Worst Roosters defections of all time?

[The Thracian]

Paul Vautin, when we were stupid enough to let him defect to us

[bondi.boy]

Then there were the "Easts rejects" who used to haunt us whenever we played the clubs they were with.
Des O'Reilly was one notable.

[Easts75]

If Suaallii helps us win 2 premierships in a row, I won't say a bad word about him.

Latrell played a huge part innus winning 2 in a row...I bag him daily

[King Salvo]

If I remember correctly Mark Murray was coach and Big Jack was in an oversight role at the time.

Big Jack Gibson was Football Manager and Mark Murray Coach and when it was announced Gary Freeman had signed with Penrith Big Jack banished him from the club and he never played again that season (1993)

Big Jack Gibson also banished Craig Salvatori from training when he was suspended for 5 or so weeks (head butt in the game against Penrith in 1993) and sent him to George Daldry a renowned fitness guru to be flogged for his suspension period as further punishment.

When Mark Murray was sacked in late 1994 Big Jack Gibson resigned from the Football Manager role as he was the one to appoint him as Coach

[HunchoRooster]

Matto is a cat

what sort of team player chooses a three or was it four week suspension over a 3000 dollar fine? Disgraceful decision by him and one I think of made at the roosters would see him labelled never to be played in the top grade again. His team mates must have lost all respect for him after that.

From the outside looking in, seemed a very strange decision. He's not a cat though. Plays tough. Runs hard. Great motor.

Selfish maybe, but not a cat. Must be a tightarse and a half given he's on about 600-700 a year hahaha

[The Marshall]

Big Jack Gibson was Football Manager and Mark Murray Coach and when it was announced Gary Freeman had signed with Penrith Big Jack banished him from the club and he never played again that season (1993)

Big Jack Gibson also banished Craig Salvatori from training when he was suspended for 5 or so weeks (head butt in the game against Penrith in 1993) and sent him to George Daldry a renowned fitness guru to be flogged for his suspension period as further punishment.

When Mark Murray was sacked in late 1994 Big Jack Gibson resigned from the Football Manager role as he was the one to appoint him as Coach

I remember that head butt, I think we needed to win one more game to make finals for the first time
since 87 and were leading at Penrith. Big Sal got sent, we lost and then lost all of our final games to miss the finals! I think???

[Headless Chook]

Big Jack Gibson was Football Manager and Mark Murray Coach and when it was announced Gary Freeman had signed with Penrith Big Jack banished him from the club and he never played again that season (1993)

Big Jack Gibson also banished Craig Salvatori from training when he was suspended for 5 or so weeks (head butt in the game against Penrith in 1993) and sent him to George Daldry a renowned fitness guru to be flogged for his suspension period as further punishment.

When Mark Murray was sacked in late 1994 Big Jack Gibson resigned from the Football Manager role as he was the one to appoint him as Coach

I reckon you have the year wrong in regards to Salvo. I think it was 92, and we were on top of the comp until the game against Penrith, then lost 6 in a row without Salvo, before winning our last couple. We ended up missing out on the semis by 1 point that year

[zac]

Matto is a cat

what sort of team player chooses a three or was it four week suspension over a 3000 dollar fine? Disgraceful decision by him and one I think of made at the roosters would see him labelled never to be played in the top grade again. His team mates must have lost all respect for him after that.

i blame the nrl for being bloody minded. he'd just lost a gf and, not thinking straight, made a dumb decision, which he then tried to reverse but the nrl wouldn't let him. what was the harm in letting him change his decision? a regular season game i could understand when there are time constraints but the nrl bureaucracy had months up its sleeve. if it sets a precedent that a player who elects to pay a fine after his last game of the season but can then change his mind, then good. let common sense prevail

[The Thracian]

Bill Dart and Nick Kouoaritsas for mine

[Paddo Colt 61]

Freeman was one of our best and most timely signings, he almost immediately transformed what was a pretty ordinary side going nowhere back then. He was a disappointing loss no doubt about it,

Another loss (though not a defection and unlikely to rate on this thread even if it was) could turn out to be Jacko Hastings who is looking like a pretty good player lately. Went very well V The Raiders yesterday.

I lamented the loss of Solomona (was it David?) back in the day but he never went on with it that I can recall. Did he go to the Wazzas graveyard? Like it's doubtful that we'll hear anything of Volkman again.

[DP1990]

1. RTS
2. Latrell
3. Wing


4. Not really a defection but a disappointing loss at the time - Maloney (although I'm glad Keary came to us in 2017 and has won 2x premierships - especially his efforts in the 2018 GF). 'Jayden Nikorima and Jackson Hastings' as touted long-term successors/replacements to Maloney was a massive hit and miss !

[King Salvo]

I reckon you have the year wrong in regards to Salvo. I think it was 92, and we were on top of the comp until the game against Penrith, then lost 6 in a row without Salvo, before winning our last couple. We ended up missing out on the semis by 1 point that year

I was thinking after I posted it that it may have been 1992 - I recall it was same day that the Panther players received their blazers at a after game function for their 1991 Premiership win.

Woke up the next morning hearing sadly that Greg Alexander's Brother Ben was killed in a car accident - Ben and a few other kicked on after that function

[Headless Chook]

Freeman was one of our best and most timely signings, he almost immediately transformed what was a pretty ordinary side going nowhere back then. He was a disappointing loss no doubt about it,

Another loss (though not a defection and unlikely to rate on this thread even if it was) could turn out to be Jacko Hastings who is looking like a pretty good player lately. Went very well V The Raiders yesterday.

I lamented the loss of Solomona (was it David?) back in the day but he never went on with it that I can recall. Did he go to the Wazzas graveyard? Like it's doubtful that we'll hear anything of Volkman again.

He went to Parra then to the UK.

[redwhiteblue]

Craig Wing is our company's guest celebrity footy tipper and I looked up his previous ones...

He had tipped us to beat Souths...

Welcome home Craig..

[SamKerrSimp]

Freeman was one of our best and most timely signings, he almost immediately transformed what was a pretty ordinary side going nowhere back then. He was a disappointing loss no doubt about it,

Another loss (though not a defection and unlikely to rate on this thread even if it was) could turn out to be Jacko Hastings who is looking like a pretty good player lately. Went very well V The Raiders yesterday.

I lamented the loss of Solomona (was it David?) back in the day but he never went on with it that I can recall. Did he go to the Wazzas graveyard? Like it's doubtful that we'll hear anything of Volkman again.

You must be having a laugh with the Hastings comment because his signature almost cost our club dearly when they refused to sign Maloney long term and went all in on Hastings we were just lucky that Luke Keary fell in to our lap otherwise Hastings would’ve been in the conversation for worst signing not worst defection. David Solomona had a great offload he was ahead of his time he went to Parra in 01 then the UK