How long would you give Robbo to turn things around?

[dice]

He cannot turn chicken shit into chicken salad !

If Beyond Meat can do it then so can Robbo. Just need to add the right flavouring.

[Qld Chook]

See this is what us fans have no idea about. We are not at training, we are not seeing what's going on behind the scenes, we are not privy to what issues certain players may be facing or what the coaches are asking of the players. I know everybody was up in arms about Walker being dropped but none of us are present when the team and the coaches are going through match prep, discussing game plans. I don't think he was dropped due to lack of ability or trust I think it was more to do with his game management at the time and trying to get him to understand that sometimes the best play is the boring one and not the flashy highlights reel play. Unfortunately the injury gods conspired against us there to find out what might have happened. One thing I think we should be looking at is why our injury rate is so high, what are other clubs and other codes doing to prevent middle to long term injuries.....what are Penrith doing?

I think we miss our strike weapons on the edge big time. Last year we had Angus, Sitili and Joey on our egdes. When Tils got injured Nat went there. Egan and Nat just don't offer much attacking threat, they both work hard but as an opposition player you are not worried about what they are going to throw at you. Look at the 2019 team and compare it to this one. There are not many of the current players who would force any of the retirees out of their spots in that team. We have lost experience and quality and more importantly leadership and haven't been able to replace that. Some of that is on Robbo for recruitment but he couldn't forsee two medical retirements in the space of 8 week in 2021. They would have budgeted and planned for Boyd and Jake to probably be calling it quits at the end of this year, not mid way through 2021. I am sure Angus was recuited to eventually take over from Boyd and play that similar type of game but his issues have been well documented. Despite some on here saying we have a top 4 roster, I don't agree. There's too many holes in our squad and not enough balance.

So what do we do? There's not much becoming available on the market for 2024 so we may need to look within or look overseas. We have some outside back depth coming to the club which should mean no more back rowers (or Hutch) in the centres, but we need Gus and Sitili fit and firing. We need Sammy back to his best. We need a season where we can consistently put our best team on the park week in week out.

So in summary, definitely need to look at strength and conditioning and workloads at training to minimise our injuries. Review of the whole coaching structure including recruitment to make sure we have the right pegs in the right holes. More depth in the forwards, probably need another experienced middle as well as some depth in the back row. I do think we will be much better next year when Teddy and Joey have had a proper off season and not had to play a bazillion games, then a world cup. It will also give us a full off season with Cheese at the club too. Hopefully guys like Wong and Whyte can take that next step and become regulars.

I still have my fingers crossed for this year but reality tells me even if we do sneak in we are making up the numbers

I agree with basically everything you have written. It’s funny cause so many people butt heads on here but we all want the same thing. I do question some of Robbo’s decisions and team selections and I don’t like to use injuries as an excuse but it certainly hasn’t helped. I’ve said countless times our injury rate & training needs to be investigated. It’s no longer bad luck, there has to be something underlying. There is another element missing in my eyes with our attack being so poor. I can’t pin point what it is but even with the players available it should be so much better. That’s probably why Robbo & Kingy recently have copped it.

[King Salvo]

He's already had 4 years since our last successful season so...

To be fair JFC only 2 Coaches have won comps since 2019 - Bellamy (2020) and Cleary ( 2021/22)

[MKCS]

I'd say until mid next year, if he's not going well then it's time to bring someone else in.

A few posters are saying "It's one down year" but you need to look at Robbo's record since 2020, they've all been hugely disappointing:

2020 - Out in straight sets of the finals in a year we were expected to potentially do the trio.

2021 - Barely beat the Titans who we were expected to smash and then got pumped 42-6 by Manly.

2022 - One of the most embarrassing finals games I've ever seen where the Roosters play without discipline and focus more on fighting than playing. They get pumped 30-14.

2023 - Do not make the finals despite being a top 4 favourite and many tipping us to win the comp.

---

For me that's 4 failed seasons and makes me lose faith, 2013 - 2019 his worst finish over those 7 seasons was preliminary final except 2016 which was the "One down year". We're the Roosters, making the 8 and getting bundled out in Week 1 isn't a "successful season" like it would be for a Tigers or Bulldogs, we need to be making the preliminary final every year and we should be able to achieve that with the amount of international players we have on our roster.

[Jacks Fur Coat]

To be fair JFC only 2 Coaches have won comps since 2019 - Bellamy (2020) and Cleary ( 2021/22)

King, I'm ok with us not winning the comp every year. That wasn't my point. I just want/except us to play smart, tough, skillful, disciplined footy once per week. Befitting our roster, culture and standards that yes, Robbo was instrumental in creating.

BUT we haven't done that consistently since 2019. And thats not acceptable by our standards.

All things have a shelf life. 11 years in the one gig is a long time.

[King Salvo]

Three strikes and you're out Robbo has had 2 with this year and last year's great experiment debacle, so i would give him next season and if he can't turn this train wreck around hes gonski,.

Yep that's the rules of what Babe Ruth aptly described as the best game in the world - For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out, At the old ball game.

[Headless Chook]

Great effort. Gave me something to read over lunch. Not that I agree with all you have say though. But thanks. I do however agree with Joeys article in the SMH today. Jeez I wish he was still our halves coach.

Don't subscribe to any papers these days, what did Joey have to say?

[King Salvo]

Folk on here seem to conveniently forget for one reason or another the injury toll and the raft of SQUAD players who have missed 5 or more games during season 2023.

