Despite all the adversities they have faced in the first half of this season, the Sydney Roosters continue to find a way to navigate through the torrent and remain up there among the premiership contenders.
The club’s injury crisis is among the worst in the NRL, with co-captain Jake Friend forced into retirement on medical advice, while the other co-captain, Boyd Cordner, has already ruled himself out of the State of Origin series and is no certainty to even return this season.
Further, Luke Keary, Brett Morris and Lindsay Collins all suffered season-ending knee injuries inside the first eight rounds, robbing the side of experience in the backline, halves and forward pack.
Keary’s injury was suffered in Round 3 against the Rabbitohs at Stadium Australia, after which many feared for the Roosters’ immediate premiership hopes.
That paved the way for 18-year-old rookie Sam Walker to make his first-grade debut the following week against the New Zealand Warriors, and he has more than impressed in the seven games he has played since being thrust into the hot seat.
So much so, in just his second game against the Sharks, he scored his first NRL try and set up three others as the Chooks came from 18-4 down midway through the second half to win by 26-18.
His impressive form has seen him rewarded with a two-year contract extension, though coach Trent Robinson joked that he would’ve extended it by a decade “if he had his own way”.
Veteran winger Brett Morris was also in scintillating form for the side, having scored eleven tries in eight games including two hat-tricks, until he suffered the dreaded ACL injury in the Round 8 thrashing of the Knights in Newcastle.
At the age of 34, and having played 275 NRL games since debuting for the Dragons in 2006, it was all but certain that he had played the final game of an illustrious career that also includes a premiership with the Red V back in 2010.
In that same match, Queensland forward Lindsay Collins also suffered a season-ending knee injury, after which the Roosters’ change-rooms post-match resembled the mood as if the team had lost rather than won.
Then, the following week against Parramatta, back-up playmaker Drew Hutchison suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung when he fell victim to a pair of errant knees from Eels counterpart Dylan Brown in the first half of their 31-18 loss.
But despite all the adversities, the Roosters continue to soldier on, with their fighting qualities on display in their 30-16 win over the North Queensland Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium last Saturday night.
The Chooks shot out of the blocks, leading 18-0 in the first half, and were about to be run down in the second half until a masterclass from acting captain James Tedesco saw them register their seventh win from ten starts this season.
James Tedesco (Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
Sam Walker had his worst individual game as he only booted two goals from five attempts and was outplayed by Cowboys back Valentine Holmes, who had inspired his side’s comeback to the point where they were within two points at 18-16 in the second half.
In the end, however, Tedesco may have settled the short-term argument as to who is the best fullback in the competition, with fierce competition coming from the Storm’s reigning Clive Churchill Medallist, Ryan Papenhuyzen, and Manly’s Tom Trbojevic, in recent weeks.
With Boyd Cordner to miss the entire State of Origin series due to his concussion woes, it is likely that Tedesco will again captain the Blues in this year’s series, in which his side will be eager to regain the shield they lost to Queensland six months ago.
On the topic of Cordner, while he is slated for a mid-season return, there is the chance he may not even feature for the Roosters this year, should further medical advice force him into retirement as was the case for Jake Friend earlier this season.
The Taree native, who turns 29 next month, has not played since Origin I at Adelaide Oval last November when an attempted tackle on Felise Kaufusi resulted in him suffering another head knock and being forced to miss the remainder of the series.
In the meantime, Tedesco will continue as interim captain and will again lead the side into battle when they face the Brisbane Broncos at the SCG this Saturday night, during which their co-captain Jake Friend will be honoured.
The Chooks will start hot favourites to heap more misery on the injury-hit Broncos, whom they outscored by 117-12 in two matches last season, including by a landslide 59-0 at Suncorp Stadium in Round 4 last year.
Another win will see the Roosters keep in touch with the top four, before they face tougher clashes against the Raiders and the red-hot Panthers at the foot of the mountains on either side of a trip to the Gold Coast to face the Titans as well as a bye in the following month.
If the men from Bondi Junction can pull through the next few matches without suffering any more damage to its already-heavy injury toll, then who knows how much damage they can cause come September, that’s if they get there, of course.
Zavjalova
Roar Rookie
Clown
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
The Morris twins?
Rob
Guest
Which junior did they make great? Let me Guess Coote, Beetson, Fittler, SBW, Cronk the established internationals or Pearce?
Zavjalova
Roar Rookie
Roosters have no juniors, but they take everyone elses juniors and make them great. You have to applaud them for that
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Too right - "Scary how fast NRL brought down the foul play hammer after a bad press day from the Roosters" must be all those eastern suburbs lawyers to keep busy.
