Merry Christmas All

[Admin]

Hi all , just want to wish you all Merry Christmas and a great and safe 2009.
Thank you for being contributors to the site, and hope that you will continue to be, or even for you to make your first post in 2009.

Roosters wise 2009 looks to be an interesting year as many new young recruits intergrate into the club. There are a few highly promising future stars waiting for the opportunity.

Take care

Carlos

[RoosterBooster]

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to all the Roosters out there

Bring on 2009.

Tri Colours For Life.

[booster]

I just want to take this opportunity to wish you all a happy xmas and a safe and prosperous new year.

ROOSTERS IN 2009 AND BEYOND

BOOSTER

[Ken Jones]

What a surprise, Hodges, needs time away for personal matters, now I wonder where we have all heard that before. he has been on the turps again, the same as we was with us, I can see tough times ahead for the Bronco's, I dont think their new coach, will have the know how, too deal with the boys trying him on, and they will do it, without a shadow of a doubt. The Bennet nemissis, has left the club, the boys will think they can fool the new fella, time will tell.

[Ken Jones]

It was that persona of Stuarts, had finally led to the players not wanting to play anymore, for him, at the Roosters, he was way too intense, its a game of football, for heavens sake. He was a total embarrassment, after the World Cup Final, I did not appreciate the aussie standards being lowered, but such a display of bad sportsmanship. In the fair dinkum department, the Kiwi's were too good on the night, and totally focused, 9 out of 10, we would probably beat them, but thats the joy of the uncertainity of sport.
Anyway fellow posters, thank you all for sharing your thoughts, on Carlos's terrific site, everybody have a Merry Xmas, and Happy New Year, and come back safe next season, regards..........Ken Jones.

[Rob]

Please tell me we have this kid signed up on a 10-year contract. I've never seen such a combination of skills, he seems to have a similar running style to Terry Hill and Andrew Ettingshausen, possess the bomb-catching abilities of Israel Folau, and have the sumptuous soft hands of Gene Miles. A couple of those flicks out the back reminded me of the big Queensland Origin centre or Matt Gidley. I don't care if he doesn't come through next season, just as long as we have locked him up. And give a pay raise to whoever found him. All of a sudden, I see our marquee player for the next decade. Come on you chooks.

[RoosterBooster]

One player that will feature in our first grade team in 2009 is Ryan Williamson. At the age of 18 he is already a massive 105kg and 195cm tall. The kid was being chased by the Broncos and Storm.

below is a video of ryan williamson's high lights sg ball 2008 season, it only shows his attacking ability but he is punishing in defence as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaXGy5V8vyM

Tri Colours For Life.

[Dave]

Anyone know this guy mentioned in this article? Sisa Waqa from Union??

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,24741308-5006066,00.html

Good to see they've acknowledged finally the lack of score trying material but I still think too little too late and that we need more than just one player who can score. Taking into account injuries we should be after at least 3 top scorers who can break the line and score regularly otherwise we are not in good stead for 2009. We could have taken the trophy if it were not for our lack of an effective attack. Anyway it's good to see they're trying to address the issue and I hope they do much more. We also need for Pearce to start coming good. Apart from a couple of brilliant games his overall performance for 2008 was ordinary at best and many times very poor and a pain to watch. He didn't seem to have a clue often so I hope he gets better otherwise we should begin looking for another half.

[Ken Jones]

I just read where Noel Cleal's new wife, is suffering from kidney cancer. I want too take this opportiunity of wishing Noel, and his new wife Shelly, all the very best, for her future treatment, and hopefully a full recovery. Noel was brought to the Roosters as a young raw player from the country, and went on to reach the heights of international football. Even though he left us to go to the dark side, over on the peninsular, he gave me alot of pleasure watching him play for us and them. Best wishes to them both, from I'am sure, all Rooster supporters, regards to all.........Ken Jones.

[Elia]

The club has had to name its top 30; Apart from the players who have left, there are other rookies from 2008, who are not named... Kostajaysn is one – looks like he may have got cut? A veteran who looks as if he got cut too, is Riley Brown? What’s doing?

Roosters top squad confirmed

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

The Sydney Roosters have confirmed their first grade training squad for the new season with 30 players making Brad Fittler’s initial selection.

Each club in the competition must submit a top squad of 25 players, which are signed under the salary cap, to the NRL.

Outside a perfect world the need may arise for a club to use players other than its 25, and in that case players from the Newtown Jets or Roosters Toyota Cup squads can be called upon.

Fittler has included a lot of young players in the squad and admits that the decision to include so many young faces was pretty easy for him.

“I don’t think you can be scared of youth, it is a really good thing,” he said.

“We lost a couple of players like Shillo and Toups who have been here for awhile.

