Flannery injured in win

Correspondent

Roosters utility Chris Flannery is set to miss at least 14 weeks of football after breaking a leg and damaging ligaments in the weekend trial.

 Flannery was a late inclusion in the squad that took part in the inaugural Foundation Cup on Saturday night when the Sydney Roosters took on the Wests Tigers. The Roosters won the game 10-4 but the win was soured with news of the injury to one of their key players.

 Flannery was clearly dejected when scans revealed the bad news, particularly as he was expecting to take no part in the game.

"When it happened I knew I had done something to my leg," Flannery said.

"I felt it go."

"I wasn't even supposed to play. When I was a late call-up, I was expecting to play only 20 minutes.”

"Then we had a bit of bad luck with injury during the game and I had to go back on. I can't believe my luck."

The injury is a dilemma for new coach Chris Anderson as Flannery’s versatility would have been a great asset throughout the season. Anderson is currently trying to solve another dilemma, the halfback position for the upcoming season. Josh Lewis, Mitchell Pearce and Jamie Soward are all in a battle for the spot and it is unclear who the leading candidate is at this stage.

Lewis was a late withdrawal from the Foundation Cup after suffering a shoulder problem. However, he will be given an opportunity to impress in the next trial.

"I still haven't made up my mind who will be starting halfback," Anderson said.

"I'm going to give Josh Lewis first shot in the next trial.

"(This match) hasn't solved it, but what it says to me is they're both up to first-grade standard, which is good. Whoever gets first shot at it doesn't mean the other bloke won't be there."

Pearce and Soward shared the halfback duties in the trial with both players showing promising signs.

"I was really pleased with Mitchell Pearce … he copped a couple of good whacks, they tried to sort him out and he handled it," Anderson said.

"Jamie did really well in the second half. He scored a good try, his kicking game was great.

"It was a bit harder for Jamie because we got a bit tired and lost a bit of shape."

In other trial results from the weekend Melbourne were too strong for the Gold Coast Titans winning 36-6 while Parramatta overcame Cronulla 36-14.