Roosters playmaker Luke Keary has announced that he is a definite start for Sydney's season opener at the SCG later this month.
After tearing his ACL during the Chook's Round 3 loss to the Rabbitohs last season and sustaining bone bruising earlier this summer, Keary has spent the vast majority of the last 12-months out of action.
However, with a steady block of work on the track across the course of February, the 30-year-old has claimed he is ready to tear into the Knights at the Cricket Ground on March 12.
“I’m sweet, I feel really good,” Keary told The Sydney Morning Herald.
The Queenslander also revealed that he was fit enough to have taken on the Tigers in last weekend's trail contest in Gosford.
“I could have played last weekend. I’ve had a really good last month of preparation; I’m back into it.”
Given Keary hasn't laced the boots in a contest for points since March 26, 2021, the five-eighth is yet to partner with Roosters wunderkind Sam Walker, with the teenager making his first-grade debut the week after the ex-Rabbitoh was felled.
While it is not yet known how the master and the apprentice will fare for the Tri-Colours this season, Keary divulged that when things click, the pair would be a sight to behold.
“To be honest, I’ve been with some halves where you walk out and straight away it’s like clockwork,” he said.
“Then there’s others; with Cooper [Cronk] it took us three or four months. There’s a hooker and 'Teddy' [James Tedesco] there as well; you’ve kind of got to work each other out.
“It could click, it could take a few weeks or a few months, you don’t know until you start playing. We know each other’s game well, but we haven’t really played together. It is an unknown.
“You will see some teething at the start, but we’re both smart and humble enough to work each other out and complement each in different ways. I’m quite confident we’ll be OK.”
Despite no points having been posted on the board, Walker expressed a similar optimism to his triple premiership-winning teammate.
“We’ve spent as much time on the training paddock as in the video room. It’s been really clear for him and myself the style of footy we want to play this year," the Leeds-born halfback stated.
I’m excited to get out there and play footy with him.
“We both love playing footy and backing our footy instincts.”
The Keary-Walker era's dawn will come against Newcastle next weekend.