Sydney Roosters are exploring the NRL market with the hope of signing an outside back before August 1 following a spate of injuries in the already depleted side.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Matt Ikuvalu and Billy Smith were confirmed as the latest casualties on Tuesday for the Roosters, who are already missing Brett Morris and Joseph Suaalii for the rest of the season.
Josh Morris has been named to make his return against Parramatta on Thursday night, while Adam Keighran will line up as the other centre.
It leaves coach Trent Robinson with just rookie Moala Graham-Taufa in his squad in the Queensland bubble - a back-up outside back who has played just five reserve grade games for North Sydney Bears.
"Definitely for us, we're having a look at an outside back," Robinson confirmed on Tuesday.
"We're not sure if we'll do anything at the moment.
"At the moment we've got one reserve here, a young kid who's a reserve who's only played a couple of reserve-grade games.
"He's got a good future but that's all we've got at the moment. We're having a look and we need to make a decision by Monday.
"We'll have a look but make sure it's right for the Roosters."
Graham-Taufa has been named on the extended bench for Thursday night against the Eels.
It comes after both Ikuvalu (ankle) and Smith (foot) were sent for surgery.
Smith has returned to Sydney and is expected to be out for five months with a lis franc injury, while Ikuvalu will have surgery on the syndesmosis injury in Brisbane and stay within the team's bubble.
Bringing in any player with just six rounds to play before finals would be a challenge.
However, Robinson has encouraged the NRL to allow short-term trades between clubs in the Queensland hubs given there is no lower grades to bolster squad depth and the ongoing issue of border closures.
The idea was being presented to NRL chief executives on Tuesday.
"Usually we would have North Sydney Bears, we'd have a full team playing there and we'd have Jersey Flegg and if we got into a situation we'd be able to call on any of those players at this time of year... and that's not an option for us here," Robinson said.
"We don't have anybody outside of the people here in the hub that we can call on.
"So it's very different.
"Some adaptability from the NRL is possibly needed there."
Australian Associated Press
