A new attitude and a great beginning for the Roosters

Form and expectations aside, the Roosters jersey seems to get worse looking each year. In saying that though, the move from the heavier material to these 'rash vests' hasn't helped any of the clubs in that department. I can understand the players wanting to wear the thin jerseys - they'd be a whole lot cooler in Australian conditions - but why do the supporters get gypped by having to pay exorbitant amounts for a flimsy, probably less than accurate version of what the payers are wearing? The Steggles logo on the front looks out of place on the jersey, almost as bad as the Western Union logo did - yellow just didn't go with red, white and blue. When I was a kid, the only lettering you could get was the heat transfer type and the trouble with that was that the plastic was the side you had to put down first, leaving a cheap, felt-type material on the jersey’s exterior. As you can well imagine, this just wouldn't suffice for my brother and I so mum sewed each letter on, so that the plastic was side showed, not the felt side. Ah, that was more like it - just like what the players wore....as long as you were standing far enough away to not see the stitching, that is. I decided I could forgive mum for this little glitch; after all, she had spent countless hours painstakingly aligning each letter that made up CITY FORD and she was careful to keep the letters evenly spaced and exactly as they appeared on the jerseys of Kevin Hastings, David Michael, Mike Eden and all of my other favourite players of the day. The night they were finished was the longest night of our lives, my brother's and mine. Neither of us could sleep. We knew that the following day would be a long haul, too: we had to finish school before we could get home and put our jerseys to the test on the sporting field at the end of our street. With each of our jerseys carefully placed over chairs in our bedroom, proudly displaying our plastic numbers - his was seven and mine five - and the CITY FORD that shone in the moonlight, as well as the NSWRLFC emblem and the EASTERN SUBURBS emblem (the best emblem there ever was, for mine) we tried desperately to get some sleep; but thoughts of what tomorrow would bring conspired against us and I don't recall either of us eventually finding sleep that night. Not that it mattered: what was one night without sleep when we were about to become pint-sized replicas of our heroes? The day dragged on, as it does when there are pressing matters that are far more important than school. But when the bell went that day we were the first kids to hit the asphalt and we didn't stop running until we reached home. Our jerseys were ready, along with our Roosters shorts, socks and special Roosters shoes that mum found at Kevin Junee's store. We dressed hurriedly and sprinted to the park. Our friends hadn't been as eager as us so we were forced to go it alone for the thirty odd minutes it took for them to get there. I ran at my brother and told him to let me past him and give chase, so that he could grab my jersey by the number and test its durability. Game on. A deft step off my right foot and I was past him in a flash. He came at me from behind, grabbed the number with both hands and pulled me to the ground. The ground was still wet from the downpour a few nights earlier and I decided to use this to my advantage. I lay on by back and feigned aggression, kicking out and writhing on the ground to get some soil on the number. We'd both noticed that the Roosters players could be covered from head-to-toe in mud on a wet day but the CITY FORD was always visible and stayed a stark white, as the letters were plastic and the mud couldn't stick, nor could it penetrate the material. I rose to my feet and showed my brother my back so that he could make an assessment. "Looks good," he said excitedly and not sullenly as he had when we'd tested the felt numbers and lettering some weeks before. "Really white this time," he enthused as he circled me to complete his inspection. "But guess what?" His voice had a slightly disappointed edge to it this time. "What?" I urged him. I couldn't begin to imagine what else he could have to report. "The white cotton on the letters and numbers is all brown now," he dutifully informed me. He knew all too well that the imperfections in my jersey would be present in his as well. We looked at each other for a moment with a forlorn look on our faces. We'd seen the Roosters players up close - all the times we patted them as they ran out of the sheds at the old Sydney Sportsground seem a distant memory now - and they never had stained stitching. Come to think of it, there didn't seem to be any stitching on their letters. I knew we were thinking the same thing when my brother, as though a light switched on in his head, exclaimed, "So they must glue the felt part to the jersey!" I realised for the first time in my young life that my even younger brother was a genius. I thought it.....but he said it. He'd just unlocked the secret to the Eastern Suburbs Roosters jersey. For the second night in a row, neither of us could sleep: we abandoned our friends that afternoon in order to run home and report our findings to mum. She shared our enthusiasm and apologised for not anticipating the 'stained cotton' issue. She need not have - we were both more than grateful to mum for all her efforts and we ourselves felt sorry for her, knowing that she tried so hard and we were both extremely hard to please. But the reason we couldn't sleep is that mum had come up with a brilliant idea - the most brilliant idea that any mum had ever had, in the history of the world: she told us she planned to call the Eastern Suburbs Leagues Club the very next day and ask if they could help out. Whoever she spoke to must have clearly understood the importance of the request because they not only told mum that the letters and numbers were heat-transferred on and that both sides were plastic and one side melted onto the jersey's cotton; but they also told mum that the team's jerseys were due to be numbered soon and that the same company also did the CITY FORD lettering, as well as the emblems, both NSWRLFC and Eastern Suburbs, and that she could, as a special favour, drop our jerseys into the Leagues Club so that they could be processed with all the other Roosters jerseys at the same time. There were more restless nights as we counted down the days until our jerseys were ready. We mused at whose jerseys ours would be under, and on top of, as they awaited their transformations. On a hot summer's day in 1983, our dreams were realised when we arrived home from school to find our jerseys, looking every bit as spectacular as we'd imagined. We wore those jerseys day and night, year after year until, finally, we outgrew them; but not before every letter and each number was put through every kind of torture imaginable. Both our jerseys stood the test of time and I still think, to this day, that jersey was the best the Roosters have ever donned in their proud history. I wish I knew where it got to in the end. Doesn’t everyone?

