The Loss of the most influential player in the NRL

[Guest]

Exactly 60 days till season kick off and I for one cannot wait.

Even a diluted version of Rugby League is still better than cricket, soccer, NFL, AFL and Darts, although I do like the Darts, they are the athletes that give fat middle aged men something they can truly aspire too.

Chook.

[milanja]

Can't agree mate, the NFL has become the most over-officiated sport in the world. They have absolutely ruined that game, along with all the helmet to helmet BS.

Unfortunately, I think the NRL will follow suit.

It's part of their game mate, as long as they are getting the right decisions, people dobt mind the delay. The commentary does not seem to show bias, which would be nice if ch9 followed suit.

Worst part of NFL is how they chew the last 3 min of a match up by kneeling.

[trewhella]

I love the nfl. I also love the big bash. It's freaking awesome.

[Guest]

Yep. Totally agree that the quality of the whole comp is headed south.
I've heard that David Smith wants to make League less violent and more family friendly.

That's what happens when you put a banker in sport.

For mine, the is killing the goose that lays the golden egg. I watch League for the man on man confrontation. The game thrives on hate. It's becoming boring and predictable. It also now attracts taking a dive. That is the part the reviles me the most and the arbitrary nature of the referees in reference to the diving. They give some but not others with absolutely no logic......except for Birdy. He never gets a penalty anywhere, anytime cause he is a professional diver

For once we are in complete agreement

[Guest]

I agree but I do believe SBW left his work ethic and attitude behind that will continue through the players he touched, I see a top 4 finish.

Nice to see a comment using insightful commonsense.

[Tommy Smith]

Even minus SBW we still have the most talented roster in the NRL with tremendous depth.

Call me biased but I don't think that's even debatable.

Look at the back 5: RTS, Toops, Jennings, Fergo and SKD. That's potentially the most devastating back 5 of the NRL era. The 3/4s are huge, fast and intimidating. And the bizarrely maligned RTS could be devastating linking into backline movements.

The halves were the best in the comp in 2013. And towards the end of last year Pearce was the 2nd best half in the comp. **** the overrated DCE, because if Pearce continues his late season form then he'll finish the season as a top 5 player in the game. Jimmy needs to rediscover his 2013 consistency which I'm confident he'll do in a contract year.

As for the backrow, even minus SBW we still have at worst one of the top 3 units in the game. Cordner and Guerra are Australian reps and Aubo is a RWB warrior - his defence, mobility and hole running ability shouldn't be forgotten.

JWH and Moa are two of the top 10 props in the game. In particular I'm confident that Jared will return to his best in 2015. And young Napa and Liu will only continue to improve. As will Evans and well, call me crazy, but I anticipate that Lord MLK will have the best season of his career. That is one motivated dude.

I don't need to say much about Jake Friend other than that he's been the best hooker in the game over the past two years.

We also have one of the best batches of youngsters in the game ready to fill in and make their mark - Macdonald, Hastings, Leuluai, Meehan, Mariner.

And they're all being marshalled by the best coach in the game. A man of honour and respect who has my undying gratitude and faith for all eternity - Trent Robinson.

So get excited mother****ers and stop with all the borderline top 8, maybe top 4 bullshit.

In 2015 the hunger will be back, the Great Wall of Bondi will return, and with them we'll be the team to beat and close to unstoppable.

[007]

Jimmy needs to rediscover his 2013 consistency which I'm confident he'll do in a contract year.

How sad when a player has to find form when his contract is due; not disagreeing with you Tommy but that reminds me of FPN when his contract was up.

[John Corey]

SBW turned out to be a monumental acquisition.
I cannot think of one player having such an impact on the rest of the squad. Regardless of who was captain and no disrespect to Mini, it was the influence of Sonny that won us a premiership.

I'm sitting here trying to contemplate how the roosters will be as effective without SBW and the maturity of mini.

Sure the emergence of young forwards, the possible improvement RTS at fullback( who I thought was a bit dissapointing last year) and the inclusion of Blake Ferguson. On Blake,you can't put brains in statues but I wish him well.

Globally for mine it is a far weaker squad and I think a top 8 finish is acceptable.

He did win us a premiership but think about last year mate. Do you really think his presence made a huge difference for us on the field? I don't. I think he had an average year and we still made top four and may have won the comp if not for the Penrith debacle.

As for Mini I don't think that will be that big an issue, except possibly for RTS under the high ball.

[007]

He did win us a premiership but think about last year mate. Do you really think his presence made a huge difference for us on the field? I don't. I think he had an average year and we still made top four and may have won the comp if not for the Penrith debacle.

As for Mini I don't think that will be that big an issue, except possibly for RTS under the high ball.

I'm backing RTS in for a stellar year. Mini adapted very well in 2003 with very little experience as full back.

I think RTS is a more gifted athlete than Mini (and that's saying something) and he also has had the tutelage from Mini himself and the coaching staff by switching from wing to full back during games.

[Vasco]

P

Even minus SBW we still have the most talented roster in the NRL with tremendous depth.

Call me biased but I don't think that's even debatable.

Look at the back 5: RTS, Toops, Jennings, Fergo and SKD. That's potentially the most devastating back 5 of the NRL era. The 3/4s are huge, fast and intimidating. And the bizarrely maligned RTS could be devastating linking into backline movements.

