History, and the bookmakers, say the Sam Walker-less Roosters have now shot down their already nosediving premiership hopes.
Phil Gould says “they have virtually run away from the fight” by resting a raft of stars in the final-round clash against South Sydney on Friday night. But he doesn’t blame them, either.
In 72 years – since the start of the compulsory grand finals in 1954 – no team has won a title after finishing their regular season with three straight losses.
Just three weeks ago, Trent Robinson and his side were premiership favourites after downing Penrith in a 12-6 epic that put The Odyssey in the shade.
Now, the coach is resting roughly $5 million worth of talent and more than 1000 games worth of experience across nine first-grade regulars. And when asked on Friday, he said he was a willing proponent of the latest brainwave out of NRL HQ – a wildcard round – as a solution to mass restings in the final round.
The bookies have the Chooks nailed on for that third consecutive loss as $7 outsiders against their old enemies at Allianz Stadium.
Gould had them waving the white flag, given a top-four finish is guaranteed whether they win, lose, turn up or stay at home.
“They’ve virtually run away from the fight in the week leading into the finals,” Gould said on his Six Tackles with Gus podcast this week.
“Because the game doesn’t mean anything, they’re happy to push that aside and get ready for the finals the following week. I can’t say I blame them.”
Robinson, as he almost always does, had an answer and a view on most things.
In sitting down a small galaxy of stars led by skipper James Tedesco and his new starting halves Daly Cherry-Evans and Hugo Savala, had he taken the shine from what is traditionally the most anticipated club game of the season? Or short-changed those fans who had parted with their hard-earned to watch their favourite players?
Nope. That second question – not the coach’s concern either.
“We’ve got 17 Roosters going out there,” Robinson said. “We’re really proud of the players that we’ve got. Just because somebody doesn’t know them, they’ve been in our system for a long time.
“We really value this game and I think we need to prove that tomorrow night … I know what’s right for the Roosters and I love this game, so after that everybody else can make their opinion up on what’s right or wrong.”
Robinson admitted he had been tempted to give Cherry-Evans and Savala an extra 80 minutes of game time together at the scrumbase.
Superstar No.7 Walker will do everything possible to be back from ankle surgery by grand final day, if the Roosters can get there.
Savala has been impressive at centre this year and Cherry-Evans as assured as ever in his 16th NRL season.
But despite only teaming up twice in the halves, Robinson ultimately figured two weeks together on the training paddock was more useful than 80 minutes against a near full-strength Rabbitohs outfit.
“It was either both play or both rest because I want them to spend a fair bit of time together, and I decided both of them to rest.
“Hugo hasn’t played [in the] halves in the last couple of months, but he’s also played a lot. So it was, ‘get some training together’.”
Bigger picture, the Roosters coach can see more than merit in the wildcard round idea that has taken flight again in rugby league this week.
The concept – where 7 v 10 and 8 v 9 play-off games are held while teams finishing from first to sixth take a week off – drew bumper crowds and TV ratings in the AFL last weekend, albeit with a perfect combination of popular Melbourne fan bases.
Robinson is a genuine fan of it. Firstly, as a believer that it will eliminate players being rested en masse when ladder positions can’t be impacted in the last round.
“And because of the increase in teams, I think it makes commercial sense,” Robinson said, pointing to the NRL’s expansion to a 19-team competition in 2028, with a 20th club expected to follow a year later.
“I think it makes football sense as far as the weekend off goes, making the finals series at its best for those teams.
Asked if the system would reward mediocrity and teams that could finish a regular season with more wins than losses, Robinson said: “Possibly, but as we expand the competition, probably going towards 20 teams, it’s with some foresight.
“It’s not all four of those teams getting into the finals series; it’s only two of them. You’re not rewarding four teams; you’re rewarding two teams that have to fight their way in.
“They’re not getting the same opportunity; they have to play an extra week. I think the mix between sporting and commercial sense is right.”
The Roosters have earned their top-four finish, and the second finals chance that comes with it, by being one of the best sides all season.
Now after seven months, nursing his star halfback and with the sidelined Victor Radley (concussion) and Angus Crichton (broken foot) making for a neat dozen first-graders missing this week, here’s hoping Robinson has got the mix right.
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Dan Walsh is a sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.From our partners
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