Early Mail: Fresh boost as Roosters fly into finals

Forwards Lindsay Collins and Sio Siua Taukeiaho are primed to return from injury against the Storm as the sixth placed Roosters attempt to seal a finals berth.

Taukeiaho, who is headed to French Super League club Catalans Dragons next year, suffered several small fractures to his cheekbone in round 18 against St George Illawarra.

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It’s believed Taukeiaho has one final fitness test to pass during the week but is expected to receive the all clear from Roosters medical staff.

“He’s (Taukeiaho) a huge in, the two big boys Jared (Waerea-Hargreaves) and (Matt) Lodge have done a really good job but to get Siua back into that rotation is going to add a fair bit to us I think,” Keary said.

“Hopefully they can get through this week fine and both trot out there against Melbourne.”

Collins hasn’t played since suffering a concussion in successive matches, first in the Origin decider for Queensland then in Roosters’ round 20 win against Manly.

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Mid-season signing Lodge has added much needed grit to the forward in the absence of engine room regulars Collin and Taukeiaho.

Keary believes Lodge’s recruitment has provided a perfectly timed injection of energy leading into finals series.

“He’s put his head down straight from the word go and has been working really hard,” Keary said.

“Obviously, he is playing some really good footy which helps too. He’s really good to have around the group, he has brought us some energy … he didn’t play in the middle of the year for four to six weeks so he’s ready to go.”

Lodge lobbed at Bondi in July after a controversial split with former side New Zealand Warriors. The signing raised eyebrows given Lodge’s volatile past, where the prop arrested in New York after a home invasion in 2015.

But Keary said Lodge has flourished at the Roosters and backed the former Brisbane big man to extend his time at the club with Taukeiaho bound for France at season’s end.

“Definitely,” Keary said when asked if Lodge had a future at the Roosters.

“He is doing everything right at the moment. Obviously big T (Taukeiaho) is off to France at the end of the year. I’m not sure what will happen there but we all love him here. I didn’t know Lodgy before he come here … there are a fair few stories about him, he’s done some not so good stuff in his past. But he has come to us and has fit in really well.”

After disposing of the Wests Tigers 72-6 on Saturday, the Roosters runs home ‘steps up a level or two’ with clashes against the Storm and fierce rivals South Sydney.

Keary said the final two matches would not only harden his side ahead of the finals but test their ability to make a dent in September.

“We don’t have the luxury of choice this year, we didn’t star the season too well. We understand the position we are in but these two (games) are going to be really good for us,” Keary said.

“They are going to show us where we are at, they might show a few warts of things we need to improve before the finals. These are crucial for us, they are going to be a good test.”

Sydney

Fatima Kdouh is a rugby league reporter and SuperCoach presenter. She joined News Corp after walking away from a career in investment banking to pursue her dream job of becoming a sports journalist. Since joini… Read more

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