Young gun Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will likely take over the crucial No.1 jersey for Sydney Roosters in the lead-up to the final series after Anthony Minichiello was sidelined for up to three weeks with a knee injury.
Tuivasa-Sheck has been a revelation in his first full year in the NRL and is viewed by the tricolours as the heir apparent to long serving custodian Minichiello.
The Roosters captain has been almost faultless at fullback for the ladder-leading Roosters this season, with the club set to re-sign him for another year – which would bring his tenure at the club to 14 years.
But a hyperextended knee suffered by Minichiello in the early stages of the Roosters’ big win over Penrith on Friday night has sidelined him.
The Roosters said in a statement he would be out for up to three weeks.
It means Minichiello will miss Saturday night’s Allianz Stadium clash against the Canberra Raiders, the round 23 match versus the lowly Wests Tigers and perhaps even the Roosters’ away match against Cronulla the following week.
Tuivasa-Sheck is considered one of the game’s brightest young prospects and was chosen in the New Zealand squad for the Anzac Test in April after having played just a handful of games for the Roosters.
With the tricolours team to play Canberra to be named on Tuesday, Tuivasa-Sheck is expected to be named at fullback for Minichiello with Shaun Kenny-Dowall likely to moved from the centre to the wing.
Mitchell Aubusson is tipped to move into the three-quarter line from the bench.
Canberra, meanwhile, will be licking their wounds after their 68-4 shellacking at the hands of premiers Melbourne.
With five rounds remaining in the regular season the Roosters sit atop the NRL ladder, ahead of arch-rivals South Sydney on points differential.
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