Eels’ glaring weakness exposed as ‘cooked’ Chooks face up to reality
Canberra- The Roosters will have to defy history to become the first team to win a grand final – and secure a third-straight title – after conceding more than 50 points in a game in that same season.
Trent Robinson’s side were favourites for the title going into their clash with arch rivals South Sydney, but incredibly were smashed 60-8 as the Bunnies put on a clinic.
The ease at which the Rabbitohs dissected the Roosters’ usually brilliant defensive wall is a worrying sign one week out from the finals.
“They were pulled apart. I haven’t seen the Roosters pulled apart like that for a long, long time,” Michael Ennis told Big League Wrap.
“This is a great test for the Roosters, this is a really big test.
“They had all their big guns there. I know Brett Morris and Joey Manu are two really big parts of their side that will come in on that right edge, and that’s critical for them.
“But they still had James Tedesco, (Jared Waerea) Hargreaves, (Sio Siua) Taukeiaho, (Boyd) Cordner... (Jake) Friend was a big loss (to concussion) and that is a concern for me.
“This time last year they had Sam Verrills who is one hell of a young player, so that (hooker role) becomes a big job if Jake is unavailable.
“I just wonder, the test for me is are they cooked? “They’ve spent so much of the season trying to get up with serious injury tolls, and fighting through that period to maintain what they did in the competition. “I certainly would not write them off, but this is a great test to see how they respond.”
The Rabbitohs now look like dark horses for the title, while the Roosters suddenly appear shaky.
Although they fell to the Bulldogs in a questionable performance in Round 19, recent annihilations of Parramatta and the Roosters make them a threat to be feared.
For the Roosters, the question has to be asked whether they can bounce back in such a short period of time. “I’m not really sure how to break it down or analyse the Roosters’ performance,” said Cooper Cronk.