The Roosters’ recruitment has come under fire for putting talent ahead of character in their quest to build a premiership contender amid their form struggles in 2023.
The Roosters were considered a title favourite before the season, but currently sit eighth with five wins and four losses, while their attack has only managed 153 points, the worst return in the Trent Robinson era at this stage of the season.
“Is there an identity crisis at the Roosters at the moment with the way they are playing?” Braith Anasta asked on NRL 360.
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Paul Kent believes the Roosters have been trying to find their identity as a squad all season, but have so far failed to make a statement about who they are as a team.
“They have been searching for their way all year,” Kent said.
“Trent Robinson came out before the game and he said, I want this game against the Cowboys to show who we are.
“Who are we in 2023? And it was a pretty rude answer at the end of it because they had one try late in the game and were beaten 20-6.
“For a team that was looking to make a statement that they were back on track, it was a real kick in the guts.
“I think for the first time the Roosters walked away really confused about where they are at.”
Dave Riccio believes the Roosters have gone away from the recruitment strategy that has worked for them for so long and favoured talented players in recent times, who might not fit the club’s style or ethos.
“I have concerns over their recruitment,” Riccio said.
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“When I think of the great Roosters sides I think about the most diligent, hard-working, thorough players in Fitzgibbon, Ricketson and Minichiello.
“I just think the recruitment, while wonderful players and talented. Sam Walker, different character. I don’t see a Roosters style of player in Sam Walker.
“I don’t see a Roosters style of player in Brandon Smith. We all spoke about would Brandon adjust to the Sydney way off the field. On the field we questioned whether he was a genuine dummyhalf.
“I don’t know if he is a Roosters style of character and I would put Matt Lodge in that category as well.”
Anasta pointed out that the Roosters can get any player they want and questioned whether they have made some bad decisions.
“You think they have got their recruitment wrong?” Anasta said.
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“Because they have the access and the power to get any player they want really. They have shown that. But you think they have just got it wrong.”
“Yes I think they have gone away from what made the Roosters what they are,” Riccio said.
However, Paul Crawley believes the Roosters at the start of the year had arguably the best squad on paper and they should be doing a hell of a lot better than what they are.
“I think that is an absolute cop-out,” Crawley said.
“I’ll tell you why because at the start of the season you look at their roster and they have got the best roster on paper.
“Brandon Smith survived in the Melbourne Storm system. He knows what winning is about.
“Maybe not at dummyhalf, but they made a decision. You can’t just say it is a recruitment problem.
“At the moment they don’t know who they are because they don’t know what direction they are being given.
“At the start of the season they had all summer to make a call on their halves. They make it after eight rounds. They put Joey Manu in there and you wonder why things haven’t clicked yet.
“They scored 153 points in the first 10 rounds of the season. That is the least amount of points scored under Trent Robinson.”
Riccio believes the lack of chemistry on the field is connected to the players they have recruited and their own individual styles.
“There is a lack of chemistry there,” Riccio said.
“The culture of the club is part of the recruitment and if you are bringing in players that don’t really fit under that culture that you have already built, I would question that’s where the chemistry breaks down.”
Crawley and Kent pointed out the Roosters have struggled to replace three club stalwarts who were all a huge part of their last three premierships in 2013, 2018 and 2019.
“Where their culture broke down is they lost Jake Friend, Boyd Cordner and Mitch Aubusson and they haven’t replaced them,” Crawley said.
Kent believes the Roosters may have gone more for talent than character in some recent signings.
“Roosters have always been a character first, talent second recruitment,” Kent said.
“That has been the mantra of Trent Robinson since he has been there.
“I think they have adjusted a little bit and gone talent first and character second in their recruitment of late.
“Friend, Cordner, Aubusson they were open and honest in what they brought to the team on the field. They were open in what they did.
“Where as these guys that are getting there like Suaalii sits there and he is on this contract where it is year by year for example.
“So it is always in the back of your mind is this the year he is going to go? It is the difference between the patriot and the mercenary and that’s the difference.”
Crawley believes Sam Walker is exempt from the discussion because every team in the competition wanted his services.
“In the past the Roosters’ culture looked after that,” Crawley said.
“When Sam Walker came through he was the best kid coming through. Every club wanted him. It is not that he can’t play football. He is not suiting the system there.
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“So is the problem the football they are playing or is the problem Sam Walker?”
Kent believes the Roosters’ culture has been able to cover for the odd player that doesn’t fit their mould, but the current squad might have too many of those players.
“It is not Sam Walker,” Kent said.
“When Matt Lodge went there he shot the lights out initially, but he also had this chequered history too.
“And everybody had the mantra of what the Roosters were about and the Roosters way and our kind of football.
“Everyone said, hang on does Matt Lodge suit what you guys have been preaching?
“The Sydney Swans have their no dickhead policy. And everyone says that until they have a dickhead that they really want and then they will keep him. That’s the way it goes.
“But what I am saying is they have gone away from the character first recruitment and one you can handle and trust the culture.
“Trent Robinson was adamant that the culture would bring Matt Lodge around and it did, but once you get a second one in and a third one in and a fourth one in.
“I don’t want to go through their whole roster, but I think they have started the skew a little bit away from where they were.”
