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Sydney Roosters skipper Braith Anasta issued a warning to his NRL rivals on Monday – the attacking formation of himself, Todd Carney and Mitchell Pearce is more lethal than ever.
It’s a worrying proposition for the competition’s other 15 teams, after the trio helped carry the Roosters to last year’s grand final with Carney picking up the added honour of being named the Dally M medal winner.
But Anasta believes that a full off-season together will do wonders for the Roosters attack.
“I think it will improve (after another off-season), it will be particularly good for all of us because we get to start in our positions,” he told AAP.
“I had to learn (my position), it was a work in progress thing for me last year moving positions and I felt as the year went on that I got a lot better at it.
“I’m looking to hit the ground running and work on my combinations with Toddy.
“Toddy obviously had a great year last year and he’d like to keep that going, and I know Pearcey has improved in the off-season so we’re pretty confident in our ability and our combination there.
“It’s a good feeling to have the three of us running around the park and able to strike at any time, so we’ll look to continue that.”
Anasta also revealed that despite being named at lock forward for the bulk of last season, he actually played in the secondrow – but continued to be named at lock to ward off media scrutiny.
Coach Brian Smith started Anasta in the secondrow of Saturday’s trial loss to the Bulldogs, where the talented ball-player laid on a try for rookie centre Willie Mataka.
“I’ll be doing the same thing as last year, Smithy just didn’t name me there last year just so we didn’t have to put up with all the hoohah and all the garbage that goes with it,” Anasta explained.
“When the coach is not naming me in certain numbers because he’s worried about the media stuff, that’s a good indication (of the media scrutiny).”
Meanwhile, luckless forward Anthony Cherrington underwent surgery on his injured left knee on Tuesday, but his teammates remain hopeful they haven’t seen the last of him this year.
Cherrington, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on the weekend, now faces an eight month rehabilitation program to reach full fitness again.
“He’s a bit shattered at the moment, and we’re all shattered for him, but he gets his operation done today,” secondrow ally Jared Waerea-Hargreaves said.
“Hopefully it’s a success and he keeps his head held high, and hopefully he can be back out on the field before the end of the season.”
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