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The Roosters’ season bottomed out with a 30-6 humbling at the hands of Penrith on a night of drama on the field that might well have ramifications in the Origin arena.
Blues star Liam Martin departed with a Category 1 concussion after catching the hip of Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, leaving him stood down until the day of Game 2 at Suncorp Stadium, if he passes all return to play protocols.
Waerea-Hargreaves might also miss time after connecting with an elbow on Moses Leota that also saw him leave concussed, with the Match Review Committee now tasked with judging intent.
Jared wasn’t keen on hanging around further: he threw a water bottle at future teammate Spencer Leniu, sparking a brawl and earning both a trip to the bin. Leniu should avoid suspension, but it’s unlikely that the Roosters enforcer will.
On the field, the contest had ended much earlier. It’s a strange sight to see the Roosters, in their brand spanking new stadium, as an underdog. Yet after losing 48-4 in Penrith a month ago, that was undoubtedly the case. By the end, it had been double underlined.
The Panthers raced out of the blocks and the pressure built and built: they were running at two sets to every one for the Roosters and capitalised via Stephen Crichton’s try.
“I thought the boys were really sharp,” said Ivan Cleary. “We started the game well, didn’t quite get the scoreboard kicking over but Marto’s line break was the result of a lot of pressure and we started the second half the same way.
“We played the style that we wanted to and in the end I was really happy with the performance.”
Any time you can beat the Roosters, it’s a feather in your cap. It’s a great achievement and we’re stoked with it.
As far the scoring went, however, that was it. It would be a push to suggest that much attack came the other way – indeed, 75% of the game was in the Roosters’ half – but they were hanging on.
By the 25th minute, you could throw a blanket over the Roosters at times. Their fatigue levels reflected how much defending they’d been forced to do, and indeed, where they had been forced to do it.
Eventually the dam broke, and it broke badly. 15 minutes either side of the break was enough to put the game beyond doubt, with tries from Dylan Edwards, Isaah Yeo and Izack Tago.
The Roosters much discussed attacking problems were there for everyone to see, and they were doing well to get anywhere near the Panthers’ line, let alone put on any serious threat to score.
Their only chance in the first half was through a piece of chaos footy that caught the Panthers expecting a kick on the last. James Tedesco did eventually get over, but again, it was hardly structured play, rather one excellent piece of individualism.
“We are not firing enough bullets at the moment,” said Trent Robinson.
“We are not scoring enough tries and we are not even pressuring teams enough at the end of sets. We are not getting held up. We are not getting repeat sets. We are not getting any of that at the moment.
“It is difficult to apply pressure and that puts pressure on your defence. Our defence should have held up for longer periods than it did and we didn’t.
“It’s a challenge and you enjoy it. You want to be different but that’s what we are here for. We are not here just for the good times.
“We are here to find a solution. It is on me to find a solution and I enjoy that part of it.”
In his pre-match media on Friday, Robinson pointed to this as a potential inflection point for his team, but this was nothing of the sort.
Back in Round 11, on the back of their horror loss, he said “In the middle of a competition, you never get too down because you get a chance to turn it around and we have to do it quickly.”
They had the chance, but missed it badly. Back then, Robinson highlighted effort areas and attitude, but tonight, it wasn’t that. It was skill and organisation, allied to a near-total lack of confidence.
Though the Panthers put on some superb football, they were enabled to by indifferent attack that never seriously challenged the Penrith line.
Yes, there are players out. Most teams would miss the likes of Brandon Smith, Victor Radley and Joseph Suaalii. Sam Walker is out, and it is a crying shame, because his inventiveness is exactly that the side are currently missing.
But this is still a team with stars and they look all out of ideas. Tedesco and Keary are trying their hearts out but can’t do it alone. Structurally, there are massive issues in off-ball play that are denting the ability to create in attack.
Joey Manu, one of the most devastating players in the world, is badly out of form and offering next to nothing from five eighth. He looks like the squarest of pegs at the moment.
Robinson has to have serious conversations about his side’s attack – and not for the first time this year.
Defensively, there were aspects to be proud of, particularly in the first half, but if you never throw back, it just keeps coming.
It was the meeting earlier in the year that saw Jarome Luai secure his Origin spot, and he certainly wouldn’t have expected having to secure it again so quickly.
Yet with Nathan Cleary injured, the knives were out again, with many questioning why the Panthers five eighth was needed given the prevailing notion that he was selected as a combo with his halves partner.
As is so often the case, Luai answered back immediately. Now partnered with Jack Cogger, he assumed the role of senior playmaker – as he has for Samoa – and played both sides of the field, destroying the Roosters for the second time in two months.
There were two try assists, but crucially, only four runs: when Luai is needed to be the passing guy, he can do that too. Beyond the last touch moments, he also set up moves that other players iced and, of course, did so in a manner near-perfectly designed to wind up opponents.
Brad Fittler loves Luai and, realistically, was never not going to pick him. Add in that Cody Walker missed Souths’ game earlier with injury and it became more secure. Turning in a performance like this, of course, doesn’t hurt his case either.