Pre-Season Prediction: 1st
Actual Finish: 2nd (Premiers)
Highlights:
- Back to back: The experts said it wasn't possible, at this level of professional sport it's not meant to be possible but the Roosters delivered back to back Premierships.
The 14-8 win capped off two incredible, almost unbelievable seasons. James Tedesco running in a match-winning try was seemingly written in stone from very early on in the season.
Everything the Roosters touched turned to gold as highlighted below.
- Young talent shining through when needed: Sam Verrills, Nat Butcher, Lindsay Collins, Matt Ikuvalu.
The list above are all young Roosters who stood up when counted upon.
Verrills especially had a magical season. He earned his grand final spot despite Jake Friend being fit. He even scored the opener on grand final day.
With salary cap pressure mounting it's likely the Roosters will have to cut a player or two. Given the ability of the team's youngsters to step in and make an impact, it doesn't shape as a huge issue.
- The best of the best: This Roosters side entered history on the back of a list of ridiculously incredibly performances.
Cooper Cronk won his third straight Grand Final. James Tedesco had the season to end all seasons. Angus Chrichton ended up being an absolute weapon despite a slow start. Brett Morris turned back the clock. The Roosters' young number nine had a miracle season. Luke Keary established himself as the best number six not named Cameron.
Throw in the game's two best centres, an all start forward pack and a super coach and this Roosters side is arguably the best-assembled in recent memory.
Some Storm fans may argue with the above statement but the Roosters have already opened as short-priced betting favourites for a three-peat.
Low Lights:
- Two losses to Souths: Despite winning the games that ultimately matter in the finals, Roosters fans still had to endure two losses to the old enemy.
Again, bragging rights rest with those who win the trophies but two regular-season defeats to the Bunnies still isn't fun.
Truthfully it's all that stopped the Tricolours from enjoying a perfect season.
- Three-game losing streak (Round 10-13): For the only time during 2019, doubt may have slipped into the Roosters' minds.
The Broncos, Knights and Panthers, plus a bye, meant a rare winless four week period for the Roosters.
From rounds 10 to 17 the Chooks only managed two wins, over the Tigers and Dogs. Strange to look back on considering the dominance that would eventuate.
- Cooper Cronk retirement: Cooper Cronk came to the Roosters to deliver success and he did just that with two Premierships in as many seasons.
He was given the ultimate send-off with a title win in his final game and retired on top.
The multiple-time title winner's retirement leaves the Roosters' side looking far different moving forward given they haven't really replaced him.
I'm probably one of young Kyle Flanagan's biggest fans but he's far from a ready-made first grader. Big risk.
Star Player: James Tedesco
Tedesco had arguably the best solo season since Jarryd Hayne and Ben Barba's respective Dally M winning seasons.
He was clearly the only choice for the highest individual honour as well as best on ground across the Origin series.
The fact he scored the title-winning try was the perfect way to sum up the best player in the game's 2019 season.
In 24 appearances in 2019 for the Roosters, he scored 18 tries, laid on 13 try assists, made 23 line breaks, averaged over 200 metres per game and recorded an incredible 166 tackle breaks.
Season Grading: A+
Although they finished six points behind minor premiers the Storm, the Roosters continued to get better at the right end of the season.
Their Grand Final win didn't match the dominance they showed in the big games in 2019, but ultimately the result was the right one.
Cooper Cronk signs off with three straight titles, including two from two in Bondi, while James Tedesco completed his assent to becoming the game's best player.
Brett Morris proved to be an amazing pick up while, despite a slow start, Angus Chrichton justified his huge cross-town move.
There were times during the season that the Chooks looked slightly off the pace but you just felt they'd click when push came to shove.
Fast forward to grand final day and Boyd Cordner must be running out of things to say during victory speeches.
What a season. What a club.
Anyone from canberra want to see 6 again?? The Canberra raiders were ripped off they were the better team in the second half…
@shadow this was a season review not a grand final review. Stay off the meth you absolute bellend
Teabone I thought the season included the GF.
Will go down as the biggest sham in nrl history unless you are a sombreros fan who still thinks the earth is flat.
“Boyd Cordner must be running out of things to say”
Boyd Cordner runs out of things to say anytime.
I am far from a Roosters apologist, but how is it the biggest sham in NRL history? OK, so the rules state that the decision shouldn’t have been overturned, but it was still the Raiders who failed to land a killer blow with all of the possession and field position they had in the second half. The Roosters took their opportunity when it presented itself. Simple.
