NRL: Roosters Kyle Flanagan to be focused – up against Penrith’s Viliame Kikau
Rugby league legends Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler think halfback Kyle Flanagan can admire a target on his head as the Roosters look to trigger an upset over the Panthers in their NRL finals qualifier.
The Roosters last week had been thumped 60-8 by South Sydney within the final round of the home and away season, elevating questions as to whether they’ll claim their third premiership in a row.
Making matters worse, the Tri Colours will almost definitely be with out co-captain and identical old hooker Jake Buddy for Friday night time’s clash with Penrith.
However the Roosters will welcome some powerful-well-known reinforcements with Brett Morris, Isaac Liu, Joseph Manu and Lindsay Collins all returning to the squad.
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Johns talked about the Roosters had been the sufferer of a “freak incidence” in their loss to the Rabbitohs whereas declaring they’re going to almost definitely be seriously higher equipped this time round with the return of some key gamers.
“As soon as you happen to would possibly even admire a stare at the stats, South Sydney made 200 more tackles. I don’t deem I’ve ever considered stats enjoy that,” Johns told Broad World of Sports actions’ Freddy and the Eighth.
“On the assist of that, [the Roosters] started chasing factors and additionally they made errors coming out of disaster.
“They come by gamers assist this week. The upright-side defence became once horny poor on the weekend.
“What discontinue they arrive by? They come by assist Joseph Manu – most productive centre within the arena. They come by Brett Morris assist. They come by Isaac Liu within the course of the subject, who’s enjoy a halfback. He hyperlinks the whole lot.
“There will almost definitely be nothing on this [loss to South Sydney], nothing in any respect. This game became once regarded as one of those freak occurrences where the whole lot went upright for South Sydney and the whole lot went horrid for the Roosters.”
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With Buddy unavailable to take care of the No.9 tasks, coach Trent Robinson has named young superstar Freddy Lussick to take up the hooker voice.
Fittler talked about he expects Robinson to moreover use young gun Lachlan Lam off the bench to play the give a rob to feature at hooker and believes this can give the Roosters a bid look in assault as they give the impact of being to rating more than the eight factors they gathered at some level of last week’s loss.
“Lachlan Lam, he comes off the bench as the give a rob to hooker,” Fittler talked about.
“I deem that’s a terribly licensed plug to make stronger that effect up.
“Blokes enjoy Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Sio Siua Taukeiaho admire been playing 80 minutes a game at numerous stages this one year. I don’t deem time will harm the Roosters.
“One thing I’ve seen with Freddy Lussick, he can come by a diminutive bit bit fatigued over the sport. He’s simplest young and minute.
“Lachlan Lam will usher in a bid form of assault. He’s a sizable runner.
“If issues plug their advance, this could perhaps well be a sizable ploy and this could perhaps well be laborious to defend against.”
Nonetheless, Johns talked about the unusual addition at dummy-half will put more stress on Flanagan who will plug into the match with a target on his assist.
“Unique dummy-half, it places stress on Kyle Flanagan,” Johns talked about.
“He’s going to be below the furnace for particular, they’re going to almost definitely be focused on him.
Fittler added: “He’ll be up against Viliame Kikau. Superior!”