Some facts

[Tommy Smith]

One thing is for certain:

...if a team with...

RTS, Tupou, Jennings, Fergo, SKD, Maloney and Pearce in the backline AND Moa, JWH, Friend, Cordner, Guerra, Napa and Aubusson (in his rightful spot where he's the best hole runner in the comp) in the forwards fires then we ARE the team to beat.

I suspect we'll be very hungry next year. No Roosters team worth their salt will have watched Souffs celebrations and not felt a burning desire to reclaim their crown. Same with the coaching staff.

[Ray Stehr]

I really can't see Penrith as a premiership force. If the Cows learn to win away then they'll be a show, Manly will still be competitive as will Melbourne and Canterbury, the Warriors like NQ have to learn how to win away from home. If Hayne fires then Parra will improve and the Tigers will go ok, souffs don't look as formidable without Sam Burgess and Teo. The premiership is definitely there for the taking.

[Guest]

If an assistant coach gets a chance to coach an NRL side then they are going to take it. The club won't stand in their way. BTW no one is waving anything about just pointing out how much more successful we've been in the last 43 years in comparison to souffs, It's going to take a lot more than 1 gf and 1 premiership for souffs to be regarded higher than a 1 season wonder.

Of course they can go. I was just pointing out a lot of our success last year came from those that are leaving. And despite having the best team on paper this year we failed to adapt. 40% possession in the second half of three finals in a row is not good enough.

Assistants departing after a miserable finals campaign will put even more emphasis on Robbo's credentials for next year. I have said it before, 2015 will make or break Robbo. There is no way Uncle Nick will let 2002-2006 repeat itself.

The premiership is definitely there for the taking.

As it was this year. As it was in 2003 and 2004. Our fair share of possession is all we needed and we couldn't do it.

[bondi paul]

Fact - the RWB colours are the best

[Tommy Smith]

Dice - I find your lack of faith in Robbo disturbing

[TDK]

I really can't see Penrith as a premiership force. If the Cows learn to win away then they'll be a show, Manly will still be competitive as will Melbourne and Canterbury, the Warriors like NQ have to learn how to win away from home. If Hayne fires then Parra will improve and the Tigers will go ok, souffs don't look as formidable without Sam Burgess and Teo. The premiership is definitely there for the taking.

Penrith will be a force next season, they were very strong late in the season and they were missing four or five quality players. Dogs will sign two or three quality backs and will definitely be in the hunt next season. Souths will miss Sam burgess and Teo to a lesser extent but they have signed two quality forwards in Tim Grant who is a known enforcer and capable of a big season and Glenn Stewart who is a fantastic leader and player with great ball skills. I think Souths, Penrith and Roosters will be the teams to beat. I also think SBW will be missed in the big games, his X factor presence and ability has no substitute in our current squad.

[Guest]

Dice - I find your lack of faith in Robbo disturbing

I have more faith in the "honeymoon period" theory.


Robbo now tasked with doing something that no Roosters coach in the modern era has been able to do. That is, improve under the same coach.

[roosterproud]

Penrith will be a force next season, they were very strong late in the season and they were missing four or five quality players. Dogs will sign two or three quality backs and will definitely be in the hunt next season. Souths will miss Sam burgess and Teo to a lesser extent but they have signed two quality forwards in Tim Grant who is a known enforcer and capable of a big season and Glenn Stewart who is a fantastic leader and player with great ball skills. I think Souths, Penrith and Roosters will be the teams to beat. I also think SBW will be missed in the big games, his X factor presence and ability has no substitute in our current squad.

yep spot on. the riff has been building quietly over the past 3 years or so. they have appeared or lead the nsw cup and 20s for a few years. they have great depth and a great cess pool of talent. lots of bros out the riff way. build and they will come is happening out that way,. ivan is respected as a coach and goulds pull and skills behind the scene is masterful. dogs are a chance of top 4. souffs, us, and riff. that's my tip.

mandy will fail as they have now signed land whale mason so the spoon is coming there way. he has a way of destabilizing teams.