“Our youth coming through are keen and they’re hungry. It’s one thing definitely not to shy away from,” Fittler said.

With future NRL prospects Anthony Cherrington and Jake Friend emerging from the inaugural season of the Toyota Cup Fittler said the Roosters system has the potential to produce more stars.

“Whether or not the age group is ideal I don’t know, everyone has their own argument for those different reasons,” Fittler said.

“The quality of players in the comp and at the club was good, and it was good entertaining footy to watch.

“The players get a bit of a vision into professionalism, sometimes maybe too much, but I think they are doing a really good job and the whole concept of it worked,” he said.

Fittler and the coaching staff have selected a training squad of 30 players to see the Roosters through the 2009 season.

The squad of 30 is:

Rohan Ahern, Braith Anasta, James Aubusson, Mitchell Aubusson, Boyd Cordner, Anthony Cherrington, Craig Fitzgibbon, Jake Friend, Ben Jones, Martin Kennedy, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Mose Maseo, Willie Mason, Matthew Hall, Anthony Minichiello, Nate Myles, Gary Nateoalofa, Frank-Paul Nuuausala, Mark O'Meley, Lopini Paea, Mitchell Pearce, Sam Perrett, Setaimata Sa, Shane Shackelton, Sia Soliola, Stanley Waqa, Jordan Tansey, Sonny Tuigamala, RyanWilliamson and Javarn White.

[Dave]

On the loss by the Kangaroos. Well it certainly was what the NRL had hoped for whether they had a finger in it or not but more likely they did. The game for them is but a financial investment and they don't want it headed the way of the stock markets. That's why the novelty of TWO referees!!!! We have enough trouble getting the right decision with one referee and a video ref who has hindsight so adding another referee is just for show and to try and attract crowds to a dying code.

Looking to the future there is serious talk of amalgamation of Union and League. They're doing anything and everything to save their precious business from total collapse short of what they should have done in the first place - SACK the NRL CEO. It's the NRL CEO's who have caused most of the stuff ups in the game and bear responsibility for all the inconsistencies and trillion rule changes over the decade. More rule changes have only lead them to believe that we need more rule changes until the real man's game is now a game for sissies indistinguishable from the tough, brawling and exciting game we once knew and loved.

It will probably be called Rugby U LEAGUE where scrums will count once again and have 40/20's in it too.

[Dave]

Rugby League died with this generation of CEO's and nothing can hope to revive it except maybe perhaps to start a WOMEN'S Rugby League competition which would be a send up and mockery of League but would be far more entertaining than the trash they are trying to pass off as League nowadays. Imagine all the hair pulling and bitchiness and all the bouncing boobs!! How exciting and teasing!! And then they could put one of their sissie teams up against one of these all female sides to make a spectacle that would really pull the crowds in. Female referees are sure to be next. Remember anything goes with Gallop and Co. Pty. Ltd as long as it rakes in the money$$$$ and $$$SSponsors. How much League is annhilated and decimated matters not. All that matters is their take home millions.

And I say - bring it on. Let's have an all female league sooner rather than later because it would be better than this absurdly ridiculous and nonsensical sissy competition where you can't even say boo to the ref without getting sin binned and you must curtsy on field not to be penalised. It's no longer a man's but a girl's game so let's bring the girls on cause they're much better to look at.

C'Mon girls get involved so you can show them how it's done. Go SWEET HEARTS!!!

[Ken Jones]

Mate, ya got massive problems there, but on the other hand, you just might be right on the money, either way, I would seriously consider leaving your day job, and becoming a writer for Neighbours, or The Bold & The Beautiful, you have a natural flair for it. Regards to all........Ken Jones

[Oscar_Spacey]

The scene opens at the Rooster training field at Moore Park any morning this week. Freddie Fittler has the BBQ out cooking up some breakfast.

Hi Freddie what’s cookin buddy! calls out Willie Mason as he struts into the camp.
Nothin much Mase only a few coconuts Dey fry real good.
Yeah dose coco’s sur cost us last comp. Fry em all I say!

Hey Mase what’s the chance of you haven a go in 09. says Freddie
Hey man I’m only doin what I do naturedly - my dad was a milkman.
I base my game on Quentin Pongia one of the great milkmen. - International you know.

Mini then strolls by:
Hi Ha Ha Hi I’m in the best shape I’ve been in since just before my last operation. My spine is just bustin - boys.
Keep my Medicare card handy.
Pick a doctor who bulk bills there might be more than one more operation.–
I’ve been thinkin (it’s hard) I might enrol in a painters course – you know something I could fall back on!

Gees Mini I don’t know what to say splutters Mase. Yeah Yeah says Freddie I suppose we could just call you a F—ked up back - not a full back!