Also, let’s say the call wasn’t overturned and it was play on, six again to the Raiders, and they scored in that set. Would you still consider it the biggest sham in NRL history considering the six again call was incorrect to start with?
100% spot on Eels1947
Wombats eels47 and BenHubcap it is illegal to change a 6 again ruling unless foul play has occurred.
The sombreros were down for the count with 8 to go and that moment cost the Raiders the opportunity to win the game.
They may not have scored but were denied the opportunity.
Add the vibrator head trainer who blocked the charge down in the 1st 2 minutes to that.
It was a sham 100%
Agree eels47 they had their chances.
The six again call if you listen to the audio without the crowd noise was 6 again? he was asking a question.
Both the Pocket Ref and the Touch came back with OFF RAIDERS OFF RAIDERS he then straightened his arm and called out LAST.
Was it wrong to wave six again? YES. Was the decision right in the end YES.
At the end of the day its Fish and Chip paper. Move on.
TwentyOne, I acknowledged that it was against the rules to change the decision. I was merely pointing out that it was hardly the biggest sham in NRL history. What about the 7 tackle set? What about Billy getting off his shoulder charge to play in the GF? You say the raiders were denied the opportunity to score? Again, if the call was not reversed, that opportunity you talk of would have been the result of another incorrect call.
Anyway, come back to me when you are able to have a discussion without resorting to childish name calling.
@eels47, donโt pay to much attention to her, sheโs just upset that she has to live another year in her housing commission house, while celebrating the back2back premiers.
eels47 Annersley was up to his neck defending the decision and the rooster biased media played down the fact that Tedesco did in fact touch the ball.
Slow motion replays will confirm that which many agree.
Take another look if your bothered.
Regardless, illegal to change the decision.
Tedesco did not touch the ball. It clearly came off the shoulder and neck of the Canberra player
I have slowed the replay down to a frame by frame view, and the correct decision 100% was rightly corrected within seconds of the arm waiving. 6 again. The player obviously heard the ref calling last as he pushed a risky pass back to Wighton. He knew it was the last tackle or he would not of risked the 6 more tackles that originally was wrongly waived as 6 again. So he heard it clearly. Wighten was standing in clear view of the ref with his arm staight up calling last tackle when he received that risky pass but choose to run beating Keary before Cronk hit in a cover tackle. Then he gets up playing dumb to play the ball. Like you TwitOne he is a liar. He knew exactly what happened.
Besides that Canberra could not take advantage of Cronks sin binning.
Interesting fact is the penalty that was wrongly given to Canberra that got them 6 more tackles that lead to that sin bin. The Canberra player made a tiny knock on and then when he was strugling to get up he blatantly throws the footy between his legs. The replay clearly shows the events described.
It should have been a scrum feed to Sydney however a wrongful penalty was awarded to Canberra, 6 tackles later Cronk is in the bin. Listen to Cordner complaining about the exact same event with the ref as Cronk is binned.
Wrong decisions went against the Roosters also and that could have cost them the premiership.
At the end of the Grand Final the best team won. I don’t expect TwitOne to acknoledge facts but for those that appreciate a true fact. Then watch the replay at those points described and you will also come to the correct decision.
The numberOne Twit TwentyOne can not be educated with facts, you guys are destroying your own precious time. Fools prefer to believe they are forever correct without ever producing evidence, just their own silly opinion is all their source of information derives from.
Sydney Roosters experienced a Brilliant season and will always be remembered as the first NRL back to back premiers in 2018-19 and the first to achieve that double honor in over 25yrs.
Souths fans will only ever remember that they could not match the Sydney Roosters might in both back to back years, being defeated by the Champions during the semi finals on both occassions.
Glory Glory to the Roosters who are the 21st century โPride Of The NRL Leagueโ.
The NRL are so amazed with this World Championship club that in the last seven rounds of next seasons premiership draw before the semi finals they play every club who made this seasons top eight. Thats how much pride they have for the Roosters knowing they will defeat every team that was last seasons best on the way to playing another three big games against 2020s best to achieve the Threepete.
Glory Glory & Shadow isAnutcase
Superb seadon for Sydney Roosters, lead by Cooper Cronk this magnificent squad of elite players have written their names into history. So proud of the excellent team performance and coaching staff of Sydney over the past two seasons. Well done World Champions.
Superb season by Sydney Roosters.
โTedesco did in fact touch the ball.
Slow motion replays will confirm that which many agree.โ
Hahaha teddy didnโt touch the ball, NOBODY agrees not even Ricky Stuart. You canโt just dribble out garbage from your toothless mouth and it becomes true.
gReat season by the Chooks which was timed to perfection. #back2backbaby