Paul Kent believes the return of Jake’s friend is far more important than Sonny Bill Williams as the Roosters try not to leave the finale in straight sentences.
The defending premieres will have to be eliminated from the final with consecutive losses if they host the Raiders in a 2019 grand final.
Reports Williams was dropped for the Roosters’ first final against the Panthers, and Kent believes Williams is no longer who he once was.
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“Friend by a mile. He does everything they need in the middle, cleans them up and to be honest, Sonny Bill didn’t set the world on fire, ”Kent said on NRL 360.
“He came back in that first game against the Raiders, he admitted it took a little.
“He was good the following week but hasn’t played well since.”
Williams has only made four appearances in the Super League since returning from injury and a break following Wolfpack’s death.
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Kent believes no one is ready to admit that Williams is not the savior the Roosters were hoping for when they acquired him to help out with an injury crisis.
“I dare to say, the emperor has no more clothes here, nobody is ready to say that Sonny is no longer Sonny.” Said Kent.
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“He’s not the player who left the game six years ago. He’s come back, he’s swaying the roosters with all that stuff in training and his prep and all that business.
“But the fact is, his last games weren’t good.”
There’s still a chance Nat Butcher will take Williams’ place if he doesn’t recover from a neck injury in time, despite being named in the # 17 jersey on Tuesday.
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