SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 15: James Tedesco of the Roosters makes a break during the round five NRL match between the Canterbury Bulldogs and the Sydney Roosters at Bankwest Stadium on June 15, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Predicted Finish: 5th
Actual Finish: 4th
There was always a chance that the Roosters would fall from their lofty heights in 2020 after losing two genuine megastars. Although they did, we all knew they'd still be there or there-abouts. A pretty predictable season in all honesty. They're too good to not be top four/five.
- Another Top Four finish: To lose both Cooper Cronk and Latrell Mitchell yet still finish inside the top four is a testament to everything that has been built at the Roosters. One is a top five halfback of the modern generation and the other's brilliance delivered a literal Premiership just months prior to his departure. The Roosters are a juggernaut that just keeps on rolling. 2020 was always likely to be a "down" year for a team who won back to back titles, but to finish fourth an push the red hot Panthers all the way in the finals was beyond expectations.
- Ageless Stars: Seriously, what do they put in the water in Bondi? The career resurgence enjoyed by those Morris boys has to be seen to be believed. Brett Morris is arguably a top three winger since his move to Bondi, while Josh Morris brought his great form from the Sharks to the Roosters. Jake Friend also made his Origin debut at 30 off the back of yet another solid season. The Roosters are a near perfect build between young stars and experienced veterans. I doubt even the biggest Roosters fan could have predicted the fact the Morris brothers would have had the seasons that they did.
- Points for days: One part of the game, a very important one at that, where the Roosters did not struggle in 2020 was with scoring tries. Their 552 points scored in the regular season saw them top the competition. That's almost 28 points per game. There were a lot of blow out wins in that tally however if you score 28 points per game, it's only natural you're going to win way more than you lose. Kyle Flanagan proved to be a point scoring machine despite missing multiple games.
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- Out in straight sets: It's strange to see the Roosters not feature on Grand Final day. For them to exit the competition without a final's win feels almost unbelievable. It's not as though they embarrassed themselves, losing only by a point to the red hot Panthers before losing a tight one to the Raiders. That said, this is a side who expects to win the big games. Despite what they lost, there was still more than enough talent here to fend off the tiring Raiders.
- Horror loss to rivals: Fans of the tri-colours won't need reminding but they were absolutely ruined on the final night of their regular season to the tune of 60 points to 8 at the hands of the Bunnies. The 10 tries to two mauling had everyone completely writing off the Chooks for the finals, and rightfully so. It became such a park run for the Rabbitohs that they were literally deciding who would score tries. Alex Johnston ran in five tries as the Roosters stars were reduced to spectators.
- Slow Start: If the Roosters were going to make their mark in 2020 sans Cronk and Mitchell, their best bet was to hit the ground running. There was always going to be a midseason slump in games their megastars would have otherwise won for them. Unfortunately, the Roosters start was the exact opposite. They fell, as big favourites, to the Panthers in Round One before dropping a scrappy loss to the unfancied Sea Eagles in Round Two. The Covid break helped them regroup, as well as add Josh Morris, and they looked a different side afterwards. If that break hadn't have happened, who knows?
James Tedesco
The number one, well ... number one, in the game had yet another incredible season. Across his 19 appearances in 2020 he scored 11 tries, set up 15, made 15 line breaks, broke 139 tackles and ran for over 230 metres per game.
The "secret" to stopping the Roosters is first stopping Tedesco. Easy, right? Pfft!
This guy is borderline unstoppable at times for club, state and country. I genuinely believe that his injury in Origin Three sealed the series. If he stays fit, the Blues overcome late and win that series.
He may have fallen just short of yet another appearance in the Dally M Team of the Year but Tedesco is the first player picked in any side across the world.
B+
It seems very strange to rate a top-four finish anything less than an A. The Roosters are certainly a victim of their recent success in that regard, but if anything 2020 probably exceeded expectations.
I hate to harp on about it but the Roosters lost two genuine megastars and headed into 2020 with a rookie half and a largely untested centre. That centre would go down injured in the pre-season further muddying their season.
Throw in an early, season-ending injury to Victor Radley and this side had every right to slide right down the ladder. They did not.
They finished fourth, played two highly competitive finals and look set for an equally successful 2021 as a result.
Kyle Flanagan ultimately did not work out, however, I'd argue he's been made a scapegoat this year after putting in more than what was expected.
Another brilliant season despite falling short of a near-impossible three-peat.