Waerea-Hargreaves key as Roosters host Manly for semi

A GUIDE TO THE NRL SEMI FINAL BETWEEN THE SYDNEY ROOSTERS AND MANLY:

*When: Saturday, 7:50pm AEST

*Where: Allianz Stadium, Sydney

*The form:

Sydney Roosters (home-and-away season: third, 16 wins, eight losses): Winners in seven of their past 10 matches. Lost qualifying final against Penrith 30-10.

Manly (home-and-away season: seventh, 13 wins, 10 losses, 1 draw): Winners in seven of their past 10 matches. Won elimination final against Canterbury 24-22.

*Head-to-head

Overall: Played: 142 games. Roosters 52 wins, 88 losses, two draws.

In finals: Played: Nine games. Roosters three wins, six losses.

Last time: Round 21, 2024. Roosters 34 defeated Sea Eagles 30 at Allianz Stadium.

Last final: Semi-final, 2021. Sea Eagles 42 defeated Roosters 6 at BB Print Stadium.

*Key players:

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Roosters): The departing prop returns from his latest suspension for his 315th - and possibly final - appearance in the NRL. The Roosters sorely missed his physical intensity in last week's loss to Penrith and need him at his fiery best to avoid a repeat of the slow start that thwarted their hopes of victory. His battle with former Roosters teammate Matt Lodge looms as a spicy one, but neutralising in-form Taniela Paseka could prove the bigger challenge.

Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles): The superstar fullback's busted shoulder passed its first test, making it through the elimination-final defeat of Canterbury. But Trbojevic would have been disappointed with his first half as the Bulldogs took control of the game, though he did stand up late to get the Sea Eagles home. Expect Angus Crichton and the Roosters pack to go after Trbojevic, who needs to find ways to inject himself into the game earlier against a Roosters side with plenty of its own firepower.

Luke Keary (Roosters): Last week's loss to Penrith laid bare just how big a hole Sam Walker leaves at the Roosters. Walker's injury replacement Sandon Smith is coming off a tough game and it's up to Keary to make sure the inexperienced halfback is not weighed down by the pressure of the No.7 jersey. Could also be his NRL swansong before joining Super League side Catalans next year.

Luke Brooks (Sea Eagles): The Manly five-eighth's confidence will be sky high after impressing in his much-hyped finals debut, some 4040 days after first playing in the NRL. Brooks backed himself to execute a highly intricate scrum play that got Manly back in the game, and the Sea Eagles will need that kind of belief to match it with the NRL's best attacking side. Comes up against former housemate and Wests Tigers teammate James Tedesco.

*The stat: The 2024 Roosters have a 1-7 record against the five other teams that remain in the hunt for the premiership, but their one win came against the Sea Eagles in the sides' most recent meeting.