The wounded Roosters certainly have a job on their hands to quell the high-spirited Warriors, who turned a 19-point deficit into a three-point win over the Raiders last week.
Captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck nailed it in his post-match interview when he said his side had lost so many close games at the death, it was uplifting to finally win one.
The Roosters have the opposite emotions churning in their minds. They lost both halves in Luke Keary (ACL) and Lachlan Lam (knee) in a bruising 26-16 defeat by the Rabbitohs in round three. These are the types of players who win you games in the dying stages.
But three premierships in the past eight years means there's a fair bit of steel in whatever the Tri-Colours set their minds to do.
Roosters v Warriors
Match: Roosters v Warriors
Round 4 -
home Team
Roosters
3rd Position
away Team
Warriors
11th Position
Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
The rundown
Team news
Roosters: Former Bulldogs hooker Benjamin Marschke comes on to the bench in place of outside back Matt Ikuvalu in the only match-day change to the home team's 17. Ikuvalu and Egan Butcher are the men to omitted from the squad.
Victor Radley makes a welcome return from a shoulder injury at lock for the 2019 premiers. Last week's No.13 Isaac Liu moves up to prop to replace Lindsay Collins (ankle).
As expected, boom youngster Sam Walker replaces Luke Keary (knee) at halfback and Drew Hutchison takes the luckless Lachlan Lam's place at five-eighth.
Nat Butcher is the other new face on the interchange. Joseph Suaalii and Tukupa-Ke Hau Tapuha were trimmed from the reserves on Saturday.
Warriors:
Peta Hiku was ruled out with a knee injury that is expected to sideline him for at least a month. Former Bulldog Marcelo Montoya has been called into the centres to make his club debut in Hiku's place.
The Warriors have made a late switch to their starting side - Bailey Sironen has been dropped to the bench with Jazz Tevaga elevated to the run-on team at lock, with Tohu Harris switching to the second row.
Tom Ale and Kane Evans were cut from the extended bench 24 hours before kick-off. Paul Turner and Rocco Berry were dropped on game day.
Match: Roosters v Warriors
Round 4 -
home Team
Roosters
away Team
Warriors
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Roosters is number 1 James TedescoFullback for Warriors is number 1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
-
Winger for Roosters is number 2 Daniel TupouWinger for Warriors is number 2 David Fusitu'a
-
Centre for Roosters is number 3 Josh MorrisCentre for Warriors is number 3 Adam Pompey
-
Centre for Roosters is number 4 Joseph ManuCentre for Warriors is number 4 Marcelo Montoya
-
Winger for Roosters is number 5 Brett MorrisWinger for Warriors is number 5 Ken Maumalo
-
Five-Eighth for Roosters is number 6 Drew HutchisonFive-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Kodi Nikorima
-
Halfback for Roosters is number 7 Sam WalkerHalfback for Warriors is number 7 Sean O'Sullivan
Forwards
-
Prop for Roosters is number 8 Isaac LiuProp for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
-
Hooker for Roosters is number 9 Freddy LussickHooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan
-
Prop for Roosters is number 10 Siosiua TaukeiahoProp for Warriors is number 10 Bunty Afoa
-
2nd Row for Roosters is number 11 Angus Crichton2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Eliesa Katoa
-
2nd Row for Roosters is number 12 Sitili Tupouniua2nd Row for Warriors is number 13 Tohu Harris
-
Lock for Roosters is number 13 Victor RadleyLock for Warriors is number 14 Jazz Tevaga
Interchange
-
Interchange for Roosters is number 15 Jared Waerea-HargreavesInterchange for Warriors is number 12 Bayley Sironen
-
Interchange for Roosters is number 16 Nat ButcherInterchange for Warriors is number 15 Ben Murdoch-Masila
-
Interchange for Roosters is number 17 Fletcher BakerInterchange for Warriors is number 16 Leeson Ah Mau
-
Interchange for Roosters is number 19 Ben MarschkeInterchange for Warriors is number 17 Jack Murchie
Match Officials
- Referee: Ben Cummins
- Touch Judge: Liam Kennedy
- Touch Judge: Wyatt Raymond
- Senior Review Official: Alan Shortall
Last updated:
Key match-up
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves v Addin Fonua-Blake: Sparks are bound to fly when one or the other way charges into the fray with the ball under his arm. They were New Zealand teammates in the Kiwis 2017 World Cup side before Fonua-Blake switched to Tonga.
He left Manly for the Warriors in the off-season so the big men are on a collision course once again. Another highlight will be the duel between Dally M-winning fullbacks in Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (2018) and James Tedesco (2019).
Stat attack
The may have lost players left and right but the Roosters still have the NRL's two leading try-scorers remaining healthy - Brett Morris (seven) and Tedesco (six).
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