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Roosters ask Keary to seize control

3 minute read

The Sydney Roosters want star playmaker Luke Keary to take charge to help the Tricolours out of an early-season NRL slump.

LUKE KEARY.
LUKE KEARY. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Luke Keary has been tasked with seizing control of the Sydney Roosters' spluttering attack as the Tricolours fight to keep pace with the NRL heavyweights.

Skipper James Tedesco concedes the Roosters need to shift up the gears to stay in the title race with Penrith and Melbourne after a lacklustre Anzac Day loss to St George Illawarra offered up more questions than answers.

Watching in commentary, Andrew Johns wondered whether Keary should be playing five-eighth instead of Sam Walker but Tedesco is adamant the Roosters' halves pairing is settled.

It just needs to click and Tedesco hopes an honest review on Tuesday works a treat.

"It's sort of a new role for Keary and we want him to take control," Tedesco said.

"He's played with halfbacks, especially Cooper (Cronk) who would take control and Kez would play more on instinct and play with his eyes.

"Sammy Walker is that same player now and he and Keary are very similar players and we sort of need 'Kez' to be that halfback who's in control.

"It's his team to take control of and lead us around and me and Sammy Walker can play with our eyes and our instincts."

Tedesco said Keary couldn't take all the blame for the side's misfiring attack, placing the onus on the entire side - including himself.

"There's obviously some combinations there between me and Sammy and Keary that we need to get better," said the superstar fullback.

"It's a quarter through the season and we need to put our foot down.

"Melbourne and Penrith are setting the standards for sure. They're playing some great footy and you can see in the way they're playing that everything is clicking and their defence is really strong.

"I'm looking forward to getting back to playing Roosters footy and we know we can be a lot better."

With the Roosters sitting sixth, Tedesco said the next two games against Canterbury and Gold Coast were perfect preparation for a season-defining run of matches against Penrith, Cronulla and two against Parramatta in five weeks.

"We have about four or five games when we're up against top-four teams so it's a good challenge for us over the next couple of weeks to really execute our plays and go up a notch because we've been hovering around," he said.

"We'll win a couple of games but it definitely hasn't been our best footy so this next month of footy is important for us and we need to step up."

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