Early Return of Reece Robson
Trent Robinson, the head coach of the Sydney Roosters, has expressed confidence in Reece Robson’s early return from a thumb injury, emphasizing that there is no risk involved. Robson, an ex-North Queensland hooker, suffered a fracture to his left thumb during pre-season training in February and was initially expected to return as late as round seven. However, the 27-year-old made a surprising appearance on the team sheet for Friday night’s round-three clash against Penrith, showcasing a rapid recovery.
Robinson praised Robson, calling him a “warrior” and stating that he is no longer hindered by the injury. Despite having a pin still in his thumb, the coach noted that Robson is ready to play, as they wouldn’t risk him otherwise.
Robson’s tenacity is well-known, but it is unlikely he will play a full game against the Panthers. Connor Watson and Benaiah Ioelu are also options for minutes at dummy-half. Robinson prefers quality over quantity from Robson, and he has been impressed by the player’s toughness in bouncing back from injury so quickly.
“That’s why I’m really looking forward to getting started with Reece,” Robinson said. “The hooking role is really important in attack but in defence, he’s been a warrior for a long, long time.”
The arrival of highly-rated Robson went somewhat under the radar this season as the Roosters welcomed superstar Daly Cherry-Evans into the halves. However, Robinson sees Robson as a steadying influence at hooker—a position where the Roosters have had seven different starters since Jake Friend retired in 2021.
Robson was top of the Roosters’ hit-list before signing a four-year deal in December 2024. Robinson highlighted that Robson was at the top of the list due to the style of play that the team aims to execute.
“We want to base a lot of our play around that nine role and him playing that,” Robinson said.
Key Players and Stability
Robson’s recovery means the Roosters have their first-choice spine on deck for the first time this season. The hooker joins reigning Dally M medallist James Tedesco, premiership-winning veteran Daly Cherry-Evans, and Queensland star of the future Sam Walker in the star-studded spine.
This stability is a welcome change for the Roosters, who cycled through eight different starting spine combinations last year. Robinson emphasized the importance of key players being on the field together.
“Every team looks to get their key players and their combinations time,” Robinson said. “We obviously couldn’t get that through the trials and through the first couple of rounds. There’s always curveballs thrown up. But the more time they play, the better they’ll get.”
