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NRL 2022: Why a roster overhaul at the Sydney Roosters is bad news for every other club
The Roosters were tipped to be among the premiership favourites this season, but it isn’t panning out that way and club chairman Nick Politis might want to shake things up.
Paul Crawley
June 10, 2022 - 11:49AM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
As we enter the back half of the NRL season, Paul Crawley identifies six key issues set to explode in the coming months, and kicking off this weekend.
ARE ROOSTERS READY FOR A CLEANOUT?
The Roosters have already denied rumours about them being interested in Cameron Munster and Payne Haas.
But the way the season is panning out for a team many tipped as premiership favourites would have to be frustrating the hell out of Nick Politis.
Ever since Boyd Cordner, Jake Friend, Mitch Aubusson, Cooper Cronk and Brett Morris retired, the Roosters have just lost that aura of toughness and leadership that they built their reputation on.
And it seems every time you think their season is back on track, they suffer a relapse like they did last Sunday in Canberra — where some of their defence was just not what you’d come to expect from this club, while aside from Joey Manu the attack was lifeless, and their discipline terrible.
Admittedly, they were without Origin players James Tedesco and Daniel Tupou, as well as Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Victor Radley and Sam Verrills. But even so, look at how Penrith performed without their Origin stars, and that used to be the Roosters.
Which brings me to my point on Politis, who we all know doesn’t suffer mediocrity.
And when he sets out to fix a problem, he usually heads straight to the top shelf, identifying targets like Cronk, Sonny Bill Williams and Brandon Smith, and getting under everyone’s guard.
While there’s still time to turn it around this year, the Roosters are already four points adrift of the top four, with their next three games against the Storm, Eels and Panthers.
Remember, they were lucky to make it through to week two of the finals last year, though it was understandably excused because of a rotten run with injuries.
But if we get to the end of this season and they don’t make their presence felt again, I’m tipping Brandon Smith won’t be the only big change coming.
The Roosters were tipped to be among the premiership favourites this season, but it isn’t panning out that way and club chairman Nick Politis might want to shake things up.
Paul Crawley
June 10, 2022 - 11:49AM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
As we enter the back half of the NRL season, Paul Crawley identifies six key issues set to explode in the coming months, and kicking off this weekend.
ARE ROOSTERS READY FOR A CLEANOUT?
The Roosters have already denied rumours about them being interested in Cameron Munster and Payne Haas.
But the way the season is panning out for a team many tipped as premiership favourites would have to be frustrating the hell out of Nick Politis.
Ever since Boyd Cordner, Jake Friend, Mitch Aubusson, Cooper Cronk and Brett Morris retired, the Roosters have just lost that aura of toughness and leadership that they built their reputation on.
And it seems every time you think their season is back on track, they suffer a relapse like they did last Sunday in Canberra — where some of their defence was just not what you’d come to expect from this club, while aside from Joey Manu the attack was lifeless, and their discipline terrible.
Admittedly, they were without Origin players James Tedesco and Daniel Tupou, as well as Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Victor Radley and Sam Verrills. But even so, look at how Penrith performed without their Origin stars, and that used to be the Roosters.
Which brings me to my point on Politis, who we all know doesn’t suffer mediocrity.
And when he sets out to fix a problem, he usually heads straight to the top shelf, identifying targets like Cronk, Sonny Bill Williams and Brandon Smith, and getting under everyone’s guard.
While there’s still time to turn it around this year, the Roosters are already four points adrift of the top four, with their next three games against the Storm, Eels and Panthers.
Remember, they were lucky to make it through to week two of the finals last year, though it was understandably excused because of a rotten run with injuries.
But if we get to the end of this season and they don’t make their presence felt again, I’m tipping Brandon Smith won’t be the only big change coming.