I love how people get carried away after 1 round. In 2009, the Warriors were the team to beat after the 5 round mark. Storm were getting punished then too...I dont need to tell you how those two teams ended up Lets wait and see before we declare the Roosters back in the big league. I still think them and Broncs will battle for the spoon...flash in the pan round 1

I too think it is a tad early to get excited. 4 weeks in last year and the top 8 looked a fair bit different to the final top 8. Whilst there were lots of positives, souths gave us the degustation menu of chances with errors early and often and sheer butchery of try scoring chances. Also our left hand side defence was hideous, if they ever need extra space to widen roads around moore park they could use the gapping three lane corridor on the roosters left hand side, god knows souths did (although they handled it like a nervous learner driver beset by hail on a highway). That said my hopes for this year were a better showing and giving Smith the horses for a serious finals contender in 2011.

A great start but a long awy to go.

Emu Brett Stewart was a certainty for the fullback spot but he got injured last night so next in line will be Hayne and although the coach loves gidley, he is also injured. Carney can play anywhere in the backs so a bench spot could be a chance.

Any Brian Smith coached team has had problems in the finals when teams need to raise there game another level or two. Brian's teams play at a such a high level all season that they have nothing extra to give when the big games come around.

I think that the sacking of Ronny Palnmer by B Smith will prove to be a mater stroke. The new strenght and conditioning and fitness coaches had the boys jumping out of their absolute skin.The players were lean ans fast and when the Rabbotohs big boppers were blowing hard after thirty minutes the Roosters were just hitting their straps. Pearce, Anasta, Carney might well be a 7,6,1 spine for the Blues this year..... early days, early days I know but I think the Roosters will still be playing into September this season.

Roosterman I share your enthusiasim. Let's hope it is a special year.

Yes well done Roosters. But it's a loonnngggg season.....

Whilst yesterday was a great day for the Roosters, I don't want to get too excited and start believing they've changed and are capable of stringing together two or more wins in a row. I've been a Roosters fan since 1974 and I've seen them at their best and at their worrying worst. But what I saw yesterday was enough to re-ignite the flame of hope that had almost gone out after last season. I saw a football side brimming with confidence and the will to win and never give up. I didn't see the side that, in years gone by, would go into the sheds at half-time with a small lead and believe they'd done enough to win, thus putting the queue in the rack and invariably surrendering the lead in the second half. They were steely and determined and there was an air of success to them that I've not seen for many years. For some reason, I've been googling "Sydney Roosters" up to fifteen times a day for the last few months. Something has whispered to me that this could be a special year, a defining year. For the first time in many years, I care what the experts are saying about them - a victory is better when there has been hype and speculation and a huge interest from the media - and I want to know what peoples' opinions are of my beloved team. I have noticed that most people have written them off for this season and have predicted a finish at or near the bottom of the table. Remember what I said about it being a special year? You'll see what I mean....

