The Sydney Roosters have gone a measly 1-4 to start their 2025 campaign, and while the entire squad has been disappointing, veteran halfback Chad Townsend has been particularly underwhelming.
Townsend hasn't been at his lethal best for the Tri Colours this season, and it has now been reported by Immortal Andrew Johns that his poor form may cost him his jumper in their Sydney derby against the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
"I've heard a bit of mail, a whisper ... Hugo Savala may start in the halves," Johns revealed on Nine's Freddy and The Eighth.
Savala has not started in an NRL match in his young career; however has played off the Roosters' bench in their last three games.
Johns noted that Townsend has been somewhat of a liability defensively, pushing the idea that he may be out of first grade soon.
"That side of the field defensively for the Roosters, [which has] Robert Toia and Chad Townsend, has been quite brittle," Johns critiqued.
Townsend has been brought in as a stopgap for Sydney Roosters star Sam Walker, who has been out injured with an ACL rupture.
With young Sandon Smith expected to be Walker's halves partner for the foreseeable future, it is Townsend who is left to cop the axing.
Savala is an academy graduate contracted as an NRL development player until the end of next year. It seems the 22-year-old has caught Roosters coach Trent Robinson's attention, who vowed back in February that he aims to provide opportunities to academy graduates.
"We are going to play these kids," Robinson said on SEN radio in February.
"We've set up an academy for the last three years, and now we're seeing these kids come through. We believe in these kids that are coming through, so they're just going to play."
An official call on Townsend's future is yet to be announced, but with the 34-year-old struggling to find form, his days in first grade may be numbered.
