Angus Crichton has enlisted Jerry Seinfeld to help Sydney Roosters teammate Sam Walker on the long road to recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

But with a premiership on the line, Crichton says the Roosters cannot become bogged down by three devastating injury blows suffered during the loss to Canberra.

An ACL rupture is set to sideline star halfback Walker into next year, with hooker Brandon Smith also missing until 2025 through his own knee injury.

In better news, forward Victor Radley is some chance of shaking off a shoulder issue to feature during finals.

But Walker’s injury threatens the Roosters’ hopes of a deep run through the post-season; in the NRL era, no side has won the premiership without their first-choice halfback.

“My heart hurts for those guys,” Crichton said.

“Obviously we’ve got a difficult road ahead of us. My heart goes out to those guys that have ended their season.”

Crichton made a bee-line for Walker’s place after the upset loss on Sunday and whacked on a favourite sitcom to help cheer his mate up.

“I went and hung out with Sammy after the game, we were watching Seinfeld on his couch,” Crichton said.

“I’m really tight with Sammy, I sort of tried to take him under my wing when he came here (from Brisbane) as a young kid. He’s one of my good mates, so I’m hurting for him.”

At the same time, Crichton is wary of committing too much energy to the personnel issues as Easts look to defy predictions the injuries will thwart their title hopes.

“We can’t dwell on (the injuries) too much,” Crichton said.

“We’ll support them and get around them but the next job is Souths (on Friday).

Sam Walker is carried off the ground. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“We’re going to go down swinging, there’s no way we’re going out without a fight. We’ve got such a great squad with so much depth in so many positions.

“We believe in what we can do.”

Roosters players did not have to go to work on Monday, but Connor Watson was similarly quick to organise a catch-up with Smith.

The State of Origin utility is the leading candidate to play hooker in Smith’s absence during the run through the finals, though Zach Dockar-Clay is a specialist option.

“I’m ready to go wherever I need to whether it’s there, in the halves, lock. I’m happy to do whatever. I have been enjoying playing hooker this year,” Watson said.

Sandon Smith joins Watson as an option to replace Walker in the halves but coach Trent Robinson could choose to move Joey Manu from the centres.

Manu spent time at five-eighth last season during Walker’s previous ACL struggles and would have a handy replacement of his own in in-form Sitili Tupouniua, used at centre at times in 2024.

“We’re fortunate at the Roosters that we’ve got a pretty deep squad this year,” Watson said.

Broncos out to avoid unwanted piece of history

Brisbane are on the verge of the worst slide down the ladder in their history ahead of the final-round clash with Melbourne.

The Broncos, who finished second on the NRL table in 2023 and played in the grand final, will finish 12th if they do not beat competition leaders the Storm at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night.

Even if they spring an unlikely upset, the best the Broncos could likely finish is 10th as four of the teams above them play each other in the final round, and two of those teams will pick up points for a win or an extra-time draw.

The club’s worst historical fall down the table was in 2020 when they secured their first wooden spoon and finished 16th.

That was eight positions lower than where they ended the 2019 season.

This season they are on track to fall 10 positions on the table.

The Broncos will not play finals for the fourth time in five years, with three of those misses being under current coach Kevin Walters.

The 40-6 loss to the Dolphins on Saturday night was also the biggest defeat the Broncos had suffered to a Queensland-based club in their history, surpassing the 36-4 loss to North Queensland in 2006.

With their season on the line, the Broncos dished up an error-ridden mish-mash of mediocrity.

It was also a microcosm of their failings in 2024.

Successful Broncos sides have traditionally risen to the big occasion, not fallen in a screaming heap. 

Walters said after the loss that dealing with pressure at the Broncos came with the territory.  Captain Adam Reynolds said “Kev is spot-on” when asked if representing the club was not just about playing, but also about winning.

Recruitment will come under the spotlight when the Broncos review their season. On Saturday night the most intimidating forward on the field was blockbusting Dolphins prop Tevita Pangai Jnr, a former Bronco. When Pangai Jnr was aiming to return to the NRL this year, he told AAP he wanted it to be at the Broncos. The Broncos had their chance but passed. 

Reece Walsh. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett swooped.

The Broncos instead chose former Cowboys forward Jack Gosiewski, an honest toiler but no Pangai Jnr. Mid-season signing Gosiewski, along with 2024 forward recruits Fletcher Baker and Jaiyden Hunt, have had underwhelming years, aside from their injuries.

