{"id":491639,"date":"2026-02-20T04:28:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T04:28:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/491639\/"},"modified":"2026-02-20T04:28:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T04:28:09","slug":"pre-season-injury-woes-for-roosters-and-storm-nrl-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/491639\/","title":{"rendered":"Pre-season injury woes for Roosters and Storm – NRL News"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the 2026 NRL<\/a> season encroaches, both the Sydney Roosters<\/a> and Melbourne Storm<\/a> face major challenges with key injuries ahead of the new campaign.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For the Roosters, the recent hand injury of hooker Reece Robson<\/a> has created a reshuffle that will be carried out for up to two months.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While the Storm must navigate life without star winger Xavier Coates<\/a> for a minimum of three months.<\/p>\n

Both unexpected injuries are bound to affect team performance, but now the real challenge lies in how each coach navigates this period to ensure their side isn’t playing catch-up by mid-season.<\/p>\n

How will the Roosters replace Robson?<\/p>\n

The Roosters’ season has been thrown into flux following Robson’s injury.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fortunately, the club boasts depth in the hooker position, giving them several options.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Origin star Connor Watson<\/a> is likely to delay taking the assumed number 13 jersey, instead assisting with the spine.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Depending on form, veterans like Radley or young gun Blake Steep<\/a> could step into the lock role.<\/p>\n

If Steep does not start, he could still contribute from the bench as a utility forward.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Watson could shift to nine\u2014a position he’s familiar with\u2014leaving Beniah Ioelu to occupy jersey 14.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With new bench rules, this jersey doesn’t require a strict utility, allowing Ioelu to still cement himself in Robinson’s top 19 despite being a specialist hooker.<\/p>\n

Watson and Ioelu have already formed a strong partnership, mirroring the injured Robson’s playing style.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Depending on Ioelu’s form, either could start at nine or 14, injecting flair while maintaining structure.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While the loss of Robson is disruptive, the Roosters’ depth suggests they can adapt.<\/p>\n

How will the Storm replace Coates?<\/p>\n

For the Melbourne Storm<\/a>, the news is more concerning.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Losing Xavier Coates<\/a>, a pivotal member of their backline and aerial threat, is a significant blow.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The simplest scenario involves signing Zac Lomax<\/a>, who would step in on the wing, and later swap to the other wing when Coates recovers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This plan, however, is contingent on the signing going through amidst a messy legal battle.<\/p>\n

If Lomax is unable to be contracted at the Storm, rookie Moses Leo<\/a> is the most likely replacement.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The 28-year-old made his debut in Round 5 last season and brings experience from New Zealand<\/a> Rugby Sevens.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, Leo sustained a shoulder fracture last year, limiting his NRL<\/a> exposure to just two games, alongside five appearances in the NSW Cup<\/a> for North Sydney Bears.<\/p>\n

Storm coach Craig Bellamy<\/a> will be taking a gamble, but this week’s performance will be a true test of Leo’s ability to handle the responsibilities of a Melbourne wing, particularly in replicating Coates’ aerial threat.<\/p>\n

Get set for the footy with the FREE Zero Tackle 2026 NRL Season Guide!<\/a> Packed with 130+ pages of player profiles, team previews, insights and analysis, the 2026 NRL Season Guide<\/a> is built for fans who want the full picture. Download your free Season Guide HERE.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As the 2026 NRL season encroaches, both the Sydney Roosters and Melbourne Storm face major challenges with key…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":491640,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,761,762,158,85],"class_list":["post-491639","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-nrl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/491639","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=491639"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/491639\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/491640"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=491639"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=491639"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=491639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}