The halves were the best in the comp in 2013. And towards the end of last year Pearce was the 2nd best half in the comp. **** the overrated DCE, because if Pearce continues his late season form then he'll finish the season as a top 5 player in the game. Jimmy needs to rediscover his 2013 consistency which I'm confident he'll do in a contract year.

As for the backrow, even minus SBW we still have at worst one of the top 3 units in the game. Cordner and Guerra are Australian reps and Aubo is a RWB warrior - his defence, mobility and hole running ability shouldn't be forgotten.

JWH and Moa are two of the top 10 props in the game. In particular I'm confident that Jared will return to his best in 2015. And young Napa and Liu will only continue to improve. As will Evans and well, call me crazy, but I anticipate that Lord MLK will have the best season of his career. That is one motivated dude.

I don't need to say much about Jake Friend other than that he's been the best hooker in the game over the past two years.

We also have one of the best batches of youngsters in the game ready to fill in and make their mark - Macdonald, Hastings, Leuluai, Meehan, Mariner.

And they're all being marshalled by the best coach in the game. A man of honour and respect who has my undying gratitude and faith for all eternity - Trent Robinson.

So get excited mother****ers and stop with all the borderline top 8, maybe top 4 bullshit.

In 2015 the hunger will be back, the Great Wall of Bondi will return, and with them we'll be the team to beat and close to unstoppable.

Hard to argue and it kinda gets me pumped for the season.

I just hope the bias refereeing and anti Rooster sentiment in the media doesn't kill my love for the game.

[Bansai Pipeline]

if the quality of officiating/bias continues absolutely, its ridiculous going into a sporting contest knowing how the officials will officiate a match, it got to the stage last year that the vermin would enter each contest knowing they would receive at least 9 penalties on the other hand we knew we would concede 10 no matter how dominant we were in the contest.

fans are fed up with garbage standard definition coverage/commentary/delayed coverage of channel 9, in particular I'm fed up of senile old fool Rabs mentioning how often we deliberately give away penalties and how poor our discipline is even in matches we aren't even playing in.

I know personally I now barely watch NRL matches not involving the Roosters, a good neutral AFL/NFL match shits all over the NRL now.

Sadly I don't think anyone other than Easts and Manly fans give a ****. The 20 million Souths fans out there certainly aren't complaining.

[Bansai Pipeline]

It's going to be more of the same with penalties next season. Last year was so hard to handle it took me until Dec to renew my season ticket. It's painful to watch.

I blame the club for not doing enough about it. The ought to have raised hell.

[Bigchook]

Even minus SBW we still have the most talented roster in the NRL with tremendous depth.

Call me biased but I don't think that's even debatable.

Look at the back 5: RTS, Toops, Jennings, Fergo and SKD. That's potentially the most devastating back 5 of the NRL era. The 3/4s are huge, fast and intimidating. And the bizarrely maligned RTS could be devastating linking into backline movements.

The halves were the best in the comp in 2013. And towards the end of last year Pearce was the 2nd best half in the comp. **** the overrated DCE, because if Pearce continues his late season form then he'll finish the season as a top 5 player in the game. Jimmy needs to rediscover his 2013 consistency which I'm confident he'll do in a contract year.

As for the backrow, even minus SBW we still have at worst one of the top 3 units in the game. Cordner and Guerra are Australian reps and Aubo is a RWB warrior - his defence, mobility and hole running ability shouldn't be forgotten.

JWH and Moa are two of the top 10 props in the game. In particular I'm confident that Jared will return to his best in 2015. And young Napa and Liu will only continue to improve. As will Evans and well, call me crazy, but I anticipate that Lord MLK will have the best season of his career. That is one motivated dude.

I don't need to say much about Jake Friend other than that he's been the best hooker in the game over the past two years.

We also have one of the best batches of youngsters in the game ready to fill in and make their mark - Macdonald, Hastings, Leuluai, Meehan, Mariner.

And they're all being marshalled by the best coach in the game. A man of honour and respect who has my undying gratitude and faith for all eternity - Trent Robinson.

So get excited mother****ers and stop with all the borderline top 8, maybe top 4 bullshit.

In 2015 the hunger will be back, the Great Wall of Bondi will return, and with them we'll be the team to beat and close to unstoppable.

With you all the way brother.

[Vasco]

How sad when a player has to find form when his contract is due; not disagreeing with you Tommy but that reminds me of FPN when his contract was up.

I reckon Jimmy knows he ain't going to be a Rooster beyond this season.

Rothfield will be talking him up soon enough. I find it rather coincidental that he has written some positive articles about us of late.

[Tommy Smith]

PHard to argue and it kinda gets me pumped for the season.

I just hope the bias refereeing and anti Rooster sentiment in the media doesn't kill my love for the game.

True. I believe the farcical Casty no try call cost us the comp in 2014. But only because we weren't good enough to overcome the bad calls like in 2013.

I mean we started that game with 1/7 completions. That speaks volumes to the contrasting determination, deep down, of the team in 2014 compared to 2013.

Buy I do strongly believe that we'll rediscover our hunger in 2015. Let's just hope it's enough to overcome the indisputable, unarguable, undeniable referee bias.