Rob
Guest
Hi John, I put some of the Roosters success down to being the team affected by travel the least in the comp (the centre of Sydney), they also have home ground advantage come finals ( not many get that luxury). They have deeper pockets when negotiating the player they want (they get the best kids from other nurseries). They have benefit by having a high profile, and it naturally puts pressure on officials. The final (against Souths) that every one wants to see really amused me. Currently not many clubs could boast the same amount of current and past rep players in their roster most of whom established themselves at other clubs. Good players wanting to play rep football are attracted to clubs with rep players. Also officials will general respect and listen to a high profile voice on the field before say that of a less established player and its a significant advantage. Sadly i believe the Roosters have benefited great from the acquisition of very good players from rivals clubs ( Coote, Beetson, SBW and Cronk) strengthening themselves and weakening rivals. Something that stands out to me in recent years is how often the Roosters have regularly finished top 3 and even 1st on the ladder only to be quickly out the back in straight sets in the finals when all eyes are on them and they simply get belted even playing at home? That say to me they have probably finished higher than they really should have IMO.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
He's injured and stood down but the point is that he's still missing. He hasn't been stood down because he stabbed someone either. Good chance he'll be back this season.
Dutski
Roar Guru
Turbo was definitely a loss. Not sure I’d claim Fainu on that list though - stood down for stabbing someone isn’t exactly injured, is it?
Easy target
Roar Rookie
Just playing devils advocate, but storm had to let players go between 06-09 they were still rorting the cap. For the record, I think that when most of the team is being paid less to stay than other teams would have to keep them, it provides about 2/3rep players worth to your cap space easily.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Manly top end has copped it as well. Turbo and Fainu in particular , huge losses. Most of the forward pack plus Walker and Suli and now Foran. It might not be as bad as the Chooks but it's worthy of comment.
matth
Roar Guru
I'm sure Robinson took a sneaky look at the draw and breathed a huge sigh of relief as he gets to bank another two points.
The Barry
Roar Guru
It’s not just the number of players out injured though, it’s the quality Roosters are missing Friend, Cordner, Keary, Morris, Collins, Radley has missed games, Tedesco has missed games plus Hutchison, Verrills, Lussick, Lam and Billy Smith The Dogs have got a pretty long injury list too but no team can claim an injury toll at the top end of their roster like the Roosters
Rob
Guest
Oh and Hess who was standing at marker and failed to move in the lead up to Walker’s try was able to leave the field after the Roosters scored and never returned as he was ruled out with a concussion. He won’t play this week due to that concussion? Fun player safety was top priority but the game wasn’t stopped for Hess having a wobbly boot? The Cowboys played a man down for a majority of the game.
Rob
Guest
Well come on let’s not kid ourselves every is equally paying for players. Cronk poached for 2 years is still working with the Roosters? Packer was rumoured to have offered Thurston a job for life after retirement from the game? That’s not breaking the salary cap rules. Interchange card please. I believe the trainer had the HIA stoppage card up trying to get Hess assessed when the Roosters had the ball and they continued to allow them to play on. The cowboys trainer had his hand up longer than Tedesco took to go off get assessed? and get back on the field.
Rellum
Roar Guru
It's getting the point where the Roosters might have to start passing the sombrero around.
Rob
Guest
Jimmmy remember the years of frustration and torment as the Cowboys were denied time and again an opportunity to reach the big dance by a missed knock on or 3, an offside missed or a mistake counting the tackles. The supporters were screaming and penned a 30k petition for a far go from the officials. The Cowboys win record went from 25 to 75% over the following 2 seasons under a couple of officials. Managed to win the comp. Scary how fast NRL brought down the foul play hammer after a bad press day from the Roosters. I believe the Cowboys voiced their concerns about the high late contract on JT and Morgan repeatedly for years? In 2019 Annersly apologised for errors from officiating that had cost the Cowboys victory 3 weeks in a row and had not seen been or identified by the bunker effectively confining them to the bottom 8.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
And that Rob is the absolute truth. I am sick and tired of the Kultcha stuff. Show me the money!!!!
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Replaced by Sutton. Family contacts are almost as good.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
by comparing Suaalii's (alleged) price to the Morris boys sort of deflates your argument
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
...17 year old kid, never played NRL, warming the bench and the same price as both the Morris' twins. Only at the Roosters. Man - up or Cash -up. They (roosters) "almost" got the All Black TJ Perenara but for him not wanting to join Rugby League, I guess for the roosters to make the bid, a discussion of money would have had to have happened. One wonders were the money for that was going to come from?