2021

[milanja]

An overhaul or a healthy team?

reactions have been harsh and perhaps deserved due to our expectations from the previous years, but do we need as many changes as what people are suggesting?

if fully fit next year, our forward pack and rotation becomes so much better, with victor and verrills back in the side, it allows collins and Liu to come off the bench fixing the problem this year of trying to manufacture and asking too much from butcher/poasa and co.

a healthy pack of JWH/friend/SST/Boyd/Angus/Radley, with Collins/Liu/verrills on the bench is pretty good going, with plenty fighting for the last bench spot.

with the backs, do we assume billy smith will be a certain starter if fully fit? If so, then Teddy/toops/Manu/Smith and the two Morris boys(if re-signed) will make up the backline,with the Morris boys fighting for one spot and the other a reliable backup.

keary at 5/8 and a possible 3 way fight for the halfback position with Flanno/lam/walker.

on paper it looks like there is enough depth to cover most positions.

Do We need some new recruits, or if the team stays healthy are we happy with what we have?

Maybe Benji Marshall for a year would be a handy backup for our halves?

[Big Dog]

An overhaul or a healthy team?

reactions have been harsh and perhaps deserved due to our expectations from the previous years, but do we need as many changes as what people are suggesting?

if fully fit next year, our forward pack and rotation becomes so much better, with victor and verrills back in the side, it allows collins and Liu to come off the bench fixing the problem this year of trying to manufacture and asking too much from butcher/poasa and co.

a healthy pack of JWH/friend/SST/Boyd/Angus/Radley, with Collins/Liu/verrills on the bench is pretty good going, with plenty fighting for the last bench spot.

with the backs, do we assume billy smith will be a certain starter if fully fit? If so, then Teddy/toops/Manu/Smith and the two Morris boys(if re-signed) will make up the backline,with the Morris boys fighting for one spot and the other a reliable backup.

keary at 5/8 and a possible 3 way fight for the halfback position with Flanno/lam/walker.

on paper it looks like there is enough depth to cover most positions.

Do We need some new recruits, or if the team stays healthy are we happy with what we have?

Maybe Benji Marshall for a year would be a handy backup for our halves?

I reckon next year we should just pick one Morris twin in the 17 for each game, and secretly swap them at half time.

This year our forwards weren't as dominant as the last two seasons, Radley's return should fix that.
Tupouniua and Flanagan will be better next year after a full season of top grade, not that Sitilli played badly this year.

I think we will be top 4 material next without a doubt.

[Mickie Lane]

I think they need to buy Bryce Cartwright.
On a serious note I think the Roosters should continue to develop players like Luca Moretti, Christian Tuipuloiu, Egan Butcher & Fletcher Baker instead of trying to buy established players from other clubs plus try to buy a player like Jack Bird at a bargain price. Another one who comes to mind is Jack de Belin if he is found not guilty, could the Roosters get him on a budget contract to resurrect his career.

[BUDDY]

We have three spots to replace due to Maubs, SBW and Hall leaving.
With no lower grades played this year do we bring in players from within our system or look external.
Personally I think we need to find a decent prop. With Collins out we were exposed with no props on the bench and then SST out for the second half was the beginning of the end.
I think the Broncos will let Ofahengaue go and hope we go after him. He has played Origin and for Tonga and SST and Toups would benefit him.
Not sure who else is available. I doubt the Fisher-Harris rumour was true.
Apart from that another cheap forward and back for depth is probably all we need.

[zac]

these are decisions the club has to make before nov 1. a lot of guys can negotiate with other clubs then so we'll get a better idea on the thinking of the club pretty soon.

first thing - there are some guys who have contracts like boyd and jwh so people calling for them to retire it's not going to happen. those two, and others, will bounce back.

why did we go out in straight sets? we had a disrupted season but we had most of the guys on the paddock at the end there and should have done better. i'd put our early exit down to a combination of the bounce of the ball, lack of desperate hunger and maybe not getting the demands of an extended season right. we normally start slowly and produce when it matters but this time we started after iso with all guns blazing.

for those reasons i'm not looking for wholesale changes. old and tired? not if you add rads, sam and billy to the squad.

as for specifics i agree that the squad is looking pretty good. i don't think i'd go for benji but if we can get good value out of an addition then you'd take it.

tauks hasn't done his acl they're saying so he should be right to go round 1.

