Sydney Roosters live it up in Los Angeles as a reward for winning 2019 premiership
NFL matches at the Los Angeles Coliseum, watching Clippers NBA superstar Kawhi Leonard and dining at flash Hollywood restaurants. Check out the pics of the Roosters on tour.
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It is a far cry from Bali and its notorious nightclubs where our footy stars have so often found drama during the off-season.
The Sydney Roosters are on tour of the west coast of the US, staying in glamorous Hollywood, taking in a Monday night NFL game with 80,000 fans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and an NBA match between the LA Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans.
Plus dining at flash restaurants with billionaire boss Nick Politis that are often frequented by Hollywood A-listers.
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All the big names are there except for Latrell Mitchell.
This is the reward for winning back-to-back titles, the first team to do so since the Broncos in 1992 and ‘93.
There is also training involved with sessions at the Santa Monica gym owned by Luke Milton, a former Roosters player who is now a personal trainer to the stars.
Politis is reluctant to label the back-to-back premiers as the best team he’s been associated with.
He’s been around since Arthur Beetson and Ron Coote led the Chooks to the 1975 38-nil premiership win over St George in the ‘white boots’ grand final.
However the long-time chairman says the 2019 premiers are the tightest group of footballers he has been associated with.
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And that the mateship and solidarity that are built from trips like this one is the reason why.
“It’s great for bonding and the boys sticking together,” Politis said.
“And it’s a credit to Robbo that he has created such a culture and camaraderie
“He’s built something very special and I’ve never seen a tighter team.”
Even players who won’t be there next season, Cooper Cronk and Zane Tetevano, are part of the tour group.
Sadly, the only one missing is Kangaroos centre Mitchell who chose to stay at home.
The players have mixed feelings about Mitchell not being there because he was an integral part of the premiership-winning outfit.
From an area with the smallest junior league of all the NRL clubs, the Roosters import more young players than any of their rivals.
It is why Robinson is so strong in putting in place the right footy club principles that have built the foundations for three premierships in seven years.
“This trip might be a reward for winning the comp,” Politis said, “but it’s also something a bit different which we do as a club to become better at what we do.”
Originally published as Sydney Roosters live it up in Los Angeles as a reward for winning 2019 premiership
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