2019 Preview: Sydney Roosters

Sam Bourke is back to look at reigning premiers the Sydney Roosters as we enter the final straight of our 2019 NRL club season previews.

The star studded Roosters for the second successive season go into 2018 as red hot premiership favourites and for good reason. The Roosters triumphed in 2018, winning the clubs 14th premiership and adding to coach Trent Robinison's incredible tally of 2 Premierships in 6 years, validating that his aggressive recruitment of representative stars in Cooper Cronk and James Tedesco were value for money. 

Granted the Roosters stars took their time to gel early in the season, however once they clicked they finished their season in cruise mode and like a perfectly trained race horse on Melbourne Cup day, the Tricolours timed their run to perfection to come home beautifully down the straight on the first weekend in October. With all the pre-match hype surrounding the shoulder injury to star recruit and former Storm messiah Cronk, the underrated Roosters pack then blew the Melbourne Storm away on the big day, in one of the best first half displays in Grand Final history. It was five-eighth Luke Keary who was the hero, winning the Clive Churchill Medal and then receiving the call up to represent Australia against New Zealand in the post season. 

2019 sees the Roosters regain the majority of their squad from their premiership winning side, with winger Blake Ferguson, utility Ryan Matterson and front row enforcer Dylan Napa departing the club. They are aptly replaced by some decent cattle in former Bulldogs, Origin and Australian winger Brett Morris and NSW backrower Angus Crichton who joins from bitter rivals the South Sydney Rabbitohs…hardly struggling. In a further boost to their backline stocks, also arriving at Bondi is England International winger Ryan Hall from the Leeds Rhinos. Add to that to the emergence of young superstars Latrell Mitchell, Joseph Manu and Victor Radley and there is a lot to like about the Roosters chances of being the first side to go back to back since the great Brisbane Broncos side who collected consecutive Super League and NRL titles in 1997-98. 

Why they'll win it

It is fair to say the roster in 2019 is stronger than the premiership squad of last season. Granted winger Blake Ferguson is a big loss, as his metres gained and tough carries from his own end will be greatly missed. However the reliable Brett Morris will hold up an end, and recruiting the strike power of one of the game's best up and coming players in Angus Crichton gives the Roosters an very attractive backrow, with NSW Origin captain Boyd Cordner on the left edge and fan favourite Victor Radley likely to start at lock. It's not a bad trade off.

Latrell Mitchell and James Tedesco can win games by themselves and then there is the halves combination of Keary and Cronk. If that isn't convincing enough, Trent Robinson who has collected an ultra-impressive 4 Minor Premierships in 6 seasons at the club, has further strengthened his backroom staff by recruiting the highly credentialed Assistant Coach Adam O'Brien from the Melbourne Storm. The Roosters are the best recruiters in the game and they have the stock on and off the field to stay one step ahead of the other premiership contenders.

Why they won't

The hunger, desire and expectation that goes with winning back to back premierships has been nearly an impossible achievement in the modern era and the Roosters will now go from hunting their first premiership since 2013, to being the hunted in 2019. Coaches and teams in this day and age are too quick to find the minor weaknesses and adjust their formula to pick apart what makes the successful sides tick and how best to nullify it. The Roosters will need to advance their game plan and keep their enthusiasm up every week for 25 rounds as they will now have a price on their head, as every team will be up for knocking them off each week to make the point that they are the real deal.

The last two sides of the modern era are the Brisbane Broncos of the early and late nineties and they were exceptional outfits. History is against them and the Roosters simply aren't in that echelon of the best teams of the modern era.

2019 Draw

Key players

James Tedesco had a stellar 2018, culminating in his first premiership and a dominant performance for NSW in State of Origin. Teddy looms as the key to the Roosters humming backline in 2019 and is a player the Roosters would struggle to replace if he was to miss any football. 

Latrell Mitchell exploded from inconsistent young gun, to a powerhouse every single time he crossed the white line in 2018. This season Mitchell starts the season as the most dominant centre in the game and after joining Tedesco in securing a premiership and a NSW State of Origin series win, the 21 year scarily has his best football in front of him and could become even better in 2019.  

Rookies to watch

Matt Ikuvalu made 3 appearances in the top grade in 2018 and showed he is well up to the task, scoring his first NRL try and averaging 100m per game in his rookie season. The Gosford junior has been impressive in the pre-season trials, with reports suggesting that he is putting real pressure on incumbent Daniel Tupou for a Round 1 spot on the wing. 

Player movement

Gains: Angus Crichton (Rabbitohs), Ryan Hall (Leeds), Brett Morris (Bulldogs), Brock Lamb (Knights), Craig Garvey (Raiders)

Losses: Blake Ferguson (Eels), Paul Momirovski, Ryan Matterson (Wests Tigers), Sean O'Sullivan (Broncos), Kurt Baptiste (Cowboys), Dylan Napa (Bulldogs), Treymain Spry (Titans), Reece Robinson (released), Frank-Paul Nuuausala, Eloni Vunakece, Mitch Cornish (retired)

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