Death, taxes, and the Sydney Roosters signing star players to add to an already stuffed roster just when they look to be sliding.
Last season was certainly a rocky run for Sydney, who had to get over arch-rivals South Sydney in a last-gasp regular season clash to even make the finals—where they then dropped out in the semifinals.
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Those struggles looked to be an anomaly though. You can always rely on the Roosters to flex the muscles (and the wallet) when things start to look any halfway grim, and Nick Politis has done it again. Now all it’s going to take is Trent Robinson getting them all playing together quickly… which you can basically set your watch to.
Last year’s finish: Eighth (semis), 13 wins and 11 losses
Last ten NRL campaigns: 8th (semis), 6th (qualifying), 5th (semi), 4th (semi), 2nd (premiers), 1st (premiers), 2nd (prelim), 15th, 1st (prelim), 1st (prelim)
Predicted Round 1 lineup
- James Tedesco
- Daniel Tupou
- Joseph Manu
- Billy Smith
- Joseph Suaalii
- Luke Keary
- Sam Walker
- Terrell May
- Brandon Smith
- Lindsay Collins
- Sitili Tupouniua
- Nat Butcher
- Victor Radley
- Connor Watson
- Spencer Leniu
- Angus Chrichton
- Siua Wong
Coach: Trent Robinson
Biggest losses: Drew Hutchison Biggest gains: Spencer Leniu, Dominic Young
How 2024 is looking for Sydney
Don’t expect the Sydney Roosters to stay bad for long. In the last ten years, they’ve finished outside the top four just four times, with only a brutally shocking 15th in 2016 being worse than last season’s eighth.
The Roosters also recruited very well heading into this year. Dom Young was by far one of the best wingers in the entire competition and now he’s shaping as the Daniel Tupou regen that can play the same gameplan. Equally, adding a starting front-rower in Spencer Leniu to the bench dials up the Chooks’ engine that much more.
And that’s before you rattle off the stars the club already has from number one to eighteenth man. While heavy hitters like the Panthers and Broncos will keep the Roosters out of that top four, they’ll be very dangerous again.
Predicted 2024 finish: 5th
First five: Broncos (H), Sea Eagles (A), Rabbitohs (H), Panthers (H), Bulldogs (A)
TopSport odds: Premiers $9, Make Top 4: $2.35, Make Final 8: $1.30, Miss The Top 8: $3.40
Pass mark: Top four finish for star Roosters lineup.