[milanja]

I reckon next year we should just pick one Morris twin in the 17 for each game, and secretly swap them at half time.

This year our forwards weren't as dominant as the last two seasons, Radley's return should fix that.
Tupouniua and Flanagan will be better next year after a full season of top grade, not that Sitilli played badly this year.

I think we will be top 4 material next without a doubt.

Haha, not a bad way to get them through a whole season,

imagine the secret swap fallout exposed, when Brett scores the grand final winning try, but Josh started the game.

[Snapn1]

I would go coats winger from bronco's for brett retirement, billy smith in for josh retirement an tuipolotu as a back up wing centre or possibly 2nd row benchy

[Johnny Brass]

We've had 3 long years and with a string of ACL injuries it caught up with us.
They badly need an extended rest and with 5 of them being picked in the blues squad it's not going to help.
I think a lot of our players have been playing busted this year so I'm not writing them off as over the hill just yet.
I'd be wary of ofahengaue as the depth of Queensland forwards is skinny but your paying rep money prices.
Young Fifita impressed me this year and another off season will help his development.
The big concern for me is Flanagan at halfback as we became far too predictable going left in attack all the time. The new rules have opened the game up and running halves are dominating the comp.
I can hardly recall him getting a repeat set with an in goal grubber all year and he was picked on mercilessly in defence all season.
Robbo is a great coach and he will reinvent the team to adjust to the new rules in the off season with a few of our young players returning from injury.

[waverly oval]

Jonny Brass.....Flanagan obviously under coaches instructions to not go for repeat sets....been a problem for us for years.....its not rocket science!.South's do it perfectly....and other clubs..so Robbo has to take blame there...not the kid....forward rotation was way too long last few games....replacing forwards at 30 minute mark....should be 20 minute....

[Johnny Brass]

You could be right Waverly but isn't that part of a halfbacks job to have the confidence to put in those kicks and play what's in front of him. Robbo could be scarred from all those years of Pearce kicking it dead and giving up 7 tackle sets.
Agree on the forward rotation time and it's my only knock on Robbo with his bench use.

[Bondicigar]

Benji Marshall, he would have come in handy this year . Why not?

[Intercept]

It looked to me that quite a few blokes were playing with injury this year. Nat Butcher, for example, we know had busted ribs but played on. Just not to his usual level.

We have lots of talented youngsters already in the system. I would love to see Fifita and Egan Butcher get some games next year, especially if we can blood them at a time the side has some momentum. Maybe Tuipulotu too. But I wouldn't be opposed to bringing one or two new players to the club, just to keep things fresh. Especially players with something different to offer, something that might give us a new dimension.

[Rooster1908]

I think they need to buy Bryce Cartwright.
On a serious note I think the Roosters should continue to develop players like Luca Moretti, Christian Tuipuloiu, Egan Butcher & Fletcher Baker instead of trying to buy established players from other clubs plus try to buy a player like Jack Bird at a bargain price. Another one who comes to mind is Jack de Belin if he is found not guilty, could the Roosters get him on a budget contract to resurrect his career.

Think the dragoons resigned. De Belin for next year and thank God they did

[ROC181]

I want Robbo to prep for the round game against souffs to get the team to score a record score against them so that would need to be 63+

[RoosterBooster]

What’s interesting is Sam Walker comes off contract end of next year so they need to make a call soon as a lot of clubs will come for him November 1st. I don’t think you pay $150K a year and not start to integrate him next year. The off season is key to add KG’s to his slight frame. Moving Keary to 7 would take some pressure off Walker and he can just ball play. The next few weeks will be interesting to see who they announce has resigned