Chooks fans get taste of young Lam
RUGBY LEAGUE: The Sydney Roosters will get a glimpse of what a post-Cooper Cronk era could look like when Lachlan Lam deputises for the injured champion tonight.
Cronk was yesterday ruled out of the round-two clash against Manly after experiencing hamstring tightness following the Roosters’ round-one loss to South Sydney.
Lam, the son of former Roosters halfback Adrian, will make his first-grade debut six months after re-signing with the club as the heir to Cronk’s No.7 jumper.
The 35-year-old Cronk comes off-contract at the end of the year but has made no final decision whether he will hang up the boots.
Lam’s shot at Lottoland will be an early litmus test for the defending premiers, who lost their season-opener to the Rabbitohs.
Speaking before news of Cronk’s injury was announced, Robinson admitted his team were overly eager in their first outing of the season.
“There was actually excitement to get your footy on straight away and we wanted to do lots of things. It’s about doing the really important things well early,” he said.
Robinson also defended his team following criticism of their players following their heated battle with the Rabbitohs.
New signing Angus Crichton was branded a “traitor”, centre Latrell Mitchell admitted to being baited, while Wayne Bennett called the Roosters “immature”.
Robinson said he wanted his players to play within the rules of the game, but to also have the freedom to express themselves in their football.
“That’s why people love watching our game,” he said.