Proud history thrown out the door as Roosters suffer massacre
March 15th 2009 06:43
The Sydney Roosters have been around long enough in Rugby League circles to know what is required to perform on a week to week basis, let alone win a premiership. Their effort yesterday against the South Sydney Rabbitohs however demonstrates that this team is on the verge of kissing season 2009 goodbye.
In the first round of an NRL season, all teams should approach the game with optimism and confidence, as it is the start of a long journey to potential success.
Today at the SFS however, the Roosters did not display these traits. For a team that has managed to play in every season of Rugby League in this country, this is simply not good enough.
Against the Rabbitohs, the Roosters allowed themselves to be severely beaten both physically and mentally. They were outclassed, outplayed and out enthused by a South Sydney side that have made the biggest roar so far in season 2009.
The Rabbitohs had the Roosters on a string from the first minute to the very last in both attack and defence.
The most worrying sign from the Roosters point of view was their attitude from the opening whistle.
Not once at any stage did they resemble the side that won four of their first five games last year to signal their intent for a premiership early on.
Not once did they appear to muscle up against a Rabbitohs pack that was destroyed in the corresponding game last year in round one.
Instead, the Roosters have now treaded across a path that will prove very difficult to get out of in the following weeks.
Their defensive effort at times was amateur, whether it be failing to ground the ball in the in-goal area or conceding offloads in tackles.
Against a side that now seems to have found the right combinations in attack, the Roosters were always going to be in for a long afternoon.
Taking nothing away from the Rabbitohs performance. Their enthusiasm level against the chooks was simply too much to handle.
Isacc Luke, Chris Sandow, Rhys Wesser, Nathan Merritt and John Sutton tore the Roosters to shreds in attack, with Merritt finishing with a hat trick of tries.
Indeed Souths coach Jason Taylor finally witnessed the Rabbitohs at their best, and he enjoyed every moment of it.
As the Rabbitohs march into next week's match against the Eels full of confidence, Brad Fittler's Roosters will need to spend a lot of time in the showers, both at home and in training, to wash out the dirt they dished up against their great rivals.
If there are any positives to came out of such a disgraceful performance, it may well be the performance itself.
The Roosters would like to think that their worst showing of season 2009 is out of the way, albeit against the Rabbitohs at home.
Regardless, the Roosters need to face the fact that there are 25 more rounds remaining in this years NRL competition.
One likes to think they have time to eradicate today's massacre from their memory banks.
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