How a series of issues has left the powerful Sydney Roosters vulnerable again

Paul Crawley lifts Bondi’s ‘Iron Curtain’ - the elephant in the room that no one in rugby league wants to talk about publicly.

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves of the Roosters. Picture: Getty Images

It’s the elephant in the room that no one in rugby league wants to talk about publicly because of the powerful influences at the Sydney Roosters.

But the reality is the club that will go into this season as the NRL second favourites behind back-to-back champs Penrith are reeling after a summer from hell.

It relates to some potentially serious and ongoing injuries and personal issues surrounding some of the club’s most important stars and figures, including Luke Keary, Joey Manu, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Connor Watson and Angus Crichton, as well as respected recruitment boss Daniel Anderson.

Veteran five-eighth Keary is recovering from another head knock, while superstar centre Manu is out with a facial fracture, and Waerea-Hargreaves a lower back/hamstring problem, while key utility Watson remains sidelined with a patella tendon injury.

Angus Crichton is one of the Roosters’ stars dealing with an ongoing issue. Picture: Getty Images

All four were again not named in the Roosters’ squad to take on Manly in Friday night’s final trial in Gosford.

Add to that test forward Crichton was also again excluded as he recovers from a leave of absence to deal with “personal issues”.

Recruitment chief Anderson has been out of action since a horrible body surfing accident while holidaying on the Central Coast in late December.

In Anderson’s case his recovery process is still a very personal family matter that has been treated around the game with the greatest of respect, after he was initially airlifted to hospital following the accident.

It is not expected there will be any public comment about Anderson’s condition until some stage next month, however what can’t be ignored is that his ongoing absence would have had an impact on so many at the club given his significant influence on the lives of so many.

Daniel Anderson is recovering from a freak accident. Picture: Gregg Porteous.

Crichton’s situation is another closely guarded personal issue and while it is said to have occurred sometime back, his recovery obviously remains ongoing after he also missed the recent team camp in New Zealand.

Waerea-Hargreaves and Crichton were both spotted training with the main group this week, and our spy tells us Crichton in particular looked to be in good spirits.

But it remains a mystery if he will be right to go for round one given he has not taken part in any of the trials, as is the case with Waerea-Hargreaves, Keary and Manu.

Crichton did cop a one match ban during the World Cup but under tournament guidelines that was allowed to be served in an NRL trial, meaning he is right to play against the Dolphins in round one if selected.

In Manu’s case the club has confirmed he suffered a “minor facial fracture” when the team was in Queenstown, and the talk is he should be back sooner rather than later.

Both Manu and Keary were in the red bibs at training this week and not among the main group.

The head knock Keary suffered on this occasion is also said to be not one of the bad ones.

Concerns have been raised over Luke Keary’s concussion injuries. Picture: Getty Images

But given the 31-year-old’s history of concussions, every time he cops a knock it understandably sets off alarm bells.

The Roosters are a club known to take concussion issues extremely seriously, after dealing with the recent retirement of former captains Boyd Cordner and Jake Friend.

It has been speculated previously that Keary would consider his future the next time he suffers a serious head knock.

And even though this was said to be on the minor scale, you would imagine it still would have caused some concern among those close to him.