Keary keeps his eye on the main prize

though a final decision is not expected until an hour before kick-off.

But asked how the rest of the team could ensure they don’t lose confidence if Cronk is ruled out, the Roosters’ larrikin five-eighth answered bluntly – “By not caring”.

“Honestly, what can you do? You can’t do anything about it,” Keary said.

“He hurt himself. There is nothing we can do about that.

“If you are not ready to go now, you are never going to be ready. You have trained 10 months to get here.”

“Don’t sh-- yourself because one player got hurt.”

The thing about Keary is that he doesn’t talk in cliches – and he doesn’t live his life fearing what might be.

Early this year, in Round 3 against Newcastle, Keary himself was playing his second game back from a busted jaw. And in that game he had a blinder, scoring one try where he ran straight over the top of his opposite, Brock Lamb.

It was like Keary thought he was a 110kg back-rower as he charged at the line, not an 85kg NRL lightweight just returning from a serious injury.

At the time Trent Robinson said of Keary: “Luke will never die wondering.”

Reminded of the moment, Keary responded: “To play at this level you can’t be scared. Well, there are probably a couple of dudes running around that are scared. “But you can’t be scared.” Keary already has one premiership courtesy of his time at the Rabbitohs.

Now he wants another, regardless of who ends up being his halves partner. “I don’t want to experience the other side,” he said. “It means nothing unless you get the win.”