Trent Robinson is set to push all his chips into the middle for Friday night’s blockbuster clash with South Sydney, imploring his side to attack the do-or-die derby from the off.
The Roosters coach cut a relaxed figure ahead of the biggest derby since the eternal rivals met with the minor premiership on the line in 2013, safe in the knowledge that his team had been playing knockout football for a month heading into the meeting at Accor Stadium.
He held no fear of a repeat of last year’s knockout meeting, which saw seven sin bins – even though his side have already lost pack leader Jared Waerea-Hargreaves to suspension following his brain explosion against the Wests Tigers last weekend. The Roosters will also miss Joey Manu, who failed to recover from his hamstring injury in time.
“There’s no risk,” said Robinson. “There’s only reward. That’s all there is this week.
“That’s the belief in what we can do tomorrow night, belief in what’s coming. It’s all upside. There’s no holding back as far as you want to play. The reward is sitting right there.
“These are the games that you really want to be involved in. We’ve had that week in, week out for the last few weeks.
“Four weeks ago we knew that if we didn’t get the game done, it was over. There’s an excitement and purity to these games and we want to attack that.
“They (derby games) arer all big. They’re always big. The context behind it makes it really exciting, winner-takes-all all and it’s us on the last day of the regular season. It’s a big one.
“For us, that’s why we enjoy it. There’s been a lot of discussion around it, but we could be playing Camden Rams this week for a spot in the finals, it wouldn’t make any difference as far as opposition.
“The prize has been pretty clear for us for a month – we just need to keep winning whoever was in front of us. We need to play our best footy, keep improving and win games.
“There’s no difference tomorrow night, it just happens to be a great story and rivalry. But a lot of that is external, we’ve been really clear about how we need to play.”
Robinson admitted that he was disappointed in Waerea-Hargreaves following his ban, the result of 60 seconds of madness in which he caught Api Koroisau late, then head-butted Stefano Utoikamanu.
“I’m disappointed in what happened and the result on Tuesday night doubled down on that,” he said.
“It’s a disappointing way for him to finish the season and the impact on our club hasn’t been great.
“Yeah, I am (angry). It’s only natural to be that way. It doesn’t chance the way that I think about him or the care that I have for him, but of course, you’re angry because you represent the club and we’re all fighting for something. For him not to be there to be a part of that is disappointing.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
“It’s disappointing with Jared, but the mindset’s been really calm and focused this week. Games will take whatever course they take, but I know the focus that our players have for what we need to do each week.
“The opposition is known to us, over 115 years, but the mindset we’ve got is very much how we need to play. There’ll be a lot of tension in the stadium but we need to play good footy.
The history is history. The reward is very clear tomorrow night and it doesn’t matter who we’re going to play, we want that reward. To do that, we have to be play great footy.”
As for the opposition, Robinson showed solidarity with Bunnies boss Jason Demetriou, who has been at the centre of the infighting drama at South Sydney.
Assistant Sam Burgess left the club last week amid accusations that star players Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker wielded too much power. Robinson said that the drama would not affect his preparations, though he felt for Demetriou.
“I don’t care. It has no effect,” he said. “You should go to the Souths press conference and ask them. For us here, it doesn’t matter. Whatever someone takes into the game, we’ve got to play 80 minutes and be clear about how we want to play.
“I have some empathy for what’s happened, especially for the coach. I don’t know their coach very well at all, I’ve said hello to him a couple of times, but from a head coaching point of view, it hasn’t looked how he wanted and I have empathy for that, but after that, it’s game on.
“You love your players, and he obviously does, then that gets questioned, it’s tough.”
criag
Roar Rookie
The Roosters way is not 'win at all costs' like the guy in the 'Take On Me' music video by A-Ha. It's simply hard work.... https://www.roosters.com.au/news/2019/03/06/this-is-the-roosters-way/. And I guarantee you no player in any team gives away penalties or 6-agains on purpose.
mushi
Roar Guru
For both sides it's effectively the replacement grand final. Both short odds for top 4. One's season done by known weaknesses doubled down on compounded by some bad luck and the other trying to keep too many people happy compounded bad luck.
mushi
Roar Guru
The ones now are more that butcher is over matched in some situations. Pre 6 again yes it was deliberate, but now most are guys having to play one tier up. Been an unlucky 3-4 years of injuries but that can compound.
Muzz Manyana
Roar Rookie
That worked before the 6 again rule was introduced. The pressure and momentum only compounds when you concede a set restart. You also risk losing a player to the bin if it’s a try scoring opportunity.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
It will be an explosive game no doubt, and no one can predict what will happen. However IMO if the roosters play alla Robinson with a "no risk, only reward' attitude then they will cop 50 from the Bunnies. All it will take is for Souths to get under Radley's skin in the first 5-10 minutes and the odds of him getting sent from the field are $1.01 or thereabouts.
SSTID
Roar Rookie
If you trust your defence, then it is a viable option when you know the alternative is a try (assuming it is not a penalty try situation) or much better field position.
Muzz Manyana
Roar Rookie
I can't see an advantage when you give away a 6 again penalty.
Nat
Roar Guru
This should be a belter. I was on Easts until Manu got ruled out. But without Mitchell it kind of evens it out. I don't think JWH is that big of loss. Souths are 100% reliant on Walker where Easts have 1,6&7 who can break the game open. I would be starting Arrow in place of Shaq to try win some field position.
SSTID
Roar Rookie
You have to admire Robinson and his mental attitude, that why I put him up there in the supercoach league. However, one thing I do question is this attitude that he instils into his players of "the Roosters Way". It is shorthand for playing tough and winning at all costs. Sometime I think it backfires badly on them (e.g. JWH and Victor Radley) and without seeing any six again stats (no-where to be found), I think Nat Butcher would be right up there with players who deliberately give away 6 again penalties in order to give his team a winning advantage (or at least some odds that it will result in a winning advantage). This attitude is likely to result in more severe and compounding injuries that they have to play through. Still, playing tough is better than giving up, but it needs to be more controlled aggression and less deliberate fouls.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
Why would a journalist ask the Easts coach how the issues at Souths would affect the Roosters preparation? Robbo obviously gave a wordy reply, but I'll bet if the same question was put to Bennett, he would say two words, "it doesn't".