The Roosters entered 2016 having lost James Maloney, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and a number of other players who added to a great level of depth to the club’s 2015 season.
Roosters fans entered 2016 hopeful that Blake Ferguson and Jackson Hastings could fill the massive voids left by Tuivasa-Sheck and Maloney.
Yet halfway through February the Chooks can now rule out Mitchell Pearce, Michael Jennings, who moved onto the Eels, and Boyd Cordner and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, who will miss the start of the season through injury.
This could possibly be the worst off-season any rugby league team in history has experienced. So can we count out the Roosters out as a threat for the top eight?
As a Roosters fan, I am very biased, but the Roosters are still a huge chance to make the eight and may push for a spot in the top four if they can survive until Waerea-Hargreaves and Cordner return.
Last year the Sharks pushed for a spot in the four after losing their first five games to start the year, so it can be done even with a poor start.
Even without Cordner and Waerea-Hargreaves, the Roosters feature a pack that would be the envy of many teams in the NRL. There is a front row of Sam Moa, Dylan Napa and Jake Friend, a back row featuring Aiden Guerra, Mitchell Aubusson and Isaac Liu, and a bench boasting Sio Siua Taukeiaho and Kane Evans.
There is plenty of skill, size and intimidation to get the team moving forward to give space to a back line featuring Shaun Kenny-Dowall (for now), Joe Burgess, Blake Ferguson, Dale Copley and Daniel Tupou.
This incarnation of the Roosters can still scare a lot of teams.
The biggest question will come down to the rookie halves in Jackson Hastings and either Jayden Nikorima or Tyler Cornish. But with a pack led by Moa, feeding the ball to guys like Ferguson, they have a simple job. Trent Robinson will be making that clear to these young men who have a lot of potential.
This off-season has been a nightmare and Alice’s Coopers Welcome to my Nightmare probably describes it most accurately. But hope survives, especially in this Roosters fan’s heart.
This team cannot win the premiership but they can push for a spot in the top four and maybe ruin other teams’ chances. And who knows, maybe I will be proven wrong in October.
Russ
Guest
What a terrible off season when all you can look forward to is being in the top 4! How awful? Should I send a sympathy or a get well soon card? I suppose it's my own fault for thinking this might a discussion about shortening the off season cos off seasons all seem like hades to me! Nothing is more dispiriting than finding yet another sport that doesn't come close to matching TGG in an effort to pass the interminable dead time! Mind you NHL looks a good bet for the bring back the biff crowd - Biff on Blades or Biff on a stick might be more appropriate titles!
Spiritfree
Guest
A good question. How long is a piece of string? Does a piece of string get longer if it gets pulled? In the case of Kirisome Auva'a, for example, it took as long as to allow him to play the season and score a try in the winning Grand Final team. The Integrity Commission suspended him for a year, but they did it nearly a year too late. But hey, that's OK, c'est la vie, it was the Rabbitohs' season after all. I'm sure her ex-girlfriend was just fine about it. I mean, he only rammed her head into a wall of her own house after he went on a bender. His success in the season and Grand Final would have helped her recovery from the trauma no end.
Spiritfree
Guest
"This team cannot win the premiership but they can push for a spot in the top four and maybe ruin other teams’ chances. And who knows, maybe I will be proven wrong in October." No maybe about it, mate. It's not going to be your year. It's as if there's a bad smell emanating from the chook pen. Funny, that.
Fiddlesticks
Guest
It's been great to watch. The locals will be talking super rugby as they sip their latte this year
Jim Connors
Guest
Speaking of Roosters' ,how long does the NRL Integrity commission need to arrive at an appropriate penalty to the serial off field offender ?
up in the north
Roar Rookie
If I was a chooks supporter I wouldn't be too stressed about 2016, they've still got a great roster. Something that I've noticed in the last few seasons is the teams that start off breathing fire and brimstone tend to be farting ashes by the time the finals come around. So I don't think it's going to be too big an issue for them.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I think the Titans 2015 and 2016 might argue about the 'worst off season ever' But overall you're right..the Roosters still have one of the best rosters in the comp. There might be a game or two they lose where the influence of a Pearce, Cordner or JWH would have got them over the line. But talk of them going 0-10 to start the season is ridiculous.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Jay C - what a blast from the past! Nothing like a roosters article to get him fired up from the other side of the world...
Jay C
Roar Guru
I think the whole thing is being overstated. JWH and Cordner will be back in time. Pearce will come back a changed man and all will be forgiven. Latrell has more raps on him than any player i've seen come through in the past 15 years. Are they a different side. Sure. Did they need their Captain to behave like a buffoon and embarrass himself. No. Once they announce the signing of Hayne they will shorten back up very quickly.