Sydney Roosters centre Billy Smith faces an anxious wait to determine his fitness for Friday night's clash against South Sydney after being involved in an e-bike accident near Moore Park on Thursday afternoon.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Smith was e-biking near Moore Park Road with teammate Egan Butcher when the incident occurred on a footpath just outside Rugby Australia's headquarters. While Butcher walked away with minor injuries, a witness reported that Smith sustained a head injury. He was assessed by the Roosters' club doctor on Thursday afternoon as the club prepared to make its squad decision.
When contacted by the Herald, Smith said he was "completely fine" and "all good," though the club's formal assessment would ultimately determine his availability. The incident adds another chapter to Smith's frustrating history with injuries. The 26-year-old has managed just 46 games during an injury-interrupted career, despite recently showing promise by stringing together 18 games in 2025, his highest total for a single season.
The setback comes at a particularly delicate time in the NRL calendar. Under competition rules, the Roosters' initial 22-man squad for Friday's local derby must be trimmed to 19 players by 8pm Thursday, exactly 24 hours before kick-off. If Smith is ruled out, outside back Junior Pauga, dropped after last week's loss to the Warriors, looms as the most likely replacement at centre.
Smith's catalogue of injuries reflects the brutal nature of professional rugby league. He has endured three ACL tears, two in his left knee and one in his right, all before turning 22. Significant shoulder and Lisfranc injuries have also troubled him, and he missed the entire 2024 season with an ankle injury that required the removal of 30 per cent of the cartilage in the joint.
The incident echoes a broader pattern of off-field accidents affecting NRL players using personal transport devices. Forward Angus Crichton spent much of the 2024 season with his right arm strapped up for games after falling off an electric skateboard on Driver Avenue early in the year, reminding clubs that even routine movements between training sessions can carry real risk.
The Roosters' reliance on e-bikes and scooters to move between their training sessions at Kippax Lake Oval and club facilities inside Allianz Stadium is standard practice for the squad, but Thursday's accident adds weight to questions about player welfare during what many assume to be low-risk activities.