If the club has any brains.....

[Guest]

The era of success we had in 2000-2004 was down to one man. The fact that we were hopeless when he retired proves my point. You can crap on all you like about developing players but on the whole we develop very ordinary players. Our great era of success in the 70's was forged on players like Beetson, Coote, Brass, Fairfax and co and they were all bought. Your arguments chook has more holes in it than Parramatta Road.

Correct.

[Guest]

The era of success we had in 2000-2004 was down to one man. The fact that we were hopeless when he retired proves my point. You can crap on all you like about developing players but on the whole we develop very ordinary players. Our great era of success in the 70's was forged on players like Beetson, Coote, Brass, Fairfax and co and they were all bought. Your arguments chook has more holes in it than Parramatta Road.

I have not gone through all posts in this thread, but you cant have it both ways. You either need to buy any top class player on the market, and live and die by that process (Good and often bad) or go down the road of developing a team of young players who are brought into the system, and actually play for the club because they want too.

Smith is a coach of the latter. I can live with the path this club is going down atm, and we should only be making a play for a top notch 5/8.

[Guest]

But mate we enjoyed success immediately after freddy arrived. We made the semis the first year that fredddy arrived and didnt miss a finals series until after he retired as a player. Consider that with the background that immediately before gus became coach we were basically second last in all 3 grades and it was very rare in the decabe before that for us to have made the semis.

When freddy was in the playing squad, there was a different vibe amongst the players the second he turned up to training. Players would be milling around joking and mucking around but as soon as freddy walked through the gates of the training paddock, the players instantly turned their heads on into 100% focus at training. Thats the way it was.

Gus and freddy turned our club around. Our success in that decade had nothing to do with developing players, it was all about those 2 guys - especially freddy.

That's where we differ. You and cogburn seem to think merely making the semis as being successful, I don't. Making grand finals, being one of the last two teams standing throughout a season, that's being successful.

Chook.

[Guest]

The era of success we had in 2000-2004 was down to one man. The fact that we were hopeless when he retired proves my point. You can crap on all you like about developing players but on the whole we develop very ordinary players. Our great era of success in the 70's was forged on players like Beetson, Coote, Brass, Fairfax and co and they were all bought. Your arguments chook has more holes in it than Parramatta Road.

What bullshit. You really do clutch at straws when you're proven wrong cockburn. Now you're going back to the 70's in a desperate attempt to try and make your point. The deterioration of the club from 2004 had far more to do with the lack of planning and knee jerk reaction from the board in once again buying mercenaries.

And if Fittler was that influential we should have all four grand finals he was involved in, not one! And just to prove you wrong again, it is common knowledge that superstars win you big games on the big stage. Where was Fittler's influence in those grand finals we didn't win, or I suppose that's the fault of the players around him.

Why do you think we were referred too as the Transit Lounge for two decades? It's because we bought mercenaries more interested in their retirement fund than playing for the Roosters. And you want to return to that? Unfarkingbelievable!

Chook.

[Guest]

That's where we differ. You and cogburn seem to think merely making the semis as being successful, I don't. Making grand finals, being one of the last two teams standing throughout a season, that's being successful.

Chook.

Mate, even if you take making gf's as the complete measure of success, it still doesnt change what coggie and I are trying to say.

We made 4 out of 5 gfs - mainly due to 1 player freddy - someone that the club bought. We didnt develop him.

We made our other gf in recent times due mainly ton 1 player carney - another player that the club bought. We didnt develop him either.

Take freddy out of that team in the last decade, take carney out of the current team (which many here say what basically happened in 2011) and we are closer to the spoon than being successful.

[Guest]

and just to clarify because I havent really gone into much detail about this. I think there needs to be a good balance between developing existing young players (of which we have many good young ones) and buying a top player. But it would be foolish to simply rely on juniors and not buy a top player if the opportunity arose. I would not hesitate to buy sbw if we had the chance. Same with foran. That and also replace the schoolteacher with a top coach and I reckon we would instantly be a challenger again.

[Guest]

That's where we differ. You and cogburn seem to think merely making the semis as being successful, I don't. Making grand finals, being one of the last two teams standing throughout a season, that's being successful.

Chook.

You need luck to make a grand final. Last year we were one very lucky field goal away from not even making it to week 2, and ended up being very unlucky not to win the bloody comp.


1997 a one point loss to Manly in the preliminary final, and 1998 losing to the hot Broncos in the prelim final after beating Storm and Knights both away. They were quite successful seasons IMO.

[Guest]

and just to clarify because I havent really gone into much detail about this. I think there needs to be a good balance between developing existing young players (of which we have many good young ones) and buying a top player. But it would be foolish to simply rely on juniors and not buy a top player if the opportunity arose. I would not hesitate to buy sbw if we had the chance. Same with foran. That and also replace the schoolteacher with a top coach and I reckon we would instantly be a challenger again.

+1.

People on here forget that when times are bad, pessimism is realism.

That post is absolutely spot on mate.

[Ray Stehr]

Give it a rest chook, you don't know what you're talking about.

[novice chook]

I have no issues with buying players, so long as it is the right type of player. That is where the Roosters get it terribly wrong, they buy the wrong type of player for our club. They don't look any further than their footballing talent alone, where they should also be looking at his attitude, commitment and persona. Also different styles of player thrive at different clubs, depending on the type of footballing being played and how they are being coached and by whom.

I take Sandow as an example, whom I reckon will bomb out severely at the Eels when forced to play the structured style Kearney is determined to force onto the Parramatta team. Sandow is not a structured type of player, he plays what he sees in front of him.

NC

[Guest]

and just to clarify because I havent really gone into much detail about this. I think there needs to be a good balance between developing existing young players (of which we have many good young ones) and buying a top player. But it would be foolish to simply rely on juniors and not buy a top player if the opportunity arose. I would not hesitate to buy sbw if we had the chance. Same with foran. That and also replace the schoolteacher with a top coach and I reckon we would instantly be a challenger again.

We'll agree to disagree on the coach. But as I've stated before I don't reject the idea of buying players, I just reject cockburns idea of buying every flavour of the month that comes onto the market.

Chook.

[Ray Stehr]

We'll agree to disagree on the coach. But as I've stated before I don't reject the idea of buying players, I just reject cockburns idea of buying every flavour of the month that comes onto the market.

Chook.

There you go with falseties again. Where did I say buy every flavour of the month, show me.

[Guest]

Pearce is Finch mach 2

D.C.E is Finch Mach 3

They're not THAT fast.

[Guest]

take carney out of the current team (which many here say what basically happened in 2011) and we are closer to the spoon than being successful.

C'mon fred, now you're clutching at straws. Even in the games Carney played in 2011 we lost most of them!

Chook.

[Guest]

There you go with falseties again. Where did I say buy every flavour of the month, show me.

You said we should buy Tony Williams and now you're saying we should make a play for Brett Stewart.

Chook.