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From the SMH:
SYDNEY ROOSTERS captain Braith Anasta is confident of finalising a new deal to remain at the club and insists he is happy to play in the second row this season.
With star playmaker Todd Carney sidelined by a groin injury until the season-opening clash with South Sydney on March 11, Roosters coach Brian Smith has opted to give rookie Mark Kheirallah the No.6 jersey for Saturday night's Foundation Cup clash with Wests Tigers at the SFS rather than play Anasta at five-eighth.
But after admitting towards the end of last season that he was struggling to come to terms with the move into the forwards, Anasta said he was now comfortable wearing the No.11 jersey.
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''I'm playing the same as I was last year. My role hasn't changed, only the number has changed,'' Anasta said. ''I think the sooner everyone gets used to me in that number the better.''
Anasta's switch in to the back row to accommodate Carney at five-eighth in the second half of last season sparked speculation that the former NSW Origin representative was either on the outer at the club or would leave. But Anasta told the Herald after kicking the remarkable last-second field goal that forced their finals match against Wests Tigers into golden point and kept the Roosters' season alive that he didn't want to play anywhere else.
Despite further speculation about his future during the off-season, Anasta again said yesterday he did not want to play for another club and revealed that talks with Roosters management had been positive.
''I am comfortable with how things are going,'' Anasta said. ''I have had a talk with a few people around the club and would like to think that I will stay here. I am pretty much going to keep it behind closed doors now and hope that it gets sorted out sooner rather than later, and I think it will … I really enjoyed the back end of the season and I would like to try and progress in this position as well which is why Smithy has trained me there even though Toddy is injured.''
Besides the selection of Kheirallah, who played wing and fullback in the Roosters' NYC team last season, Smith has named a team for the Foundation Cup that is very close to the one that lost the grand final to St George Illawarra.
''Mark has got a great work ethic on and off the field and he is confident, too, so he has really fitted into the squad and any challenge that has been thrown at him he has really stepped it up,'' Anasta said.
''He has got good skill and I was doing some kicking with him yesterday, and he kept finding the mark with his kicks, but I think probably the best part of his game is his speed. He is lightning. He has been thrown into the deep end a bit but he has been handling it easy and while it is going to be a test for him on Saturday, we have no doubt he can handle it.''
Anasta also backed his former Bulldogs teammate Matt Utai to make a successful comeback to the NRL after finalising a one-year deal with the Tigers.
SYDNEY ROOSTERS captain Braith Anasta is confident of finalising a new deal to remain at the club and insists he is happy to play in the second row this season.
With star playmaker Todd Carney sidelined by a groin injury until the season-opening clash with South Sydney on March 11, Roosters coach Brian Smith has opted to give rookie Mark Kheirallah the No.6 jersey for Saturday night's Foundation Cup clash with Wests Tigers at the SFS rather than play Anasta at five-eighth.
But after admitting towards the end of last season that he was struggling to come to terms with the move into the forwards, Anasta said he was now comfortable wearing the No.11 jersey.
Advertisement: Story continues below
''I'm playing the same as I was last year. My role hasn't changed, only the number has changed,'' Anasta said. ''I think the sooner everyone gets used to me in that number the better.''
Anasta's switch in to the back row to accommodate Carney at five-eighth in the second half of last season sparked speculation that the former NSW Origin representative was either on the outer at the club or would leave. But Anasta told the Herald after kicking the remarkable last-second field goal that forced their finals match against Wests Tigers into golden point and kept the Roosters' season alive that he didn't want to play anywhere else.
Despite further speculation about his future during the off-season, Anasta again said yesterday he did not want to play for another club and revealed that talks with Roosters management had been positive.
''I am comfortable with how things are going,'' Anasta said. ''I have had a talk with a few people around the club and would like to think that I will stay here. I am pretty much going to keep it behind closed doors now and hope that it gets sorted out sooner rather than later, and I think it will … I really enjoyed the back end of the season and I would like to try and progress in this position as well which is why Smithy has trained me there even though Toddy is injured.''
Besides the selection of Kheirallah, who played wing and fullback in the Roosters' NYC team last season, Smith has named a team for the Foundation Cup that is very close to the one that lost the grand final to St George Illawarra.
''Mark has got a great work ethic on and off the field and he is confident, too, so he has really fitted into the squad and any challenge that has been thrown at him he has really stepped it up,'' Anasta said.
''He has got good skill and I was doing some kicking with him yesterday, and he kept finding the mark with his kicks, but I think probably the best part of his game is his speed. He is lightning. He has been thrown into the deep end a bit but he has been handling it easy and while it is going to be a test for him on Saturday, we have no doubt he can handle it.''
Anasta also backed his former Bulldogs teammate Matt Utai to make a successful comeback to the NRL after finalising a one-year deal with the Tigers.
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