Official Match Day Thread: Roosters v Panthers

[Thirteen]

Tonight the real competition begins. What has happened since March is irrelevant. It all starts tonight.

Our mighty side is in this competition up to its eyeballs. As they say, cream always rises to the top. Our defense is the best no matter what the stats say. We show up with the true Roosters attitude and we cannot be beaten.

Our players will wear their jerseys with pride. They will represent our area with dignity. They will be physical and they will put their bodies on the line for us, their most passionate of supporters. We love and breath our team and it consumes our thoughts and dreams.

Tonight, dare to dream. The ultimate prize of a three-peat is within our grasp. We are always proud.

It’s game on.

Go Roosters!

[mattyh]

I hate to say it, I'm really not sure we can win this one. I was supremely confident last week and we got dusted and then some. Panthers by 10, heart says otherwise but yea that's gun to my head stuff, can't say I'm even looking forward to the game. really , hope I'm wrong and we can drag them into a grind and get home, but after last week , it's hard to have any type of confidence. go chooks , hoping for the best.

[zac]

we're a good chance to win it.
for mine the game reminds me of our prelim v knights in 2013 - that time there was a lot of media talk about how we'd crumble but we came out and smashed em.

[Thirteen]

I hate to say it, I'm really not sure we can win this one. I was supremely confident last week and we got dusted and then some. Panthers by 10, heart says otherwise but yea that's gun to my head stuff, can't say I'm even looking forward to the game. really , hope I'm wrong and we can drag them into a grind and get home, but after last week , it's hard to have any type of confidence. go chooks , hoping for the best.

Move on from last week Matty. A different side will be showing up tonight. And for the first time in a long time they have a point to prove.

[ChookMaster]

Its only 8 am and i am freaking nervous. Our biggest test all year. Can we do it? Im not sure, but i bloody well hope so. If we contain their halves we should be able to win it.. oh and kikau we need to defend him all night.

[mattyh]

we're a good chance to win it.
for mine the game reminds me of our prelim v knights in 2013 - that time there was a lot of media talk about how we'd crumble but we came out and smashed em.

bloody hope so

[JAF]

Give us at least 50% possession and near 80% completion rate and we will roll these pretenders ...

[The Brain]

Well in my head there is only one way to win it and thats to play mistake free football ..do not hand any advantages to Penriff. The penalties the 6 agains etc have to be clean .
Luke Keary is our key and he will be head hunted for sure .
Flanagan once again has dropped off last 2 games ..Pick it up get the ball in your hands and farken do something with it ..hunt the play down.
On the riff side of things..Cleary is there main key he is the the go to man he instigates every thing for them then Jerome chimes in and adds to it.
So our forwards have to do a number on them big time you know if Radley was there he would sweat on them all day ..so which Rooster will put there hand up? my easy choice would've been Maubs he is the shutdown specialist ..so some how I hope he comes in if he is not injured .
The attitude got shutdown last week so they have got to get that killer instinct back today .
discipline went out the window as well ....stop pushing passes especially Josh Morris who crucifies at least 2 scoring opportunities a match.
If we can produce that Melbourne grand final type of play its on.
...JWH will be baited
He is the man tonight ..keep him on the field.
I am predicting a draw and golden point if we can lift from last week ..who kicks the field goal and which side ?

[Mad_Rabid_Rooster]

Tonight is a huge test, no doubt about it.

I see it as a clear cut situation - win, and we can sit back and enjoy the week off, and watch other teams bash themselves up; lose - and we could very well be up against it. At least tonight we are not the favourites - they are carrying the full weight of expectation on their relatively young shoulders. We have had the loss you need to have every now and again. We dust ourselves off and rip into them!

I am getting nervous too, as this could go either way. However, I am going to stick solid and predict a narrow victory - probably not secured until the back end of the game. We have so much to play for and there is so much on the line. Let's hope that the cream continues to rise to the top, in true Roosters fashion and style.

Easts by 6.

[Rooster1908]

We are every chance of winning provide we actually turn up to play which I am confident they will . Should be a great game and will be close . Defense is the key boys so bring the Bondi Wall and we will win.
Roosters by 4

[elo]

We play to potential we'll win this by 2-3 tries, Robbo has been spot on with prep the past 2 seasons so whilst this is a whacky year I'd expect him to nail it again.

[SupermanSupportsEasts4Eva]

The riff's biggest challenge of the season. Whereas we have been challenged big time all season. Praying for a Easts win.

[Pablo Escobar]

nervous...

win this the 3 peat is on

got to be a clinical performance tonight.

come on

[NorfolkStreetKid]

We have to win this one. I now really think we will need the week off to make the GF. Hopefully last weeks debacle will not destroy our players confidence, but make us more determined. I think we took our foot off the gas last week after dominating the first 10 minutes. Then the 95% possession to Souths in the last 20 minutes of the first half was just too much to overcome. Losing Friend after 3 minutes and having an untried combo of Iku and Aubs on the right were major obstacles.
When you look at the tries, everything Souths tried came off, every ball went to hand, every kick went their way, every loose ball bounced their way. We had to make 150 more tackles than they did, unheard of, thats 25 sets of 6. Penalties 6 to 1, restarts 6 to 1.
We were gassed with 20 minutes to go, and they went from 32 to 60 in that period.
TONIGHT IS ALL ABOUT TEAM.
We will find out tonight if we are cooked, if we are up for it both mentally and physically. It could be a great moment in Roosters history.

[ROC181]

The riff's biggest challenge of the season. Whereas we have been challenged big time all season. Praying for a Easts win.

And that is the key... teams have been playing nice footy with them hoping to beat them whilst we have been hunted by many trying to beat the champions, which goes with the territory. What Penrith should find is the intensity of the game to lift to a level they haven't experienced to date. Since round 16 they have played the Tigers, Broncos, Parra, cowboys and dogs. All weak ass teams including a Parra that has been lost since we beat them in round whatever. Of course our experience means nothing if last weeks game wasn't a tactical move by Trent.