Australia, insurance, car, home, live, holidays

Matt Lodge hasn’t become the star some predicted but he may be of some use at Bondi Junction.Credit:NRL Photos

He arrives at Bondi Junction as a reasonably performing front-rower who must find a way to take his game to a whole new level if he is to help Trent Robinson get his famous club pointing in the right direction at the back end of the campaign.

It’s a curious purchase for Robinson,although if anyone can find a way to get the best out of Lodge,it’s probably him. But Roosters fans hoping Lodge will become the ‘enforcer’ they need through the middle of the field shouldn’t hold their breath.

These days,Lodge is just a solid part of a forward rotation,not a star middle who can dominate a game like young lions Payne Haas or Tino Fa’asuamaleaui. But it would be naive to think Robinson has spent his money foolishly and Lodge might just be the right man,at the right time,at the right price.

Once one of the most-feared packs in the game,the Roosters haven’t been able to establish themselves in the trenches in 2022. Injuries to Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Victor Radley have left them vulnerable and no amount of young talent can make up for the lack of a few grizzled,battle-hardened NRL pros.

That’s where Lodge can be useful as the ninth-placed Roosters try to crawl back into the finals spots heading into the business end of the season. He’s tough and rugged,which might just be enough for Robinson as he tries to build some late momentum in a season that has been more challenging than most anticipated.

Stream the NRL Premiership 2022 live and free on9Now.
Sports news,results and expert commentary.Sign up for our Sport newsletter.

License this article