Sydney Roosters lose Boyd Cordner while Sonny Bill Williams' future is in doubt Roosters forward Boyd Cordner is set to spend the remainder of the season on the sidelines after sustaining an ankle injury. BOYD Cordner is likely gone for the season, while Sonny Bill Williams is in fresh talks to quit the club as the Sydney Roosters' premiership campaign faces its first real test. Only weeks after debuting for NSW, Cordner last night underwent ankle surgery that is expected to sideline the gun 21-year-old forward for between six to 10 weeks. The grand final is eight weeks away, leaving Cordner with little time to recover. The back-rower's absence is set to have a huge impact on the Bondi Junction club and comes as Williams again heads into talks with rugby union with hopes across the ditch that he will be playing with the Waikato Chiefs as early as next season. The New Zealand Rugby Union, with a three-year deal on the table for Williams, wants the code-hopper back after rugby league's World Cup to join the Chiefs' for the next Super Rugby campaign. Sonny Bill Williams' future at the Sydney Roosters is uncertain. When quizzed on the fresh contract discussions late yesterday, Roosters chief operating officer Brian Canavan insisted: "There have been no new discussions anywhere, at any level." It's understood that while the NZRU is willing to let Williams have his second season at Bondi Junction, the Rooster is also concerned his ambitions to represent the All Blacks at the next Rugby World Cup could be at risk if he leaves himself only one season to push for selection. "We have made Sonny and Khoder (Williams' agent Khoder Nasser) an offer," NZRU chief executive Steve Tew said in New Zealand. We have been talking to them and the dialogue has been positive but we don't have any ink on paper. We would obviously love Sonny to come back and play rugby here and we have made that clear. It is up to Sonny and Khoder now. Boyd Cordner will co-captain the Sydney Roosters in their clash with Canberra, but is wary of returning star Blake Ferguson. Williams will return from a two-match suspension for Monday week's clash against Wests Tigers. Cordner, meanwhile, went under the knife after injuring his ankle in Saturday night's 28-22 win against the Canberra Raiders. The forward visited a specialist yesterday where the news, despite him being booked in for more scans today, was serious enough to take immediate action. Initially, it was feared he may be suffering syndesmosis, the same ankle problem currently sidelining reigning Dally M medallist Ben Barba. The recovery rate for that is four to six weeks. "He's got the syndesmosis disease, which every player seems to get these days, a high ankle sprain and something to do with ligaments tearing apart," Brad Fittler said on the Nine Network's Footy Show. (It is) eight weeks, so I think it's grand final at best. He'll be a great healer. He's so dedicated to what he's got to do. The Roosters' victory over Canberra - their seventh in a row - lifted them two points clear of South Sydney at the top of the ladder.