Monday Buzz: Trent Robinson’s magic play pays off for Roosters
THE Roosters are playing in the 2018 NRL grand final because of a brilliant decision Trent Robinson made back in mid-July, writes PHIL ROTHFIELD.
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THE Roosters are playing in the grand final because of a Trent Robinson coaching masterstroke in mid-July.
Sunday, July 15, to be exact. Round 18. The day rookie halfback Sean O’Sullivan scored the most controversial try of the season against the Gold Coast Titans at Cbus Super Stadium.
This was the day Robinson gambled and took only half his NRL side to the Gold Coast.
He had bigger things in the back of his mind for September. The playoffs.
Cooper Cronk pulled out because his wife was about to give birth to their first child. Victor Radley was suspended. Mitch Aubusson had been ruled out.
Under those circumstances, most coaches would be tempted to play their Origin stars.
Not the Roosters coach. He stood down Boyd Cordner, Latrell Mitchell and James Tedesco to recover from Origin III on the Wednesday night for fitter young bodies.
Players we had barely heard of ran out for the Roosters. Matthew Ikuvalu on the wing, Paul Momirovski in the centres, O’Sullivan at halfback, Lindsay Collins and Poasa Faamausili on the bench.
And they won. They got the two points that helped secure the minor premiership.
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More importantly, it allowed his biggest names to freshen up for the back end of the season. It also gave the likes of Momirovski and Collins a taste of first grade.
Should they be required during the finals, they would be ready and know what to expect.
Exactly as we witnessed against the Rabbitohs at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night when Robinson’s Gold Coast move again came into play. The Tricolours produced some outstanding and spirited defence under enormous pressure in the second half against Souths.
Sunday, July 15, was the same day St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor used all his Origin stars against the Wests Tigers in Wollongong. They lost. And it took them a month to recover.
It showed us the importance of sports science in the modern game. That managing the workload of players is as important as anything else in an NRL campaign.
That rugby league is not a 13-man game or even a 17-man game.
You need enough depth in a 30-man squad to cover for games like the one against the Titans if you want fit rather than fatigued bodies for the business end of the season.
Robinson has done a magnificent job with the Roosters this season.
It is hard to believe there was so much misinformed commentary on his future just a few months ago.
That Roosters boss Nick Politis had offered Nathan and Ivan Cleary a package deal for 2020 for when Cronk retired. Politis responded by extending his contract for an extra four years.
At the beginning of the season, no coach was under more pressure. To discard a club legend in Mitchell Pearce for Cronk was the biggest story and gamble in the off season. If it didn’t work he would be copping the blame, not Cronk.
As it’s turned out, Cronk will go down in Roosters history as one of their finest imports. Alongside Brad Fittler, Sonny Bill Williams and old legend Ron Coote.
He showed us again on Saturday night that he is a true champion.