Locker Room: Why the Roosters have never recovered from the loss of their legends

The Roosters have never fully recovered from the loss of champions Mitchell Aubusson, Boyd Cordner, Cooper Cronk and Jake Friend – and it’s only going to get worse for the club, writes DAVID RICCIO.

Who is leading the Roosters when the chips are down? Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

It’s only when the champions are gone that you realise how much you miss them.

The Roosters are living proof.

Like Marty McFly, they are wandering around looking for a DeLorean to go Back to the Future.

The concern is, they’re still going to be flying over Hill Valley next year, as well.

The Roosters have never fully recovered from the loss of champions Mitchell Aubusson, Boyd Cordner, Cooper Cronk and Jake Friend.

With the exit of the legends went 98 games worth of finals experience.

Yes, the Roosters boast a premiership-winning roster.

The Roosters miss Mitch Aubusson and Boyd Cordner. Picture: AAP Image/Action Photographics

It’s loaded with speed, freakish talent, toughness and power. Every coach in the game, except for Ivan Cleary and Craig Bellamy, would swap their roster for the Chooks line-up.

But when the chips are down, like it was against Penrith on Friday night, whose leading them?

Poor little Luke Keary, the Roosters dual premiership-winner, couldn’t have tried harder.

But guess what? He’s gone next year too.

The Roosters inspirational leader Jared Waerea-Hargreaves returns from suspension for his second game in 10-weeks for the elimination final on Saturday night.

But guess what? He’s gone too.

Throw in the departures of Joey Manu, Sitili Tupouniua and Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii and the Roosters have an even greater void of big-game experience in 2025.

James Tedesco, Lindsay Collins, Angus Crichton and Victor Radley – at long odds to get back on the field this year with a shoulder injury – are everything to the Roosters right now.

James Tedesco is everything to the Roosters right now. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

But those boys won’t know what leadership looks like until they line-up next year.

It will be their greatest test.

The arrival of veteran halfback and premiership-winner Chad Townsend in 2025 could prove more beneficial than people think.

It wouldn’t shock to see the Roosters try and find another journeyman who has been there, done that, to help what will be a clear transition year.

Of course, the season isn’t over yet.

The world knows the Roosters can bounce back next Saturday night.

The Roosters deserve credit for staying in the fight after being dropped to the canvas by a Panthers side that began bullying them within minutes of Friday night’s clash.

Referee Ashley Klein’s six-again call on rookie half Sandon Smith was harsh and the only invitation Penrith needed to get the scoreboard rolling.

From there, it was a statistical ambush.

Chad Townsend is joining the Roosters next season, but is it enough? Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

By halftime, the Roosters had a total of 13 completed sets to the Panthers 22.

The Chooks had a measly 38 per cent possession.

The Panthers had trampled through the Roosters with more than double the amount of run metres. The Roosters had missed 26 tackles to Penrith’s six.

Yet it was their most experienced players, including Daniel Tupou and Crichton, who hurt the side with uncharacteristic errors.

Roosters coach Trent Robinson will look to the 10-6 second-half recovery of his side as a platform to bounce into Saturday night.

He shouldn’t make a change either. Not if it’s just another young, raw talent.

Experience wins finals matches. An equal share of possession helps too.

That’s what the Roosters need to find.