Roosters ready for Anzac Day clash with Dragons after losing penalty count in 14 straight games

The Roosters haven’t won a penalty count in their last 14 games but can they still overcome that statistic to beat the St George Illawarra Dragons to retain the Anzac Cup.

Anzac Day NRL Match. St George Illawarra Dragons v the Sydney City Roosters at Allianz Stadium today. Pictured is NRL CEO David Smith handing over the Anzac Cup to the Roosters Captain Anthony Miniachiello.

IT would be very difficult to find somebody who isn’t looking forward to this Saturday.

Anzac Day is a day where everybody unites. It is a day to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our magnificent country.

It will be 100 years since the Anzacs landed at Gallipoli. We can only imagine what these young men must have endured. It is only fitting we celebrate the sacrifices these brave soldiers made for their country.

The Roosters line up for a minute’s silence in their Anzac Day match with the Dragons in 2014.

For Roosters and Dragons fans, Anzac Day is one of the most eagerly awaited each season. The emotion generally spills on to the pitch and both sides leave nothing in the tank.

This week’s game is one of the most anticipated. The merged entity has won its previous four matches, while the Roosters are coming off a hat-trick of defeats.

The last two of its Anzac clashes have been easy wins for the tricolours, however, this will not be the case now.

Now retired skipper Anthony Minichiello leads out his Roosters for the Anzac Day clash last year.

A month ago, Dragons fans were calling for major sackings — now they can smell Rooster blood. The stage is set for a torrid encounter.

Last week’s match against the Melbourne Storm was another character-testing defeat for the Roosters. For the third time this season, the Roosters failed to receive a penalty in the second half. It was the fourteenth consecutive match where the Roosters have not won the penalty count. During matches, it has almost become predictable as to when the opposition will receive a relieving penalty.

The Roosters celebrate their Anzac Cup victory over St George Illawarra Dragons in 2014.

Roosters Radio, a must-listen for diehard fans, has touched on how the rub of the green rarely goes our way. Saturday’s match proved that. It was a dubious penalty late in the game that allowed Storm to set up the matchwinning field goal.

It appears the rest of the world has awoken to the fact the tricolours is more harshly treated than its counterparts. Social media was abuzz after last week’s column and some more household scribes have written pieces on the topic.

Coach Trent Robinson has so far stayed away from this topic, and that’s fair enough. As supporters, we feel as though this needs to be made widespread. Enough is enough. Easts to win.