The Broncos were also out-coached on Saturday night. Bennett switched Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to centre, moved Jake Averillo to five-eighth and brought Trai Fuller in at fullback. The trio had blinders.

Before the match Bennett said: “You can’t keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect the same result.” The Broncos had a “same-old” look about their line-up and the way they played.

The other black mark against the Broncos is their defence, which has a turnstile aspect to it again. They have already conceded 557 points, the fourth worst in their history. If the Storm score 10 points on Thursday night, only the 2020 wooden-spoon year (624 points) and 14th-placed finish (695 points) in 2021 will be worse.

“We have been leaking way too many points. We have faced a bit of adversity, but we should be good enough to defend errors, and at the moment we are not,” Reynolds said.

Home final carrot hovers, but Dogs just want to send a statement

Connor Tracey has vowed there will be no repeat of last week’s “shortcuts” as Canterbury seek to secure a home elimination final after almost a decade out of the top eight.

It has been a whirlwind season for the finals-bound Bulldogs, who just three years ago picked up the wooden spoon amid the club’s worst finals drought since the 1950s.

If Canterbury defeat North Queensland on Saturday, they will earn hosting rights in week one of the club’s first finals campaign since 2016.

If the Bulldogs lose, they will still finish sixth and host an elimination final if Cronulla win against Manly on Sunday afternoon.

Home-ground advantage looms as a potent advantage for the Dogs, who were undefeated at home this season until last week’s 32-22 loss to Manly at Accor Stadium.

“I feel like we just took some shortcuts, which we don’t normally do,” Tracey said.

“This week is just about getting back to competing.”

Connor Tracey. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Reed Mahoney lamented how the Bulldogs didn’t have the right attitude against the Sea Eagles, but added it would be “an easy mindset shift” in the final round of the regular season.

Tracey is confident Canterbury, who have one of the worst away records (4-8) of any top-eight team, can win at any venue in finals.

“We’ll play wherever,” the fullback said.

“To get that home final and have our fans behind us, that would be a pretty big one.”

The enforced omission of superstar kicker Matt Burton (concussion) and centre Bronson Xerri (suspension) is a blow for Canterbury, who have only won two of their past eight games against the Cowboys.

However, the return of captain Stephen Crichton from a one-match ban will be a much-needed boost heading into finals.

“He’s a big leader for us, the connection he brings on the field is just like something you can’t really get from other players,” young prop Samuel Hughes said.

“He’s just a really good player.”

Tracey is expecting utility Drew Hutchison to get the call-up from coach Cameron Ciraldo in the absence of Burton, who failed his HIA during last week’s loss to Manly.

“We’re pretty lucky, we got some good depth in our squad, Drew Hutchison has been killing it in reserve grade and he’ll come in,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to playing with him and we’ll be right.”

Tigers nab Royce Hunt as Utoikamanu replacement

Cronulla’s Royce Hunt has signed a three-year deal with Wests Tigers, shaping as a replacement for outgoing front-rower Stefano Utoikamanu.

The Sharks granted Hunt a release from the final year of his contract, the 29-year-old set to follow Penrith duo Jarome Luai and Sunia Turuva to Benji Marshall’s side in 2025.

A late-blooming West Australian product, Hunt had previously communicated his hopes of a longer stay with the Sharks, who took a chance on him during the COVID-affected 2020 season.

But with Warriors superstar Addin Fonua-Blake arriving to bolster an already busy middle-forward rotation from next season, Hunt loomed as the odd man out at Cronulla.

His arrival comes as the Tigers prepare to farewell former NSW prop Utoikamanu, who has signed with Melbourne from next year following a highly-publicised tug-of-war for his services.

Hunt joins David Klemmer, Alex Twal and Alex Seyfarth as middle-forward options at the joint venture next season.

“Royce is a great leader who will be invaluable in assisting us with the development of the younger players at the club,” said coach Marshall.

“He’s a tough and uncompromising middle, and more importantly, he’s a good human.

“We look forward to welcoming Royce and his family to our club.”

A Samoa international and Maori All-Star, Hunt has played 71 games for Cronulla across five seasons and is set to feature in the side’s run-through finals.

