NRL: Fans to crow at ex-rooster

SYDNEY - Coach Brian Smith is expecting Sydney Roosters' fans to give Willie Mason a hostile reception when he faces former teammates in tonight's NRL clash at the Sydney Football Stadium.

It will be Mason's first return to Sydney since joining North Queensland in March, after an acrimonious departure from the Roosters following a disastrous campaign that saw the club pick up their first wooden spoon in 43 years.

Although the Roosters coach never had the opportunity to work with the New South Wales and test prop, who was not even allowed to train with his former teammates in the off-season before moving to Townsville, he thinks the move has been good for Mason.

"I dare say there will be a bit of fun and games out there and on the other side of the fence," Smith said.

"We saw the Canberra fans give Todd Carney a bit of a welcome the other week so maybe the Roosters fans will say 'hello' to Willie again, too.

"He seems to be enjoying himself and making a contribution to the Cowboys and we will doing our best to stop him.

"But there'll be a lot of people at our club wanting to wish Willie well."

He also called on the new independent commission to find a solution to the problem of rep players having to back up for their clubs.

The Roosters have six players backing up from Friday's test between Australia and New Zealand and the City versus Country Origin clash in Port Macquarie, with Mason and Luke O'Donnell doing likewise for the Cowboys.

There have been calls for rep fixtures to be played in stand-alone rounds, and Smith said something needs to be done.

"It's pretty unfair to ask what we do of our rep players."

- AAP