Souths were let down badly by their backs. Every time they looked like scoring they would drop the ball right near the line. I can remember times when Merritt, Best, Champion and Sandow did this. Burgess and Taylor were Souths best. Burgess dropped the ball a few times but he made a break or half break whenever he touched the ball. Taylor made some good breaks as well. I still wonder why they brought in John Lang to coach Souths. With the results in Round 1 I still can't figure out anything. I thought the Dragons-Eels game was the best of the round, but for all we know both could get smashed next week and finish in the bottom 8. Souths could still be a top 4 team only the Roosters are way ahead of the pack. Who knows? I await next week...

Its the little things that made the Roosters good yesterday, Aubs in the second row, Graham in the centers (yeh didnt do a hell of a lot) but gave chooks that spark in backline Myles chasing..notice little sandow give up after 40-50 yesterday on SKD - I hoped Lang got to him after the game Carney is a footy player and forgot how good he really is, well done to Brian Smith but well done to all 17 players for the Roosters

Brett Its only round 1 but i have never seen the Roosters function with such cohesion so early in the season. Even when Fittler was in the side, the Roosters were often scrappy in their start to the season. One can only hope it is a sign of good things to come. Can't get ahead of myself though, the roosters credibility will be earned when they beat teams such as the Bulldogs, Dragons, Eels and Storm. Even the Tigers next week will give us a better indication of how far the chooks have come since a horror 2009 season.

Alan, I have to admit to still not seeing anything of the Roosters-Souths game yesterday, but I'm getting the impression for reading various reports that it was quite the performance for the Tricoloure (a tip of the hat to Roy & HG). You've got to hand it to Brian Smith, he can turn a place around. Phil Gould's opening line today is I'm sure a direct copy of one he wrote 2 or 3 years ago about Newcastle: "The most important gift a coach can give his players is confidence - an unshakeable belief in themselves and each other."

LeftArmSpinner What impressed me the most was the way the Roosters attacked. There is so much more variety now with Pearce, Anasta and Carney working in tandem. Myles was simply inspirational. The Roosters also kept their error count low which is unheard of considering they were the worst side at keeping possession last season and have been for the past few years. Guys like Lopini Paea and Nuuasala never looked like dropping the ball and backline stars like Kenny Dowall were level headed as well but brilliant at the same time. Daniel Conn also impressed me along with Guerra who should have got a double. Did i mention Phil Graham... a great start by the chooks. If it means anything to Rabbitohs fans, i thought Sam Burgess justified his tag as the forward to watch this season. He was their best player by far. Oikee - it has been a sensational start to the year, there have only been two games decided by more than six points. Tonights game between the Tigers and Sea Eagles could also go down to the wire.

How good has the footy been. Great game and looks like the Roosters will be crowing again this year. The wheels fell off Souths when Merrit dropped the ball. I still enjoyed this game. After this weekend, i think every club is on notice. Its not going to be easy. :) Bring it.

Alan, I agree. it was a very good performance. Pearce played to his potential, press coverage and breeding! Carney, for me a surpirse selection at fullback, was good. But it was the forwards who led the way to allow the backs to play. It was also good to see Mini back on the field. Myles had a very good game and Kenny dowall, as you say, was excellent. Yes, you will remember my strong criticism of the the roosters last season and during the off season. It is too early to eat my words and I remain of the view that Carney's track record indicate that he has the propensity to self destruct off the field and more importantly, take the team with him. Lets hope that the roosters are on the way back. It must also be said that the Rabbits forwards were clearly believing their own press and that their backs did not deliver.