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Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson says his former assistant and Wests Tigers mentor Jason Taylor will have the advantage of knowing some of the club’s secrets when the two sides meet on Friday night.
After finding success at Moore Park as the Roosters’ under-20s coach and assistant to Robinson in the premiership-winning side in 2013, Taylor took up the senior NRL role at the Tigers this season.
Friday’s clash at Allianz Stadium will be the first time the two have faced off since Taylor’s move to the Tigers.
The two spent Thursday trading compliments across town: Robinson said he admired the direction in which Taylor had steered the young squad while Taylor said the Roosters remained the competition benchmark.
However Robinson said Taylor would have the ultimate advantage on Friday night and would come armed with plenty of inside knowledge on the Roosters’ game plan.
“He’ll know a fair bit of the way that we play,” Robinson said.
“And we can we see a lot of what we’ve done in the way they’re playing … but it’s all about who brings enough energy into the game and who wants to go after it the most.”
Taylor revived his coaching career at the Tricolours after being sacked by South Sydney for a Mad Monday alcohol-fuelled incident.
Robinson said he could see that Taylor had adopted some of his mentalities and methods at the Tigers and there were similarities in the way the two sides played.
“I think there are a lot of secrets between coaches,” Robinson said.
“Everyone has their own method and their own philosophy. Sometimes you can work that out and sometimes you don’t know why a team plays the way that they do.
“Obviously JT and I have worked closely together and we know each other personally and as good mates.”
Despite the Roosters sitting out of the top eight Taylor said they remained the team to beat.
While the Roosters are sitting in 12th, on the back of four straight losses, Taylor said they remained one of the best defensive teams in the competition.
“They’ve been defending really well, they’re up in the top of the competition in defence and so that means we’re in for a really tough game,” he said.
“We’ve got to match that. We’ve got to match their defensive efforts. If we don’t they’ll get the win that they’re looking for … I’m confident we’re going to be playing against a desperate team, a team that will work really hard.”
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