Roosters must penalise attitude not referee
August 11th 2008 09:50
Not quite there yet - the Roosters must find consistency in their game
Brad Fittler’s aura as the nice guy was put to the test on Sunday afternoon.
He was not angry at his own team’s performance, he was just frustrated at referee Jared Maxwell.
Maxwell blew seven penalties against the Roosters in a game that was critical to their chances of securing a home semi-final.
In the end Krisnan Inu’s flawless penalty kicking proved the difference as Parramatta kept their season alive with a 28-24 win.
While the Roosters once again displayed the inconsistencies that plague their game, Maxwell’s decisions on the field did little to cool Fitter’s heat.
His side had to wait until the 57th minute to hear the whistle go in their favour. A Bronx cheer around the Sydney Football stadium soon followed.
Even Roosters captain Craig Fitzgibbon - who is probably up there with the most respected players in the NRL - was left dazzled by Maxwell’s consistency to punish his side for repeated infringements around the dummy half area.
“We can’t be that bad’ Fitzgibbon yelled.
Although Fitzy may have a point against Maxwell’s performance, he may struggle to find one regarding his sides constant inability to win the games they should.
Unlike Melbourne and Manly - who remain the frontrunners to contest this years Grand Final -the Roosters are yet to raise the necessary gears capable of challenging for their first premiership since 2002.
Although their football has improved tenfold since last year, Brad Fittler’s men must challenge themselves to find the consistency that will allow them to kill off opponents that are experiencing difficult times.
They must learn to twist the blade, keep the foot on the throat, call it whatever you want. The Roosters must find a way to dispose teams with no mercy.
There have been times this season where the Roosters have shown glimpses of achieving the above goals.
The Bulldogs were blown off the park in round 4 by the chooks, in a game that marked the return bout of Sonny Bill Williams and Willie Mason.
Brad Fittler’s men managed to do it again against the Manly Sea Eagles three weeks ago, scoring 18 points in 11 minutes to effectively end the contest.
Unfortunately, those wins have been thwarted by losses to below par opposition including the under strength Titans, the Newcastle Knights and the Canberra Raiders.
Against the Titans in particular, the Roosters could not beat the same side the Storm eventually disposed of by 44-4 at Olympic Park.
It is a component the Roosters must adopt to their regime before the finals, let alone this Friday night.
After their loss to the Eels, the Roosters must now fly to the graveyard of Rugby League in Australia to face the Melbourne Storm, who themselves are coming off a terrific win over Manly.
The Roosters will get the test they deserve against arguably the most clinical side in the NRL these past couple of years.
To make things more difficult, they must prepare for the clash in just four days time.
If the Roosters are not on side with their attitude, the Storm are never ones to leave prisoners behind.
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