Manly to sign injured hooker as Lussick backs up Friend
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Des Hasler is set to sign injured Warriors hooker Karl Lawton to boost his No.9 options and will resist making changes to the Sea Eagles' left edge that leaked seven tries in a record round one loss.
NRL.com understands that Lawton's release from the Warriors will see him take up a two-year deal with the Sea Eagles, while the Roosters plan to keep Sam Verrills on ice amid Jake Friend's latest concussion concern and their own dwindling hooker stocks.
Manly has made no official comment on Lawton's future, with the 25-year-old sidelined until midway through the season after suffering an Achilles injury before Christmas.
Manase Fainu's unavailability under the no fault stand-down policy saw Lachlan Croker play 80 minutes at dummy-half in the 46-4 loss to the Roosters, while Cade Cust is expected to come back into selection contention from a thumb injury.
Friend's heavy head knock midway through the second half was one of few concerns for the Tricolours.
The veteran skipper will undergo HIA protocols now with an eight-day turnaround to next Sunday's clash with Wests Tigers, but a week off looms given the Roosters conservative approach to concussions in recent years.
Should Friend be sat out Verrills won't be returning from his ACL rupture against the Tigers, with third-string hooker Freddy Lussick the next up at No.9.
For Hasler, a stark defensive improvement is needed out wide against competition heavyweights South Sydney as the Manly coach apologised for the biggest round one loss in Sea Eagles history.
Kieran Foran, Brad Parker, Jack Gosiewski and Reueben Garrick were little more than cannon fodder for James Tedesco and co at the SCG on Saturday, making a combined 13 missed tackles out of 39 all up for Manly.
Match Highlights: Roosters v Sea Eagles
"Next week can't come soon enough," Hasler lamented.
"I thought particularly down our edges defensively we missed too many tackles.
"In the middle, I thought we were matching it, I thought we did pretty well in there. But I feel a bit sorry for the fans in particular.
"We need to give a better account of ourselves individually, and for the club and for the fans pretty quickly."
Foran came from the field seven minutes early according to Hasler with a cork.
Asked if he would shake up his left edge for the Rabbitohs clash, Hasler said: "not yet, but as a team we need to be a lot better."
Match: Roosters v Sea Eagles
Round 1 -
home Team
Roosters
1st Position
away Team
Sea Eagles
16th Position
Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Dylan Walker's first outing at fullback in five years as Tom Trbojevic's replacement was "solid" in the eyes of Hasler.
Trent Robinson meanwhile confirmed new utility Adam Keighran had suffered a dislocated wrist as Friend begins his post-concussion assessment.
"I'm concerned that he came off the field," Robinson said, believing a fractured cheekbone could be ruled out after Friend's heavy collision with Manly's Andrew Davey.
"When you see that most guys just sit in the dressing room, they're a bit disappointed that it happened and they don't say much other than 'I'm ok' and everyone goes up and consoles them.
"That's where it's at at the moment. Nobody talked to me about a cheekbone, it's a concussion, it's not what we wanted for him or the first round. We'll get on with the protocols and see where he's at."
