ROOSTERS BIG MAN TO MISS EELS CLASH

STATE of Origin prop Lindsay Collins will miss the Sydney Roosters’ Magic Round blockbuster against the Parramatta Eels after taking the early guilty plea for his high shot on Corey Thompson.

Collins was sent to the sin bin for hitting Thompson high with his shoulder in the first half of the Roosters’ big win over the Gold Coast Titans on Saturday night.

The NRL Match Review Committee offered Collins a one-match ban, but he risked missing two if he unsuccessfully challenged the charge at the judiciary.

Collins looms as a big out for the Roosters, who will need all hands on deck to contain Parramatta’s powerful forward pack this Sunday.

Five Eels forwards ran for more than 100m in Friday night’s upset win over the Penrith Panthers, with co-captain Junior Paulo leading the way (207m).

The Eels killed Penrith in second-phase play – the forward pack alone produced 13 offloads – so the Roosters’ big men will need to muscle up in Collins’ absence or risk suffering the same fate as the reigning premiers.

They’ll also be without luckless hooker Sam Verrills, who suffered a fractured collarbone in the win over the Titans.