The 31-year-old has spoken for the first time about his post-playing role at the club, saying he's working with Sam Verrills and wants to stay on to help develop No.9s for the Roosters.

While the details of Friend's role at the club are still being finalised, it comes at an opportune time as the Roosters deal with a bizarre shortage of hookers heading into Friday's clash with Melbourne.

Friend's retirement last week added to a list of unavailable dummy-halves, with his replacement Verrills still weeks away from a return from an ACL injury.

Freddy Lussick has undergone surgery on a fractured arm, while fourth-string hooker Ben Marschke will fight a crusher tackle charge at the NRL judiciary on Tuesday night in an attempt to avoid a two-week suspension.

Marshke has been named in the side to face the Storm, but will be wiped out for a fortnight if he loses his appeal with Adam Keighran named on the extended bench as a fifth-string back up option.

Friend's work will be crucial to making sure whoever fills the void is ready to go.

"I definitely want to do my bit with the young dummy-halves at the club," Friend told Sky Sports Radio.

"I'm already working with Sammy Verrills, he's due back in a few weeks and he's going to be very important at the back end of the year with some young halves in the side.

"Hopefully there's a role there for me somewhere next year."

Friend was forced to retire last week on the unanimous advice of several doctors after repeated concussions.

And while he understands it's the right decision for his long-term health, the Queensland Origin hooker said he felt he had more to give as a player.

"I didn't want to go and work in a coffee shop or be a plumber just yet ... that's footy," he said.

"There's plenty of blokes who finished a lot earlier than I did and I'm grateful I played as long as I did."

Australian Associated Press