LOL@Roosters…

[Inflictor]

We have been privileged, no doubt about it. But we have an elite roster, how about we make the most of it? Is that too much to ask.. I don’t think so.

I’d honestly rather support a team with a fair roster that turns up, has a crack and plays to their potential every week than tune into what I have this season.

This game was nearly a must win for us IMO and we blew it. We have Penrith in Penrith next week with a 5 day turn around.

Sounds like you live close to Brisbane. Honestly.

[Qld Chook]

Do we really think our roster is elite? I think our roster has hollowed out over the years since 2019. Some
veterans becoming inconsistent, younger players who looked so promising in 2020 and 2021 have gone backwards and not many elite level players. We need a decent centre if Manu is going to be a 5/8 or a decent 5/8 if he is a centre. Our outside backs are not elite outside Manu and he is not one of them at the moment. Walker and Keary are imo to similar and our kicking game is awful at the moment. We need some variety in that half or 5/8 role. If Walker deserved to be dropped then so does Keary after today or Suaalii for that matter. He has been atrocious in the centres. Tedesco does not look as effective since he became captain and doesn’t seem to have a presence on field.
Our system has not adapted to the way the game is currently played and officiated. To many missed tackles, to many sin bins and the forwards beaten through the middle a number of times this year , just like today.
We are a long way from another premiership and we have not been elite for 3 years and need to stop talking like we should be better we are a middle of the road team and need to revamp some positions on our roster and change our system.

All I meant was that we have the cattle. Our roster is the best in the comp IMO. It’s over to the coaching staff to not let it go to waste. Walker was/is not the problem. I came into this year with the firm belief that we could definitely contend for the premiership this year and next year.

[FREEMAN89]

I hear often that we have an elite roster..

according to who though.

journos? They smash us constantly in articles
commentators? They seem to love death riding us.
other fans? Besides the over used salary cap joke. They hate us.

only WE seem to believe WE have an elite roster.

while other clubs are plugging away somewhat more successfully than us with what they have on offer.

And if what we say is true, and we do indeed have an elite roster. why can our coaching staff not get the results our roster should be achieving.

seems it’s going to be a season of far more questions than we will have answers for.

[Maxy Walker]

I don't think they were flying at the back end of the season though. I think Keary really started to shine after some pressure was taken off him but I thought Walker took a step backwards and as a combination I wasn't convinced.

Again this is just my opinion, I would agree that the general consensus is that we have an elite roster and that we had fixed the issues in the halves at the back end of last year.

I made the below post in November during off-season and haven't seen much yet this season that would make me change my mind on it.

Rooster 6 has finally found someone he agrees with. Himself.

[King Salvo]

I think Souths and Penrith have better rosters.

Player for player we may have the best roster but I had questions going into the season about our halves combination and I didn't think Brandon Smith was necessarily going to be a good fit. The balance of the squad is off and I think we are missing some talented youngsters in the backs coming through who could provide depth.

A very generalised and basic overview;

Outside backs 8/10
- Very good group of starters but big drop off from the starters to next best.

Spine 6.5/10
- Individually the starting 4 are great players but I don't see how they gel. Lacking an organiser and service out of dummy half is questionable. Depth at fullback is world class, depth in the halves and dummy half is worrisome.

Forwards 8.5/10
Very good group of forwards, quality in all starting positions and genuine depth across the board.

Roster ratings in my view

1. Penrith
2. Souths
3. Brisbane
4. * Melbourne
5. Roosters
6. Parramatta

* When spine is full strength

Spines - When Full strength

1. Storm - Papenhuyzen /Munster/Hughes/Grant
2. Penrith - Edwards/ Luai/Cleary/Luke
3. Souths- Mitchell/Walker/Illias/Cook
4. Brisbane- Walsh/ Mam/Reynolds/Walters
5. Roosters - Tedesco/Manu/Keary/Walker/ Smith
6. Parramatta - Gutherson/Brown/Moses/Hodgson


Of course defense is important but your offense relies on the spine in the generation of points and point scoring opportunities as they handle the ball more than other players do.

The only way the Roosters will fix the spine is having an organising and controlling player in one of the halves role - Keary and Walker are too alike as players and neither is an organising or controlling half.

Keary is uncomfortable in that role and Manu is still undertaking an apprenticeship as a 5/8 - more to this role than this just running the ball.

They look frustrated not just as a spine but as a team when the scoreboard isn't ticking over.

They need to get back to basics - getting to the kick in their sets and working hard in D and get in the grind as they say and be patient for as long as it takes - 80 minutes

They play a side in Penrith who have mastered the grind the past 3 seasons

[Eggspert]

Old Wayne has his Dolphins with an average back line playing well, scoring tries & not making errors galore.

While we have players out of position & struggling to score tries.

Not to mention a future super star half back singled out & blamed for everything & not playing at all.