Sydney Roosters have called up their undercooked co-captain Jake Friend for the NRL grand final against Canberra Raiders.
The veteran hooker has played only five games this season, but has the experience of six grand finals to draw on as the Roosters attempt to go back to back.
Friend has had a disrupted season with a fractured arm and a calf injury putting him in doubt for a grand final call-up.
Friend has missed the past 11 weeks, but coach Trent Robinson has rolled the dice in the season decider.
Dummy-half Sam Verrills will start, but Zane Tetevano is out of the side.
The Raiders will field the 17-man line-up they named earlier in the week, with John Bateman and Josh Hodgson overcoming viruses and Joey Leilua a calf complaint.
An hour before the match, Roosters skipper Boyd Cordner said he would welcome Friend helping him with leadership duties on field.
“[We] sort of knew early on he had to sort of get through the week at training first. Every session was crucial for him. But he nailed his week and, yeah, it is good having that experience with Friendy coming in the team,” Cordner told Channel Nine.
“Leadership, just his composure, too, around the middle of the ruck. He gets his hands on the ball. All the time, he is probably the player on the field that touches the ball the most.
“He will be starting off the bench. It is going to be a tight game. It is going to be good having a guy like Jake Friend coming on the field trying to ice the game.”
Raiders skipper Jarrod Croker said his team was ready for the challenger having done all they could to prepare for the journey to Sydney.
Earlier, the NRLW grand final was won by Brisbane Broncos over St George Illawarra Dragons 30-6.
-with AAP
The post NRL grand final: Roosters co-captain Jake Friend returns appeared first on The New Daily.
**Business and Marketing support on best price; Hit the link now----> http://bit.ly/2HsQmSi