Trent Robinson has been urged to “coach the hell out of” his Roosters team after the Tricolours’ Magic Round loss, with their attack labelled “all over the shop”.
The Roosters 20-6 defeat at the hands of the struggling Cowboys was one of the more shocking results of the weekend.
After keeping the Warriors scoreless in New Zealand in Round 9, the Roosters were almost kept to zero points themselves by North Queensland, until a 79th minute try by Angus Crichton.
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NRL 360’s Paul Kent described the Roosters as “out of sync” and thought they clearly lacked “energy in their attack”.
“They looked very dour. In attack they were very dour and it didn’t look like there was a lot of energy in their attack,” Kent said on Monday night.
“Trent Robinson spoke after the game about their energy being all over the shop and not quite where it needs to be.”
Kent continued to say the Roosters need some “really heavy coaching” to turn their attack around but also believes the playing group are just as much to blame.
“The players aren’t pulling in the same direction at the same time,” Kent said.
“Somewhere along the line they are going to have to sit down and figure it out.
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“The spine is all over the shop. They’ve spoken about that they aren’t quite in sync with each other, that they aren’t working together so that needs some really heavy coaching.
“This is a period for Trent Robinson to coach the hell out of his team. They need full on coaching right now.”
Roosters captain James Tedesco, who spoke to the media on Monday, says while it’s been “disappointing”, he believes the problems in attack is an easy fix.
“Our attack isn’t where it needs to be. There isn’t much of a connection. We are relying on individuals to come up with something and that isn’t how you score tries,” Tedesco said.
“Our effort areas around the ball is as low as I’ve seen. Our push around the ball is not there.
“We are working on it but effort areas are in us, we just haven’t been doing it.
“I can feel it, the connectivity isn’t there, but we are working hard on it.”
James Hooper asked the NRL360 if the problem was because of the new combination in the halves of Joey Manu and Luke Keary.
“What is the problem in attack? Three tries in 160 minutes of footy. They have one of the most star-studded rosters in the competition. Is it still in those key positions that they are struggling for continuity?” Hooper said.
“They did have new combinations there but those combinations had been OK the two weeks beforehand. I just don’t know,” Braith Anasta replied.
“They just haven’t been at their best this year.”
While they’ve managed to win two of their past three and sit eighth on the ladder, the Roosters attack is down on last year.
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They’ve recorded 37 points less this season than they had at the same stage last season.
Trent Robinson isn’t expected to turn back to out-of-favour halfback Sam Walker for this week’s clash against the Panthers, but another poor output on attack from the Roosters, may leave Robinson with no choice.
Kent says the fact the Roosters have yet to find their groove this season is a “concern” and unlike seasons past.
“It is a bit of a concern. James Tedesco eluded to it in a press conference, generally by now they are beginning to find their feet. They start slow and pick up speed during the season” Kent said.
“They aren’t this year and that is something that hasn’t happened for that club in a long time.”
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