Keary change won't stop Roosters attack

Luke Keary's left edge has been the second-most dangerous in the NRL but the Sydney Roosters are confident that won't change with Ryan Matterson replacing him.

Ryan Matterson

Ryan Matterson will play five-eighth for the Roosters this weekend against North Queensland. (AAP)

He'll weigh in as their heaviest half in two years but the Sydney Roosters are confident Ryan Matterson's move to five-eighth won't disrupt their dangerous left-edge attack.

Matterson will play his first game back in the No.6 since 2016 on Saturday night against North Queensland with Luke Keary out injured, but he's bulked up significantly in that time to transform to a forward.

He now weighs in at 107kg, well heavier than what he was back then.

What's more important is how he can replicate Keary's combination with Boyd Cordner and Latrell Mitchell over the next moth after the Roosters' attack finally looked to have clicked.

That side of the field is now the second most potent in the NRL, with 32 of the Roosters' tries this season having been created through that channel.

They are chasing their eighth win in nine games this weekend.

"I don't think we'll change too much of our structure on that left side," Cordner said.

"It's just another bigger body there to help us defensively. He's very good defensively, Matto. We won't be losing too much.

"They're two different styles of players Luke and Matto and we'll probably have to play to Matto's strengths more. They'll be good. He's a great player.

"Just seeing some of the stuff he can do on the training field hopefully he can implement that out there on the field on game day."

Coach Trent Robinson is also unconcerned, after he opted move Matterson to No.6 rather than bring back-up halfback Sean O'Sullivan into the side.

While he has only started there five times in first grade, he was a half throughout his under-20s stint at Parramatta and played No.7 for the Junior Kangaroos in 2014.

"Five-eighth is a specific role and we need a five-eighth to play that role. He will come and do his bit," Robinson told reporters on Friday.

"I don't think it will (hurt the left-edge attack) at all."

STATS THAT MATTER:

* Only South Sydney's left-edge has been more dangerous than the Roosters this year.

* Ten of the two teams' past 13 matches have been decided by 10 points or more.

* Both teams sit in the bottom three for offloads.

*Stats: Fox Sports Stats


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Source: AAP



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