Friday, 26 April 2019:
 | | LATRELL MITCHELL of the Roosters scores a try during the NRL Preliminary Final match between the Sydney Roosters and the North Queensland Cowboys at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, Australia. | |
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Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robison has refused to apologise for the act of subterfuge which saw the club keep Lachlan Lam's NRL starting debut under wraps until kick-off.
Robinson deliberately threw journalists and fans off the scent in the lead up to their 20-10 Anzac Day victory over St George Illawarra, insisting Latrell Mitchell would start at five-eighth.
After in-form playmaker Luke Keary was ruled out with concussion, Mitchell was named in the No.6 jersey and Lam on the bench.
Even in his pre-game press conference on Wednesday, Robinson repeatedly intimated that Mitchell would turn out in the halves.
Lam had made just two previous first-grade appearances this year, during both of which he was used off the bench.
And Robinson was wary the pressure of making his first starting appearance in the biggest regular round game of the season would get to the 21-year-old.
"Just a young guy, starting for the first time, on Anzac Day, (misleading on selections) is not something that I do," Robinson said.
"But I needed to protect a young guy going into an Anzac Day game.
"I felt like he was ready to step up and be a starting player with Luke out. We're really pushing those young guys to take their opportunities."
Lam has been a star performer for feeder side North Sydney in the NSW Cup this year and did a commendable job filling in for Keary.
With Cooper Cronk weighing up retirement, the son of club great Adrian Lam is a chance to step up into the Roosters starting team next year.
Pressed on what Lam needed to be shielded from, Robinson said: "Just the uncontrollable, the external stuff that comes with that.
"It's not major, it's only minute.
"I just think it allows a guy to get ready without noise."
