World Club Challenge and Back2Back

[Budgie]

I know it's petty but it really really really pisses me off that the Chooks got to play the WCC in Sydney. I believe this hands them the best opportunity for yonks to go back to back. Always thought that that slog over to England at the beginning of the season was a major handicap for any defending premier. Wouldn't have minded so much if we'd won the GF.

 

[The Who]

No petty at all.
Just shows you that Easts run the sport now.

 

[Killer03]

The trip to England has always seemed to knock the defending premiers around. Even when some teams start off well they seem to run out of gas after a month. Being in Sydney is a massive advantage to the Roosters in my eyes.

Having said that however I remember 09 when we went over and played (Leeds I think?) and we were schmick. Snake, Choc, Orford, Killer, you wouldn't have thought this was the beginning of their campaign. We just looked on!!! I remember at the time saying to someone 'we are going back to back we look fantastic'. Now there were obviously other factors that hurt us at the start of 09 which I wont go back into, but B2B is extremely tough.

Personally I don't think the Roosters Supporters (and I know a family full of them) realize how tough this will be. They'll play the Eels who will step up a gear to defeat the premiers, there is now the expectation from fans, there will be the off season studying of everything they did, and there will be at least 4 Origin reps (Pearce, Maloney, Cordner and Jennings) which can cause exhaustion etc.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

An advantage yes, having been involved with both WCC trips it is very tiring and also quite strange as you go from the heat of summer, to the frigid cold of winter, and back again all in about 10 days.

So easier for them than all the others before them.

Back to back......bloody hard to do, for many reasons but the biggest one is EVERY side lifts when they play the Premiers, and the Premiers often get beaten by sides that would not normally beat them.

Its why it hasn't been done since the Bronco's in the early 90's

 

[Brissie Kid]

Just turned it off. Rorters milking every play the ball and referees giving penalties. Rorters got every penalty to none so far. Rorters given try off a blatant forward pass from dummy half. Every Wigan flat pass being called back for being forward. JWH gone back to tunnel ball at the play the ball. Dead set rort going on again.

 

[Ralphie]

They have Russell Crowe to thank for that. Crowe was so convinced his wabbits would win he flew to England and negotiated it to be played in Oz.

 

[wedgetail eagle]

Moa's try was off a sloppy play-the-ball,
but the referee didn't see it!
How about that?

 

[Killer03]

Has Maloney darkened his hair? He truly has become a bondi-boy.

 

[wedgetail eagle]

Has Maloney darkened his hair? He truly has become a bondi-boy.

I noticed the Hair-puller's hair was darker.
He was envious of Wolfy's hair, but the best the Hair puller could do was colour his, haha!

 

[mickqld]

As much as it hurts me to say it we really stuffed up not retaining JWH. Considering our prop stocks , how good would it be to have hime there right now. Probably could have been the difference last year (apart from that fwit Hayne). There hasn't been too many that have gone from Manly that we regret but he is definitely one.

 

[wedgetail eagle]

As much as it hurts me to say it we really stuffed up not retaining JWH. Considering our prop stocks , how good would it be to have hime there right now. Probably could have been the difference last year (apart from that fwit Hayne). There hasn't been too many that have gone from Manly that we regret but he is definitely one.

Agree, he'd be real handy right now.
At the time, I remember reading Hasler was dirty he got away.
But, I mumble that every time I see him play.
"That big lump yoosta play for Manly"

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

I'd miss him if he hadn't turned into one of the biggest f*ckwits in the NRL. He fits in well at the Roosters.

 

[Killer03]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and I am the first to say I wasn't in the slightest bit concerned when he left. I didn't see the player he was going to turn into, in fact I just saw a big lump who was too concerned about trying to show everyone how tough he was.

He'd be one of very few that has left that has improved.

 

[Peter C]

As much as it hurts me to say it we really stuffed up not retaining JWH. Considering our prop stocks , how good would it be to have hime there right now. Probably could have been the difference last year (apart from that fwit Hayne). There hasn't been too many that have gone from Manly that we regret but he is definitely one.

Agree, he'd be real handy right now.
At the time, I remember reading Hasler was dirty he got away.
But, I mumble that every time I see him play.
"That big lump yoosta play for Manly"

Hang on, he last played for us back in 2009, we were never going to match what the Roosters offered him, if we retained him it would have meant someone else had to go,and it wasn't until last year he showed he could really play, despite the lump that he is.
Let's not forget we have played in two grand finals for one win since he left us, good players leave every club for other clubs, we're no different

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I turned the crap off, refs clearly had their "Bondi Eyes" on, just like the GF one of their try's was scored off a metre forward pass.....SSDD

Same **** Different Day

 

[eagles2win]

Moa's try was off a sloppy play-the-ball,
but the referee didn't see it!
How about that?

Noticed a lot of rolling the ball through the legs by the Roosters - last time I checked rules were MUST play the ball back with the foot, not the piss poor attempts what we were seeing last night.

Actual wording of every rule of the game (NRL, ESL and International).
To play the ball correctly :
1. have stopped forward progression (ie been tackled)
2. have both feet on the ground
3. place the ball in fron of one foot and
4. roll the ball backwards by the use of a foot

A lot of people will say so, but technically it's either a lost ball (in which case resulting in a Wigan scrum and feed) or a penalty (due to Easts playing the ball incorrectly).

 

[Jethro]

Moa's try was off a sloppy play-the-ball,
but the referee didn't see it!
How about that?

Noticed a lot of rolling the ball through the legs by the Roosters - last time I checked rules were MUST play the ball back with the foot, not the piss poor attempts what we were seeing last night.

Actual wording of every rule of the game (NRL, ESL and International).
To play the ball correctly :
1. have stopped forward progression (ie been tackled)
2. have both feet on the ground
3. place the ball in fron of one foot and
4. roll the ball backwards by the use of a foot

A lot of people will say so, but technically it's either a lost ball (in which case resulting in a Wigan scrum and feed) or a penalty (due to Easts playing the ball incorrectly).

I noticed a lot of that ball rolling in the Auckland Nines too.

 

[bones]

It's not surprising at all that the Roosters have won the most World Club Challenges, considering that 2 of the 3 times they have played in one, it has been in Sydney.
I'm sure if the 1988 and 2012 WCC's were held in Sydney, Manly would have won those as well.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

It's not surprising at all that the Roosters have won the most World Club Challenges, considering that 2 of the 3 times they have played in one, it has been in Sydney.
I'm sure if the 1988 and 2012 WCC's were held in Sydney, Manly would have won those as well.

Great point its a massive advantage to be the "home team" so hard for the other side to cope with the different weather.

Remember how bloody cold it was in 2012 @bones