The St George Illawarra Dragons have reached an agreement with the Sydney Roosters to have hooker Freddy Lussick join them on loan for the remainder of the season.
Lussick, who is 20 years of age and has nine first grade appearances to his name, has impressed in limited opportunities for the Roosters.
He has played four games this season, but that tally is almost certain to end up at six as he transfers to the Dragons, who are struggling with injury in the dummy half position.
Regular hooker Andrew McCullough has been ruled out for the season with injury. That forced Anthony Griffin to play Josh McGuire at hooker last week, with Jayden Sullivan then deputising for him off the bench.
While McGuire has previously played in the dummy half role for Samoa, and Sullivan is a youngster who did an outstanding job during the loss to the Roosters, the move of Lussick works for both sides.
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Lussick is rated as one of the best youngsters in Trent Robinson's junior system, winning the 2019 club Rising Star award before debuting in 2020.
He has scored a single try in his nine-game first grade career, but also tackles at around 96 per cent and has shown promising signs.
Caught behind Sam Verrills at the Roosters, and with Lachlan Lam regularly used as the bench utility, while he has also had to compete with Victor Radley and Ben Marschke at times, Lussick's opportunities in the tri-colours have been limited.
Dragons' general manager of football Ben Haran said it was important to sign a recognised hooker as the club attempt to snap a six-game losing streak and finish the season on a high note, their finals hopes all but obliterated.
"Given the mounting injury toll throughout our playing ranks, we thought it important to sign a recognised hooker to our squad for the coming weeks," General manager of football Ben Haran said.
"We'd like to thank the Roosters for allowing Freddy to join our squad in Brisbane and look forward to providing him a short-term opportunity with the Dragons."
The Dragons will finish their season with games against the North Queensland Cowboys and South Sydney Rabbitohs.
