In all honesty....

[SunnyCoastChook]

We shouldn't be surprised that this has happened. We have been copping hidings from the top teams for the past 3 to 4 years. The way we have regressed as a team is alarming.

As it stands it is hard to see a clear change in our line up, the way we play, discipline etc that will take us forward. Is the plan that there is no plan?

Hate to say it but maybe we do need a change at the top. Time for a new idea perhaps?

[Carlos Parra]

I wasn't in the least bit surprised that this happened.

[HunchoRooster]

Our losses in the first 5 or so years of Robbos reign used to be characterised by clunky attack, rough calls against us, bounce of the ball. When we played poorly in years past under Robinson it was generally because our attack wasn't in sync but you could tell it was going to take time for things to gel and click towards the end of the season.

Now our losses are characterised by getting totally outworked and overwhelmed in the middle, forwards getting dominated and looking aimless with the ball in attack. I think that says it all.

The regression has been truly depressing. We've lost our fear factor. Teams know how to beat us. Our last great season was 2021 when Robinson achieved what I believe is close to winning B2B from a coaching ability perspective, running 5th with a horrible injury hit side, off pure heart, resilience and an unpredictable attack. We only missed the Top 4 on points diff I believe that year.

Since then we've gotten worse but still had the talent to get us over the line against average teams and get us into the 8. Now the talent and experience is gone all that remains are the same recurring discipline issues, defensive issues and clunkiness of the past few seasons.

[Thirteen]

Of course we are worse. We have way too many reserve graders playing for us.

[DP1990]

Is this a rebuild year or a year that we go back to becoming a transit lounge club for fringe first-grade players coming in to help them look for other suitors or blokes close to retirement to come in and fill a top 30 roster and ride off into the sunset after playing a few gap-fill games.


Forget about Robbo for a second, our bloody recruitment and retention committee needs to get their collective arses kicked because seriously ... WTF !?!?

[B2B]

Honestly , I can see this rebuild being for a few years before we become a premiership threat again.

I am sure we will return to the glory days, however we will need to be patient and accept mediocrity for the time being .

Contrary to Robbo’s mantra we play for premierships , I don’t think this is the case at the moment .

[HunchoRooster]

Is this a rebuild year or a year that we go back to becoming a transit lounge club for fringe first-grade players coming in to help them look for other suitors or blokes close to retirement to come in and fill a top 30 roster and ride off into the sunset after playing a few gap-fill games.


Forget about Robbo for a second, our bloody recruitment and retention committee needs to get their collective arses kicked because seriously ... WTF !?!?

Geez let's hope not.

To be honest I think the retention isn't so much the issue. Seem to be a lot of variables in the players we've lost. 2 have gone to a different code for huge money and likely would've gone to Rugby regardless as they had their heart set on it.

JWH and Kez are in glorified retirement going over to the ESL and neither of them would've benefited from hanging around another year.

Then there is the baffling May decision which looks more braindead as the days go by. Again, that was more of an unforced error as we willingly parted with him, we had already retained him on a very good value contract.

The recruitment has been diabolical though really. The failure to secure Fifita and the whole Angus saga. We are lucky he didn't tell us to farrk off otherwise we'd have another NSW Cup standard backrower in first grade. B. Smith was an absolute dud, and the failure to recruit proper reinforcements, including an established goal kicker is just bizarre mismanagement. I like what I see with Toia so it makes sense that they've given him faith to fill one of the centre spots.

Honorary mentions to the likes of Nathan Brown, Matt Lodge, Oliver Gildart and Kevin Naiqama. All brought in to get game time over developing younger players. I'm sure I'm missing a few. You could argue that our transit lounge days have already returned.

[Thirteen]

Honestly , I can see this rebuild being for a few years before we become a premiership threat again.

I am sure we will return to the glory days, however we will need to be patient and accept mediocrity for the time being .

Contrary to Robbo’s mantra we play for premierships , I don’t think this is the case at the moment .

This year it’s, “We play to avoid the wooden spoon”.

[bondi.boy]

Of course we are worse. We have way too many reserve graders playing for us.

Uncle Nick ( wearing a LA Roosters cap) told Buzz in an interview in Vegas I saw the other day...when Buzz asked him about Leniu, that he's bought a unit in the eastern suburbs, was married recently, and his wife has settled into a new job in the east, and he's not going anywhere.
Then Buzz asked our Chairman about our trial form, and suggested to him that he must be going to buy a star player soon. Chairman said 'no', then used the word "rebuilding", said that, para: "we're happy with the players we've kept and those coming through ...we should be all right".

[bondi.boy]

This year it’s, “We play to avoid the wooden spoon”.

Could be.
Has happened before.
Then came success.

