The Roosters love Trent Robinson. They made him a life member in early 2019 after he delivered a second premiership in just six seasons as head coach.
He’d add a third title that year.
In becoming a life member of the club, he joined an illustrious group of only 50, including Kevin Hastings, Wally O’Connell, Russell Fairfax, “Bunny” Reilly, Mark Harris, Jack Gibson, Brad Fittler and Luke Ricketson.
In 2022, Robinson signed a five-year contract extension, taking him to the end of the 2028 season.
This is year two of that extension.
If he makes it to the end of the deal, he’ll have been in charge for sixteen years – that’s Craig Bellamy and Wayne Bennett-like for longevity at one club.
Trent Robinson and the Roosters celebrate grand final glory in 2013.Credit: NRL Photos
Using the phrase – “if he makes it to the end of the deal” – is fraught with danger when talking about a three-time premiership coach in his thirteenth season with three more to run on his contract.
But, as a long-time Roosters supporter said to me last week: “The Chooks can’t cop losing.”
And, whichever way you look at it, season 2025 will be a tough, long one for the Roosters. There’ll be plenty of losses.
Star halfback Sam Walker and hooker Brandon Smith won’t be seen until mid-season at the very earliest as they recover from knee reconstructions.
Roosters power players Nick Politis, Trent Robinson and James Tedesco.Credit: Fairfax/Getty/Jamie Brown
Gone to other codes, other clubs or other countries are the two Josephs, Suaalii and Manu, enforcer Jared Warea-Hargreaves, Luke Keary, Sitili Tupouniua and Terrell May.
James Tedesco has played a lot of hard football at the age of 32 and Lindsay Collins, who’ll carry responsibility up front, has suffered numerous head knocks and taken a concussion break in the past.
The only signing of significance is an ageing Chad Townsend, 34, signed as a stop-gap halves option while Walker rehabilitates.
Former Wallaby Mark Nawaqanitawase was blooded late last season in the outside backs and was more than promising. So that’s something. But he’s no Manu or Suaalii.
Also hurting the roster for 2025 was the humiliating backflip by David Fifita, who signed to join the club, only to opt out during the cooling-off period to stay with the Titans. Then there was an unsuccessful chase for Ben Hunt.
The club was always known to get its man. Not anymore.
May’s exit in particular was odd, and could be the one that really stings Robinson if the season fades away.
It was never properly explained. Most things like this aren’t in rugby league, which is a shame.
‘He’s [Trent Robinson] never had to really go through a “rebuilding phase”, but that’s where he’s at right now.’
May was mystified as to why he became surplus to requirements, especially after a break-out season. The Wests Tigers are both lucky and grateful to have him. If he grows in stature as a player and the Roosters struggle, fans won’t be kind to the club’s hierarchy.
Throughout his tenure, Robinson has had crack rosters at his disposal. He won the premiership in his first season in 2013.
He’s never had to really go through a “rebuilding phase”, but that’s where he’s at right now.
To his enormous credit, he has been able to acutely understand the fault lines in his team, and correct them. He has pedigree in dealing with problems.
Robinson and the Roosters after the 2019 grand final.Credit: Getty Images
If you go back a decade to 2014 and 2015, the Roosters won the minor premiership in both years, but suffered disastrous early finals exits – not even making it to the grand final.
It hurt him deeply, and eventually led to the signing of Cooper Cronk and the painful axing of Mitchell Pearce. It was a ruthless move that yielded back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019, Cronk’s only two years in the Tricolours.
I ran into Robinson in late October of 2014. He was strolling the back streets of Paddington, not far from Allianz Stadium.
The season was over, Souths had beaten the Bulldogs in the grand final after his Roosters were knocked out by their arch-rivals the Rabbitohs in the preliminary final.
They’d suffered a 19-18 loss to the Panthers in week one of the finals, and it derailed their premiership defence, forcing them into a tough survival match against the Cowboys. They won that 31-30 in a shoot-out and were gassed against the Bunnies.
After exchanging pleasantries, we weren’t even talking about rugby league when Robinson unprompted, said something along the lines of: “I just feel as though it was a lost opportunity. We just let it go.”
I could see his brain ticking. His face was expressionless. I thought about that moment when Cronk was signed.
Robinson knew he had a premiership team, but they repeatedly fell over in the finals. He had to fix it, and he did.
This year though, the challenge in front of him is far greater than that problem.
We’ll learn something when they play the Broncos at Allianz on Thursday night, but a full picture will take about eight rounds to emerge. Like with all teams.
If he coaches this roster to the finals, or close to it, and rebuilds the roster for future years at the same time, he may well have a job for life.
But, if it’s a train wreck on both fronts…
He has lots of credits in the bank and is one of the club’s favourite sons.
Mitch Pearce was too. They loved him. Until they didn’t.
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