Season is over before it began.

[oldrooster]

I think I saw it somewhere before - 'They look like a pub team" !

[Chickenhawk]

Admittedly we were poor. Very poor. As we were in rnd 1 of 2013, 2018, 2019.

[Funky Chicken]

Today. I think Collins went great today. Made me feel a little better about losing Jared, even though I will always believe he's irreplaceable.

I agree, I think he was one of the very few that could hold their head up after that train wreck. He ran hard with purpose, didn't drop any ball and was good in defence. Only thing that would have made his performance better is if he had put one on the chin of 'Gilbert the Grape' when he was standing over a prone Sammy Walker trying to be some sort of tough guy.

[stringaz]

I agree, I think he was one of the very few that could hold their head up after that train wreck. He ran hard with purpose, didn't drop any ball and was good in defence. Only thing that would have made his performance better is if he had put one on the chin of 'Gilbert the Grape' when he was standing over a prone Sammy Walker trying to be some sort of tough guy.

He was one of the first there at Walkers aid, i'll take your comment in jest as we know uncool heads lead to defeat and suspension. I'll admit Kaufusi was one of their best today but gee that blokes off kilter. I swear on one occasion he ran to our PTB to slow it down without even being involved in the tackle.

[Tommy Smith]

This thread is actually not an overreaction.

We are an error and injury riddled rabble who look poorly coached and lacking in onfield leadership.

You can't possibly have witnessed that embarrassment today and think otherwise.

[Water boy]

We were indeed lacking on field leadership. Wait till the big mean and scary jazza is back leading the pack with unnecessary niggle strategically giving away penalties at the right times. Unlike Butch, he knows when it is the right moment to get sin binned , and it’s these attributes that were sorely missed. Also not sure where Robbo will find room for Manu in this team, maybe 13 if Rads is off for a stint due to concussion?

[NorfolkStreetKid]

We were indeed lacking on field leadership. Wait till the big mean and scary jazza is back leading the pack with unnecessary niggle strategically giving away penalties at the right times. Unlike Butch, he knows when it is the right moment to get sin binned , and it’s these attributes that were sorely missed. Also not sure where Robbo will find room for Manu in this team, maybe 13 if Rads is off for a stint due to concussion?

On field leadership is developed by OFF field leadership..... ie Coaching, which is what we lack.

[bondi.boy]

The writing was on the wall when Manly led 26-0 at half time in the trial. Robinson learnt nothing from last year. Embarrassing.

Season (premiership) over?
Seems to be...but in reality we're still rebuilding a premiership-winning team.

I predicted here the Dolphins would win by 10, which they did.
I wanted the Roosters to win by 40.
We were never going to recover from the Manly debacle in such a short time.
*
Trent...
JWH, arguably his best prop, got injured.
Manu, arguably his best centre, got injured.
Crichton, arguably his best back row forward, was struck down with a problem that could see him unavailable for some time.
Watson, his tough competitor, got injured.
Momirovski, his premiership winning back, got injured.
Ben Thomas, his tough as nails forward, got injured.
Sitili, injured.
Billy Smith, injured.

So, he was left with half a team with which to take on Bennett's new team in round one.
We didn't win, no surprise to me.
""Can't win without the cattle".
Our best cattle were resting in the barn.

[Roosters1908]

I’m not too worried yet, (a) because we lose round 1 a lot (I think someone said we’ve only one three of our last ten first rounds), (b) because we have a lot of big names out for one reason or another and (c) I didn’t buy into the David and Goliath media narrative because of (a) and (b). So the loss was disappointing but not unexpected. No way I’m giving up on them so early.

[rooster till i die]

This thread is actually not an overreaction.

We are an error and injury riddled rabble who look poorly coached and lacking in onfield leadership.

You can't possibly have witnessed that embarrassment today and think otherwise.

Agree, a rabble and if it continues the worst is yet to come when playing against the better teams! Dolphins will finish bottom 4.

[rooster till i die]

I'm certain we will make the 8 . Not sure if it will be the top 8 or the bottom 8 as yet but

good one! after yesterday, easy to predict!

[Kelby]

The heat yesterday was a big factor. Our forwards looked gassed very early, which led to poor reads / actions in defence.
Match conditioning will come as we are atrociously poor starters at the beginning of the season.

Lodge will be a big loss.

[Bowie79]

I am sure it was hot for both sides though so that cannot be used as an excuse.

The same old story - the inability to complete sets - 80% set completions in the first half and only 44 % in the second half - Equates to having to do more defence and then fatigue sets in and errors mount and discipline slips.

Also the Roosters always have problems against running dummy halves and also teams that go side line to side line and back through the middle.

Robbo was saying they lost the battle of the ruck - not sure what the markers are doing as that should be their job in defence in defending against any player running from dummy half - one defends right side and the other left side against players running from dummy half

I think players go to marker for a rest - they are still defenders not traffic cops waving cars through.

That 3rd sentence worries me the most in round 3.

[trewhella]

Ray Stehr( chook as he was formally known) is quite possibly the most reactive panic merchant I’ve read on these boards for 25 years.

that’s right for 25 years I have had to read his grumbling and doomsday predictions after a loss.

go back and read them for yourselves.
In years that we have won comps he was writing the same hysteria in the early rounds.

predictable

[dice]

Ray Stehr( chook as he was formally known) is quite possibly the most reactive panic merchant I’ve read on these boards for 25 years.

that’s right for 25 years I have had to read his grumbling and doomsday predictions after a loss.

go back and read them for yourselves.
In years that we have won comps he was writing the same hysteria in the early rounds.

predictable

Ray was Rooster Cogburn.

And yes. As sure as the sun rises, Ray is doom and gloom week 1. It matters not that Robbo has his eyes on September, and always give our players a long off-season especially due to world cup.