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Charles Goodsir • April 8th, 2025 12:41 pm
The Sydney Roosters and coach Trent Robinson are set to swing the axe in Round 6 with early reports indicating that halfback Chad Townsend and winger Dom Young are set to be dropped.
After a thrilling win over the Penrith Panthers in Round 2, the Roosters have slumped to three straight losses and now sit 16th on the ladder.
The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis told SEN that Townsend and Young have failed to fire in the opening month of the year and will be omitted from their clash against the Brisbane Broncos.
“This is the most intriguing Team List Tuesday since Round 1,” Carayannis declared on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“All of my mail indicates that Chad Townsend will definitely be dropped. Those rumours were doing the rounds late last week but he survived.
“He struggled again for the Roosters and Dom Young looks like he will also miss out.
“Mark Nawanqanitawase will come back into the side.
“I’m not too surprised (at this news) because it’s not a deep, dark secret.
“Trent Robinson has had enough and he’s going to be making some changes.”
Townsend was signed to the Roosters last season with the intention for the 34-year-old to shadow young halfback Sam Walker and primarily play in reserve grade.
After Walker suffered an ACL injury in late 2024, the Roosters were forced to use Townsend as their chief playmaker for the 2025 season.
However, the 2016 premiership winner has failed to fire and has failed to register a try, try-assist, line break and the Roosters have failed to score a four-pointer of a kick across five rounds.
Hugo Savala, who has played just three matches in 2025 and his entire career, is expected to be named as starting halfback.
The Roosters travel to Suncorp Stadium to take on the Broncos on Friday night. Brisbane thrashed the Roosters 50-14 at Allianz Stadium in Round 1.