Hey go easy Freddie blurts Mini - Ha Ha you know Carty and the Gold Coast loves me. . Yeah drawls Mase Gold Coast that would be nice – booze, girls and little Preston the dwarf. I could handle dat man.

Then the Shrek wanders around – spinning through the air - Put me down gently boys he yells as the mobile crane moves him around the field so as to avoid breaking any more bones in his battered frame. I got to be fit enough to move into my pub at Cessnock.

You know says Freddie I’m real proud to have such a dedicated bunch of players here at the Roosters.

End of Scene

[Oscar_Spacey]

Roosters new fat club
By James Phelps
November 20, 2008 ROOSTERS prop Frank Paul Nuuausala is vying to become rugby league's biggest loser.

This week he lost a staggering 5kg - and the bad news is he still has another 10kg to go.

The giant prop, along with four other Sydney Roosters players, has been forced to train on his days off in a bid to shed 15kg.

After coming back from pre-season training packing more of a keg than a six pack, the human wrecking ball was ordered into a group cruelly dubbed the "fat club" to sweat down to his playing weight of 114kg.

Wednesday veteran prop Mark O'Meley volunteered to take the group, which includes Jake Friend, Ben Jones, Stanley Waqar and Anthony Cherrington, for a 30km ride around Centennial Park.

"Some of the big guys come back from pre-season training with a bit too much weight," Roosters trainer Ben Gardner said.

"They are naturally big blokes and need to be because of the physical demands of the game.

"But because they are big, their metabolism isn't as quick as the smaller blokes. They might not change their diet too much over the off-season but when they stop training as much their intake is more than they can burn off."

So the big men, who come back wearing an extra kilogram - or 10 - are sized up and slapped down with strict diets and extra training.

On the banned list is fast food, soft drink, and some such as Nuuausala will be brought back early from his Christmas break.

And the 184cm Kiwi has already lost 5kg with a diet that begins with toast and fat blasters in the morning and ends with steak and mashed potato at night.

"They get back to their playing weight pretty quickly," Gardner said. "Frank lost 15kg last year in a matter of weeks."

But these big men are hardly fat.

Even after an off-season of excess, they come back packing more muscle than flab with a respectable fat percentage of only 25 per cent at worst. And the dreaded calipers can only grab 140mm skin, well below the male average.

"They all do skin folds in the first week," Gardner said.

"They guys in the extras group all have a goal to achieve each week. One of them was 140mm in his skin fold test and his goal is to be down to 120mm.

"We do a lot of it on weight and we tell some of them to come back and get to their desired weight."

Being ushered into the outcast "fat club" and befriended by the calipers is a form of pre-season torture that plagues big men at every NRL club.

At this time of year the calipers - and the prospect of a Christmas lunch complete with all the trimmings - are more intimidating than a date with Manu Vatuvei.

[kristan]

Was a shame to see the Kangaroos lose, but, they were done by a better side.
Hopefully this will bring a bit of meaning to wearing the national colours.
For me, the biggest disappointment for the entire tournament was England. The Poms have so much money in Super League, it's such an impressive comp with some of the most enterprising play you'll ever see, and yet it all falls apart at national level. Maybe a consequence of different playing styles (wrestling, slowing down the ruck area etc) but it's still a let-down.

[Ken Jones]

Once again, I read where its everybody else's fault, that the Kiwi's, smacked our butt on saturday night, according to Ricky. Surely it couldn't be anything to do with his ability to get the side up, one more time, for a final. This was one weakness in his persona, I didn't like, with his time at the Roosters, and it is a flaw that really good coaches dont have. Sure the aussies made a couple of bad blues during the game, but we had more then enough fire power on the field to win that game, so something else was missing, was it the hunger, the passion, over confidence, or maybe abit of all those rolled into one.
Anyway, its all over now, and we can finally put our feet up till March, and contemplate what the new season will bring . On another note, I emailed our new CEO last week to welcome him to the club, and wish him all the best, not thinking anymore of it, a few days later, I got a call on my mobile from Steve, thanking me for my good wishes, etc, like I have posted previously, this man is going to be good for our club. He obviously doesn't forget the little things, that make a club, as well as the big items.Regards to all........Ken Jones

[Peeved]

I too am peeved. I was called by marketing to renew the business sponsorship this year. They told me that the package was the same as last year, same price same deal. They asked me to sign a contract and it was faxed to me for me to fax back. Bullshit it's the same deal. There is a game less in the season tickets and there is no tri colour carvery valued at $500. This is becoming gutter tactics and backs up what Beetson said.

