After a highly publicised move to the Roosters on a big money, James Tedesco was under extreme pressure to perform in Round 1 against his old team the Wests Tigers.
The Wests Tigers caused the upset of the round beating the highly fancied big spending Roosters. No one, not even the Tigers most faithful fans (me included) gave Ivan Cleary's men a chance to beat the Roosters, not with the addition of Cooper Cronk and Teddy.
It was to all Tigers fans a delight to see Tedesco drop the ball with the line open to bomb a try early in the game. He was booed and cursed by Tigers fans at every touch. This may have put Tedesco off his game. Never before had he experienced being the villain.
With a new spine of Tedesco, Cornish, Cronk and Friend the Roosters looked clunky in attack. The Tigers spirited defence not allowing the Roosters the opportunities to break the Tigers line.
The return of Luke Keary at five-eighth might be the link that Tedesco and the Roosters need to be an attacking threat against the Bulldogs in round 2.
The Roosters will need to be at their best against the Bulldogs this weekend. The Bulldogs although beaten by Melbourne in round 1 showed glimpses that they to have the potential to be a Premiership threat.
Tedesco is a superstar of the game. What we saw against the Tigers was a once off. He will be at his very best against the Bulldogs. Strangely, it was the Bulldogs Tedesco rejected to play for the Roosters. So again expect Tedesco to be the villain to Dogs fans.
The Roosters went into the Tigers game without pressure. It was a game they were expected to win. Against Canterbury, the heat is definitely on both Tedesco as an individual and the Roosters as a team.
Can the Premiership favourite turn their fortunes around against a very good outfit in the Bulldogs? If Tedesco and his team can't match the Bulldogs new "Dogs of War" pack, fingers will start to be pointed at the million dollar men Tedesco and Cronk.
Both Tedesco and Cronk are good players however sometimes chemistry doesn't work no matter how good they are. Over the years the Roosters have put together the best players and the team haven't gelled to win a Premiership.
Many good judges have suggested the Roosters do not have a forward pack that can win a Premiership. There are rumblings that Dylan Napa is unhappy, so all is not well in the Roosters camp. Could that be a reason for such a bad first outing against the Tigers?
Coach Trent Robinson and assistant coach and former Tigers coach Jason Taylor looked extremely frustrated at the coaches coach on Saturday. The powers that be at the Roosters will not accept failure at the club in 2018 given the money invested and players moved on to accommodate the new signings.
Are the Roosters the real deal in 2018?
How will Tedesco and Cronk perform this week?
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