We lost our halves Walker and Keary.
We lost our hooker.
We lost our biggest and best prop.
We lost our Origin centre Suaalii and champion centre Manu.
...plus Sitili and May.

[On the Nose]

Such a sad state of affairs we find ourselves in and I can only reiterate what is being said by other red, white and bluebloods. Clearly, we have no long term or short term recruitment plan. Short term we are like a drowning man clutching at any available hand (only for it to be yanked away in the final moment). Long term, other than Robson, we are relying on juniors and academy players. Who'se to say those players are going to be any better than our recent recruitments, with the same brains trust making the calls on talent. We need a clean out up top. Shame Gould is working for Canterbury. He would have been great for a long overdue audit of our footy operations. Still, some on here say we have short memories, it was only last decade that Robbo led us to 3 premierships. Unfortunately, by the time we are competitive again, I'll have Alzheimer's. East to Win.

[Jacks Fur Coat]

I think its obvious now the club wrote this year off for any tangible success. We're kind of still in the garage waiting for time to elapse and 2026 to roll in.

I'm sure we will land some bigger signings for next year. I just hope it coincides with a change in Coach too. We need some freshness and good old fashioned grit about us returning as part of the DNA. No more of this "Roosters way" bullshit.

[Chook2]

Our losses in the first 5 or so years of Robbos reign used to be characterised by clunky attack, rough calls against us, bounce of the ball. When we played poorly in years past under Robinson it was generally because our attack wasn't in sync but you could tell it was going to take time for things to gel and click towards the end of the season.

Now our losses are characterised by getting totally outworked and overwhelmed in the middle, forwards getting dominated and looking aimless with the ball in attack. I think that says it all.

The regression has been truly depressing. We've lost our fear factor. Teams know how to beat us. Our last great season was 2021 when Robinson achieved what I believe is close to winning B2B from a coaching ability perspective, running 5th with a horrible injury hit side, off pure heart, resilience and an unpredictable attack. We only missed the Top 4 on points diff I believe that year.

Since then we've gotten worse but still had the talent to get us over the line against average teams and get us into the 8. Now the talent and experience is gone all that remains are the same recurring discipline issues, defensive issues and clunkiness of the past few seasons.

Yes 2021 we had a prem winning side
unfortunately injuries crueled the chance but we went into the semi final with 5 of our top 17 available
and showed guts and promise going forward
injuries have still hurt as sense but our defence has fallen to shit, our attack is non existent without walker
and we are soft as butter not having a gameplan for the big guys
and the recruitment and retention has been the worst slide of it all
no one’s wants to come or join any more

[King Salvo]

I predict the team will win enough games to make the 8

Many are touting Brisbane as a Premiership chance throw in Penrith and Storm - more than likely these 3 will win most of their games against other teams

Roosters just need to win enough games -12

Can't get disheartened though - need to push on and be better at the basics - No Pain No Gain

Struggling for Numbers though - 8 or 9 unavailable round 2

• De La Salle Va'a - unknown return date
• Xavier Va'a - unknown return date
• Nat Butcher - unknown return date
• Egan Butcher - unknown return date
• Spencer Leniu - Round 3
• Billy Smith - Round 2?
• Victor Radley - Round 3?
• Sam Walker - Mid Season
• Brandon Smith - Mid Season

Possible 22 for round 2

1. Tedesco
2. Toops
3. Nawaqanitawase
4. Toia
5. Young
6. Sandon Smith
7. Townsend
8. Collins
9. Watson
10. Whyte
11. Crichton
12. Steep
13. Wong

Bench

14. Dockar Clay
15. Foketi
16. Makatoa
17. Losalu

Reserves
18. Roberts
19. Moriarty
20. loelu
21. Elliot
22. Savala

[TumutChook]

Unfortunately I don’t even think we are top 8 material as we have a few quality players in Teddy, Angus,Toops,Rads,Collins currently playing & most of the others are reserve graders & kids getting promoted too early. I think by mid point we will be 3 games outside the 8 & can’t see us winning anymore than 10 for the year. We will 100% lose twice to the Broncos,twice to the Storm, twice to Cronulla, the one time we play Manly & the Riff, so that’s 8 losses already. Then I honestly don’t think we beat the scum, warriors, cowboys either.
Also all good to list who’s missing, but half of them are average (Smith,Smith,Egan,or untried like the Va’as.
We honestly need to buy at least 4 players for next year on top of Robson. Toops can go around again,but if not we need a replacement (Staggs,Cobbo etc), we need someone to partner Walker as Sandon will surely be in Super League as he’s Flanno 2.0, we need another experienced forward as you can’t run with all kids, but not sure who’s available.