NRL: Injury-free Jennings ready to make mark

Michael Jennings of the Roosters. Photo / Getty Images

Finally free of a troubling back injury, star centre Michael Jennings is primed to again play a key role in the Sydney Roosters' tilt at back-to-back premiership glory.

The NSW and Australian representative scored the stunning try that sealed the Roosters' grand final win over Manly last season, and his return from the injury has coincided with a run of four successive wins for the premiers.

Jennings returned to his side-stepping best in scoring a double in the world champions' big win over the Warriors last weekend and says he is free at last of the restraints of the latissimus dorsi injury he suffered in game two of this year's State of Origin series.

"There is not an issue there anymore, that injury is not bothering me," he said.

"I can prepare as I normally prepare and get ready for a game.

"My main focus in not now on the injury, the main focus is on my performance ..."

Jennings says wing Daniel Tupou's comeback from the same injury and James Maloney's return to form has helped the Roosters left edge combination get close to its 2013 efforts ahead of tonight's match with Melbourne at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.

"It is good to have our usual left side there all together - we know how each other plays and we can get that combo going into the finals," Jennings said.

"Jimmy [Maloney] is coming into form, he knows how crucial he is to the team.

"If he keeps doing what he is doing, I have no doubt we can get the job done.

"It's a good time to start playing some good footy and if we want to see ourselves in that top four and get a home final the next two weeks are really crucial for us

"Through the year we have had some injuries and hit a slump, but we never lost faith, we all knew we could get the job done.

"We are on the right track, we know where we are sitting is good but it could be better."

- AAP