Friend is expected to miss at least the opening month of football, although an exact return time hasn't been set due to complications with the injury.

The hooker won't be able to undergo surgery until a shoulder infection passes, meaning he probably won't go under the knife for about three weeks.

It's a massive setback for the Roosters given Friend is a proven 80-minute player and the club just released his likely replacement, Heath L'Estrange, to join St George Illawarra.

While youngster Jackson Hastings and utility Mitch Aubusson are dummy half options, it's understood club powerbrokers are scouring the market for further back-up options amid fears Friend could miss a considerable chunk of football.

"We're looking at a late March or early April return," said Roosters boss Brian Canavan.

"There was a hope Jake wouldn't have to have it but then there was a delay in the surgery because of an infection in his shoulder and it's stalled things a bit," he said.

"As soon as the infection clears he will go straight in. When you play with the intensity he does, sometimes things go wrong."

Friend's toughness can't be questioned. He sustained a lung injury so severe during his club's round 25 clash that it was compared to that of a car-crash victim.

The 24-year-old lost two litres of blood, prompting Roosters chief medical officer Dr Ameer Ibrahim to say: "Had Jake been living in the country, four or five hours away from hospital, he would have died."

Despite the dramas, Friend returned to battle weeks later to help steer the Roosters to an epic 31-30 finals victory over North Queensland.

Such is his standing at the club, Friend is favourite to replace long-serving fullback Anthony Minichiello as captain of the tri-colours.

Friend is one of the candidates alongside fellow vice-captains Mitchell Pearce, Boyd Cordner and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.

While the final call will be left to coach Trent Robinson, who recently inked a contract extension until the end of 2017, Canavan predicted Friend's injury wouldn't have a bearing on his captaincy chances.

"Whether he is available in round one or four, I don't think that will make a difference to our decision around captaincy," Canavan said.

"We know the four boys pretty well and Robbo probably wants to get a gut feel of how they will go on-field in particular.

"From a management point of view, any one of those four would be more than acceptable."

The other unknown as the Roosters prepare to return to preseason is the availability of Blake Ferguson.

The sacked Raider took up an off-field role at Bondi Junction but the NRL's integrity unit has yet to clear him to resume his playing career.

Ferguson must complete a series of education and counselling courses before head office will consider green-lighting a comeback.

"Hopefully a decision is imminent, as we're getting close to preseason start time," Canavan said.