He made his NRL debut for Canberra with a lone first-grade appearance in 2017.

Hunt’s Sharks can confirm their top-four berth with a win over Manly in the last round of the regular season this Sunday.

Crichton claims Fittler Medal

Angus Crichton has gone from NSW Cup to NSW’s best, awarded the Brad Fittler Medal as the Blues’ most valuable player in their State of Origin series win.

Crichton was handed the prestigious honour at a gala dinner at The Star in Sydney on Monday night, capping an incredible turnaround for the Sydney Roosters star.

Dropped to the reserve-grade NSW Cup at the start of the season, Crichton returned to the NRL in round three and has been the best back-rower in the league this year.

He collected the Wally Lewis Medal for best player in the Origin series, before being voted NSW’s best by the players and coaching staff.

“It has been wild, and the way to describe it has been bizarre,” Crichton said. 

“A lot of people doubted me and put a line through my name and counted me out.

“I remember not getting picked for round one and it really hurt, because I trained so hard over the off season.

“I just had to back myself and believe in myself.” 

After a series in which he menaced rival Daly Cherry-Evans and left his mark on the Maroons, Crichton was also named the fans’ choice player of the year for NSW.

The 28-year-old ran an average of 162 metres per game, made 61 tackles for the series, had 10 offloads and two line-break assists.

Perhaps more impressive than anything has been Crichton’s rebound, after he spent time out of the game last year for personal reasons and detailed his battle with bipolar disorder.

“It’s pleasing for not only myself but also my family and friends,” Crichton said. 

“The people who put so much work into me in the last few years. It’s just as much their award as mine.”

Captain Jake Trbojevic was awarded the True Blue Medal after leading NSW to a series victory in his first year as skipper.

Angus Crichton with Jake Trbojevic. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Jaime Chapman was named the NSW women’s Origin player of the year, after the Gold Coast winger starred in the Blues’ series-opening win.

NSW dominated the first game and a half of the series, but were still beaten 2-1 by Queensland.

Newcastle second-rower Yasmin Clydsdale was awarded the women’s Sky Blues Award.

2024 BRAD FITTLER MEDAL MAIN AWARDS 

Brad Fittler Medal: Angus Crichton (Sydney Roosters)
True Blue Medal: Jake Trbojevic (Manly)
People’s Choice Awards: Angus Crichton (Sydney Roosters), Jaime Chapman (Gold Coast)
NSW Women’s State of Origin Player of the Year: Jaime Chapman (Gold Coast)
Sky Blues Award: Yasmin Clydsdale (Newcastle)
Men’s Under 19s Origin Player of the Year: Chevy Stewart (Canberra)
Women’s Under 19s Origin Player of the Year: Kasey Reh (Illawarra)
NSW Cup Player of the Year: Adam Cook (Canberra)
NSW Women’s Premiership Player of the Year: Leilani Wilson (Wentworthville)

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Dragons give Soward marching orders

Jamie Soward will see out the NRLW season in charge of St George Illawarra before the club finds a new coach in 2025.

Likely to miss finals for a second year running, the Dragons on Monday informed club legend Soward they will not activate a mutual contract option for him to remain at the helm next season.

The call was understood to have left Soward weighing up his immediate future at the eighth-placed Dragons with three rounds remaining in the regular season.

Saints have won two from six games this year and likely need to win their remaining three to have any chance of finishing in the top four.

On Tuesday night, the Dragons confirmed the 2010 NRL premiership-winning five-eighth, who had also been in charge of the club’s female pathways, would only leave after the ongoing campaign.

“The club has decided to review its female pathways structure for 2025 which will include the appointment of a new head coach,” a Dragons statement read.

“Soward will continue to coach the Dragons for the remainder of the 2024 NRLW season, as the club focuses on finishing the year on a strong note.

“The club remains committed to supporting Soward in his role throughout the rest of the season.”

Soward took charge of the Dragons from the 2021 season, leading the side to that year’s grand final, before undertaking a roster rebuild when a slew of players left ahead of the 2023 season.

Soward has previously indicated his interest in coaching the NSW women’s side, though Kylie Hilder remains in charge pending New South Wales Rugby League’s ongoing annual review.

The Sky Blues lost the inaugural three-match series against Queensland despite a commanding game-one victory after missing out on reclaiming the shield following the drawn two-match series in 2023.

with AAP