As the NRL launch its high-tackle crackdown, a pep talk from Adrian Morley and reassuring words from coach Trent Robinson have steeled the Sydney Roosters for Friday’s showdown with South Sydney.
Clubs were emailed on Monday with an official warning after a review of last week’s games prompted the NRL to admit four players should have been sin-binned for on-field offences.
In the email, NRL head of elite competitions Graham Annesley told clubs “several incidents of foul play in round four where on-field action by match officials fell short of the policy that has been in place for several seasons … clubs should expect the required standard to be implemented throughout the remainder of the season.”
Annesley added that “increased incidence of shoulder-to-head contact by defenders” was of particular concern.
But as his team prepared for their Allianz Stadium clash with the Rabbitohs, Robinson insisted he wanted his players to retain a “red mist” mentality.
“We’ve always had players that play on the line and, yeah, you want them to go to that line and not over it,” Robinson said on Thursday.
Adrian Morley is marched by referee Jared Maxwell in 2006.Credit: Fairfax
“Sometimes they do, but that’s what makes them unique. So I understand that and our job is to make sure that ends up in our favour, but that’s why we’re interested in watching.”
To reinforce that message, Robinson invited club legend Morley to address the 2025 squad.
The English import was one of the most feared forwards of his era, starring in the Roosters’ 2002 premiership win, but also regularly finding himself on the sidelines due to suspension.
In six seasons at Bondi Junction, Morley was suspended 11 times. He made 113 appearances for the Tricolours and missed 26 games through suspension.
His NRL career ended prematurely in 2006 when he copped a seven-match ban for kneeing Canterbury hooker Corey Hughes. There were only six rounds left in the season.
“He talked about the red mist, as we’ve just mentioned it before,” Robinson said of Morley’s guest appearance.
“He just talked about his journey over here, his love of the Roosters and what it meant to him … how it sort of changed his life, and then also the way that he played in the games.”
Robinson said Morley relived the Roosters’ 2002 grand final triumph against the Warriors when he upped the ante with a physical onslaught in the second half and swung the match.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson.Credit: NRL Photos
“He was the one that sort of stepped forward first,” Robinson recalled.
In the absence of Victor Radley, who has a cheekbone injury, the player most likely to provide some Morley-style inspiration for the Roosters on Friday night is Spencer Leniu, who has already served one suspension for a high tackle this season and last week engaged in a running battle with Gold Coast back-rower David Fifita.
South Sydney players Jai Arrow and Tavita Tatola were hopeful this week that Leniu might concede penalties through a lack of discipline, but Robinson’s attitude is: “Let him play.”
“I’ve had to coach those guys before that are on the edge and find their way,” Robinson said.
“There’s no sitting down in an office and talking to them about how to regulate that. The more games they play, the more they experience there, they’ll know what’s right and wrong.
“But you want them to push it as well. If someone’s talking about him, then he’s had an effect, and I want him to continue to do that.”
Souths superstar Latrell Mitchell, who has been cleared to return after missing the first four games through injury, is another who can struggle to contain the “red mist”.
“Hopefully, it turns into a fog,” Robinson said with a smile.
He added that he had “huge respect” for Mitchell, who helped the Roosters win the 2018 and 2019 grand finals before his move to Redfern.
“I see him as an amazing player,” he said. “I just see him as an incredible player and he’s definitely a fullback. But he’s also an amazing centre.”
Meanwhile, Robinson has no qualms about potentially sharing Allianz Stadium with Souths, amid reports that the Rabbitohs are lobbying to leave their long-time base at Homebush.
“Stadia is a different beast, and it’s a business,” Robinson said.
“So I can understand that would be on the agenda at some point … people rent this ground all the time, it just won’t ever be their home.”
NRL is Live and Free on Channel 9 & 9Now
Michael Chammas and Andrew “Joey” Johns dissect the upcoming NRL round, plus the latest footy news, results and analysis. Sign up for the Sin Bin newsletter.
