managing just two tries in the past two weeks, which is why they are desperate to have him available on Sunday.

Josh Schuster has not played since round 8 but could return this weekend against the Sharks. Picture: NRL Imagery

Schuster trained on Tuesday night after shedding four kilos last week but will need to get through another session on Thursday to prove his fitness, with the club unlikely to take any risks if he’s not 100 per cent.

“To be able to play consistent footy and consistent good footy, you have to have a lot of stuff outside of footy in check,” Sea Eagles hooker Lachlan Croker said.

“When he gets that under control and is playing footy for our team, we’re a 10 times better team.

“Some of the games he played last year and the year before, to be able to string those games together and do that sort of stuff for our team is something that we need.

“It’s something that he’s conscious of and the staff here are conscious of it as well.”

Schuster reportedly lost four kilos and has been working hard to prove his fitness. Picture; NRL Imagery

The youngster has been criticised for the past 12 months over his fitness, but teammate Reuben Garrick says he’s put in the hard work to get his body right.

“He’s trimmed down a bit. He is doing everything he can,” the winger said.

“We walk in at training sometimes and he is on the bikes, stair climbers, and I just think, ‘Geez, I would hate for that to be me’. But he is, he is putting in a lot of work.

“I am not sure what the story is with him this week. I don’t know. We have only had one training session this week.

“But if he is included in the squad this week it would be a massive plus for us. He is our top-flight five-eighth, when he is on the field he is a great player.”

Jack Bird found himself in hot water for comments he made about Dragons fans on Wednesday morning. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Meanwhile, veteran prop Aaron Woods has defended former teammate Jack Bird after he was panned for comments he made about Dragons fans who were planning a protest this weekend.

Woods played with Bird at St George Illawarra and is adamant his comments about the fans weren’t malicious and he was simply trying to defend coach Anthony Griffin.

“Birdy is a good guy,” Woods said.

“The intentions that he would have gone there with (were good). When he gets pressed he just would have come out and said something. There was no malice.

“He loves the club. He’s a local boy down there and he was just defending his mate.

“Birdy is the type of guy that once his back is against the wall, he’ll come out swinging. That’s why the boys love playing with him. He’s come out and apologised so there was no malice. They probably just got him at the wrong moment.”

Woods has staunchly defended Bird and hopes the pressure on the club will ease if they win this weekend. Picture; Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

The Dragons are battling on the back of five straight losses ahead of Saturday’s game against the Cowboys in Townsville.

“I feel sorry for them because they’re in the media every week, win, lose or draw, and there have been more losses lately when they’ve only just been getting beaten,” Woods said.

“I really feel sorry for them because I’ve got some good mates down there and I just hope that they can turn it around and get a win. It would be good to see them get a win and shut a few people up.”

Originally published as ‘We’re a 10 times better team’: Josh Schuster faces major test as veteran forward defends former teammate