10 players have missed 5 games or more so far this season after 22 rounds - 19 games

1. Toops - 5
2. Radley - 5
3. Brandon Smith - 5
4. Lodge - 5
5. Billy Smith - 10
6. Crichton - 10
7. Sitili - 11
8. Walker - 11* - played 6 plus 2 NSW Cup - Would have been reinstated at some point
9. Momirovski - 17
10. Watson - 19
11. Toia - 19

• Keary - 0
• Collins - 1
• N Butcher - 2
• E Butcher - 2
• Tedeco - 3
• Manu - 3
• Suaalii - 4
• JWH - 4

The following would be fairly close to the main 17 for 2023 barring injury/form.

Talk of the best squad is debatable and in any case you have to have these players available all season/majority of the season for starters which the Roosters haven't.

The following 17 are yet to play even 1 game as a combination this season and won't either in 2023.

Main 17 Games missed ( 19 games played)

1. Tedesco - 3
2. Toops - 5
3. Momirovski - 17
4. Manu - 3
5. Suaalii - 4
6. Keary - 0
7. * Walker - 11
8. JWH - 4
9. Brandon Smith - 5
10. Collins - 1
11. Crichton - 10
12. Sitili - 10
13. Radley - 5
14. * Turpin/Hutchinator
15. Lodge - 5- later released
16. N Butcher - 2
17. Watson - 19

93 games missing - plus possibly Walkers 11

So anything from 93 to 104 games players in the possible best 17 have been missing so far this season - Round 22 - 19 games

* Turpin (15 games played ) /Hutchinator ( 14 games played) not included in missed games as when not in NRL they have played NSW Cup.

Such an injury toll does test your squad's depth in having the players that can fill in for fair periods of time. - The Roosters have used 30 players so far

For Instance I didn't imagine Paulo and Allan playing 19 NRL games between them.

Last season they had they had JWH/Collins/Lodge/SST as far a prop rotation goes with Baker/May and Whtye as backups

SST leaving left a hole and Lodge's form deserted him which meant it was left up to JWH/Collins to carry the can so to speak - Baker/May and Whyte showed glimpses but neither could nail down a spot as their own- 27 games combined between the 3 of them.

Watson's injury and unavailability has also been costly

2 of the following have signed elsewhere ( Paulo/Baker)

Other 10 Squad Players games played

1. E Butcher - 17 games
2. Paulo - 11 games
3. May - 10 games
4. Allan - 9 games
5. Baker - 9 games
6. Brown - 9 games
7. Billy Smith - 9 games
8. Whyte - 8 games
9. Wong - 3 games

85 games

Due to injuries and form issues Development contract have also been used - The Experience of NRL will be beneficial to Sandon Smith going forward which in the long run will be a plus

Development Contract players - games played

1. Sandon Smith - 8
2. Pauga - 6
3. Thomas - 1

15 games

[On the Nose]

Don't subscribe to any papers these days, what did Joey have to say?

There’s one way for the Roosters to get themselves out of the hole they’re in next year: give total control to Sam Walker. He’s the future of that club and the man who should be running that team.

I know he’s missed the majority of the year with a knee injury, but I can see him playing as an on-ball halfback next year. What I mean by that is playing both sides of the ruck. He should be on the left when he sees an opportunity, he should be on the right as well when he’s counting numbers in his favour. The modern-day practice of halves tending to stay to one side of the field doesn’t suit him, and it shouldn’t suit the Roosters. He has to get his hands on the ball as much as possible if the Roosters are to become title contenders in 2024.

Part of that formula is also having Brandon Smith revert to being a running dummy-half. He doesn’t have the creativity or skill of a player like Api Koroisau, but I can see him playing far more directly next year.

A number of injuries and suspensions have hurt the Roosters this year, but I suspect a lot of the outside noise has really got to them as well. There’s been a lot of talk about James Tedesco throughout the State of Origin series and as much as they won’t admit it, I think it has worn them down as the year has gone on.

Just a quick word on Joseph Suaalii: some criticism of him recently has become a pile-on. He’s a 20-year-old doing his best for himself and his family, and I think the criticism has been extreme. I really feel for him. We know he comes from humble beginnings and the continuous references to his rugby union deal has been over the top. I watched the Wally Lewis story the other night and people should remember, these players are only in the game for a short time – and it can have consequences later in life.

Do we really begrudge him for wanting to make the most out of the time he’s got? This is Manly’s grand final on Thursday night. If they lose this game, they can’t make the top eight. I thought they got the benefit of a couple of really dodgy calls late in the game against the Dragons last week, and this game will have monumental consequences for their season.

I’m expecting their right-side attack of Daly Cherry-Evans, Haumole Olakau’atu and Tolu Koula to really test Luke Keary on the Roosters’ left. Cherry-Evans brings the skill, Olakau’atu the power and Koula the speed. It’s almost a perfect mix.

I’m worried the five-day turnaround will hurt the Sea Eagles, and despite the Roosters clearly lacking confidence, you can see they busted their backsides against the Broncos last week. It’s just not happening for them at the moment.

The Victor Radley and Jake Trbojevic match-up is one I’m really looking forward to, and how Keary handles Olakau’atu could also decide the result.

Joey’s tip: Roosters by 6
First try-scorer: Billy Smith
Man of the match: James Tedesco

[Vasco]

I knew he was Brian Smith's assistant and that he was very highly regarded by the players. I actually ran into BJ Leilua down in Albury for City Country in 2011. As you would be aware we had a stellar 2010 but a big fall from grace in 2011 so I asked him what was going wrong this year and he replied straight away 'We miss Robbo, he was the man!'

Ironically he was the first player Robbo got rid of.

[Headless Chook]

Ironically he was the first player Robbo got rid of.

Yeah I know, but it was a decent trade wasn't it. We got Jenko and let Joey go to the Knights. When we signed Jennings it was the final piece to the puzzle, we finally had that raw speed that turns a half chance into a try