[angelo]

I've received nothing in the post about renewing my season tickets - maybe its another cost saving measure!

how about marketing sayings we've reduced the price? yeah that because there are only 10 home games at the sfs. Per game, the cost has actually gone up!

Stop bullshitting to your own supporters you clowns

[pezza]

Have you checked the new front page of sydneyroosters.com.au? - there seems to be a little info there!

Yes I have noticed the site, that is where I get the info from, I was just saying I thought we would of recieved something in the post

[Oscar_Spacey]

Have you checked the new front page of sydneyroosters.com.au? - there seems to be a little info there!

[pezza]

Has anyone recieved any correspondance from the club about memberships for 09?

I read on line I have to Dec 5 to renew to keep my existing seat, but havent recieved written conformation about this

Easts to win

Perry

[RoosterBooster]

Barry Walsh your a first class D***head!!! look at your own backyard before attacking others, The AFL is killing you guys out there, Barrywalshsucks**ck@gmail.com

[Elia]

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24616740-5001023,00.html

- Check out the poll too - proves the old agage that "we're hated because we're rated..."

To prove to the likes of Penrith, once and for all, that their antiquated thinking of supposed "junior areas" is no longer applicable in modern day rugby league, and how laughable his "letter" really is...

Walsh's diatribe mentions the AFL. The AFL bases itelf on the model of the NFL, and rightly so. This is modern day reality and is how supposed national football competitions need to think in order to be successful and for their clubs to remain viable. Collingwood doesn't run Harold Mathews/SG Ball equivalents from the inner city suburb of Collingwood. They have their VFL equivalent of Williamstown (this is the NYC equivalent level, which is the first team of call for rookies just drafted by the Pies). The likes of Penrith need to understand that it is their antiquated thinking that contrives to keep the game as the modern day poor cousin of the AFL, and reliant on one news proprietor to keep it propped up! If it was really about one club's self-percieved right to a large junior catchment area, then Penrith should be winning the comp every year, should they not? It is having a RELEVANT structure for talent identification, then for appropriately-governed recruitment (the draft) and then maximising revenue via the appeal of the 'product' a the top level, that form the basis of success for both clubs in the top flight, and then having the necessary structure and finances in place to develop, scout and identify the best talent at the grass roots. We'll take the talent from anywhere Peter Sullivan can find them, thanks very much, and not in terms of how many junior teams you've got. Walsh and Penrith need to understand that THE DRAFT is the best tool for stopping the poaching they are so bitter about. Players should be drafted into a club before they can play in the rookie NYC. Penrith's idealistic view was the way in 1969, not 2009. D*#&heads.

Cue Uncle Nick...

[Elia]

Memo to our new CEO, can you check the contract situation of one Pat Richards, and see if he is off contract, he is still one of the best finishing wingers going around, and has speed as well. He would do very nicely on the end of our backline.Steve Noyce had him at the Wests Tigers, so they have a friendship intact there, so might be worth a phone call, regards to all..........Ken Jones.

Reading too, today, that Melbourne are willing to shop around Steve Turner due to cap pressure. Just shows what a joke the current cap level is - especially without a draft! Each successful team goes through the same purging of players that it can't keep, and all in effect that ends up happening, is a re-shuffle of players between successful teams. One is always at the start (Melb and Manly) and others are at the end of the purging cycle (us and the Dogs) and are shopping to recruit value and production-orientated players that can further aid the rebuiliding of a squad back into contention.

[Ken Jones]

Memo to our new CEO, can you check the contract situation of one Pat Richards, and see if he is off contract, he is still one of the best finishing wingers going around, and has speed as well. He would do very nicely on the end of our backline.Steve Noyce had him at the Wests Tigers, so they have a friendship intact there, so might be worth a phone call, regards to all..........Ken Jones.

[pezza]

I went to the game on Friday at CUA and then back to the hotel with the Samoan players, this man is a talent, better then Tupes and would be massive to have back at our club

He can do it all as a player on the field

Easts to win

Perry

[Jimmyv]

After watching his performance all season and again in tonights game against the poms, I hope the chooks have a go of aquiring him at the end of next season. we need an attacking spark with that type of speed in the backfield. Melbourne will have a hard time retaining him after resigning some of their other stars this year.

[Ken Jones]

Rhyseboy, I dont know what or where you heard about us wanting Gleeson, but that wont happen, he
will be pushing 30 before he gets out here to play, the last thing we need, is another yesterdays man. Youth is our future, even Adrian woke up to the fact that the pace of NRL football is past him now, and has settled to remain in the comfort zone of Pommie Super league.The Mixo's will be a good home for Gleeson. Regards to all.....Ken Jones.

[rhyseboy]

I just read that we may sign Martin Gleeson of Warrington.
Thankfully he is a centre with a bit of pace.