[Tommy Smith]

I have more faith in Robbo than the Pope does in God.

It's just incredibly hard to go B2B so I don't hold this year's disappointment against Robbo.

No defending Premier has even made it back to the GF since 2003... in fact I think only us last year and Manly in 2012 are the only Premiers to even make it back to the Prelim.

That's how difficult it is. So I believe the team deserves credit for doing as well as they did this year, with only that awful Penrith lapse costing us another GF spot.

But I'm confident that we'll be primed big time in 2015. Similar to the Sea Eagles who were far better in 2013 than 2012, following their title in 2011.

The hunger will be back.

[kurtsherlock6]

A lot of souffs lovers on here.

I've noticed that too.

Really quite sad for a "Roosters" forum.

[kurtsherlock6]

We don't feel the need to compare us to anything, the facts are there for all to see and they are facts. Souffs have been pathetic for the best part of 40 years so 1 premiership means nothing in the greater scheme of things. souffs won't make the top 4 in 2015, the only reason they won this year is because of referee legups.

But they did get a parade and the key to the city. Something we have never achieved.

[Guest]

I have more faith in Robbo than the Pope does in God.

It's just incredibly hard to go B2B so I don't hold this year's disappointment against Robbo.

No defending Premier has even made it back to the GF since 2003... in fact I think only us last year and Manly in 2012 are the only Premiers to even make it back to the Prelim.

That's how difficult it is. So I believe the team deserves credit for doing as well as they did this year, with only that awful Penrith lapse costing us another GF spot.

But I'm confident that we'll be primed big time in 2015. Similar to the Sea Eagles who were far better in 2013 than 2012, following their title in 2011.

The hunger will be back.

It is not the fact we didn't go b2b that bothers me. I understand that teams targeted us, that we didn't have an off-season, that the rules changed, etc. Ultimately though we beat ourselves. Terrible tactics to throw away what should have been a match-winning lead three games in a row. Who is accountable for that?

Then of course the self-righteousness of not staying down. Is it Robbo's job to win us a premiership or to ensure the players attend church every Sunday?

[bondi paul]

As Tommy says I hope the hunger returns via the pre season organic raw food programme in 2013 as it could certainly help JWH and the team. Fitness this year seemed a real prob

[Guest]

I didn't watch the gf nor have I watched any RL related tv nor read any rl related news since the prelim. Since 1972 we have made 10 grand finals winning 4, we have won 7 minor premierships and we have featured in 14 prelims. We have also won 3 wcc's. In that same period souffs have made 1gf for 1 win. They have won 1 minor premiership and have featured in 3 prelims. As far as I'm concerned souffs can go and phuk themselves, they do not and will not ever hold a candle to us in any way and ATM I've never been prouder to call myself a Roosters fan. 2015 will see us again occupying a top 4 spot and it is exactly where we belong. There is a reason why we are the ONLY club to have participated in the premier rugby league comp in Australia since day 1.

What i cant figure out is, since we have been here since day one why did you start your in depth analysis in 1972. Surely our complete proud record should have been displayed to show the good and the bad that has made us the club that we are

[Guest]

As Tommy says I hope the hunger returns via the pre season organic raw food programme in 2013 as it could certainly help JWH and the team. Fitness this year seemed a real prob

The fitness excuse is wearing a little thin. I have been training with intensity cycling for well over a decade, so I was very aware that without an off-season we would back off throughout the season with a view of hitting peak fitness for the finals. That is why when other supporters including TS were readying to slit their wrists, I was still confident.

Go back and re-watch the Cowboys game and tell me if any other team in the comp would have had the fitness levels not only to be able to hang on, but actually dominate in the forwards for the last 20 minutes to win that game. Fitness only became an issue in the Souths game because we had run our dash. Had we been a little smarter tactically in any of those three finals games fitness would have been a non-issue.