Ugly Roosters truth laid bare as Chooks’ ‘season over’ after Round 1 demolition

Trent Robinson’s Sydney Roosters will have to face an ugly reality after being humiliated by the Broncos on Thursday night.

If history is anything to go by, the Roosters can already write off this year and turn their attention to 2026 after being hammered 50-14 by the Broncos on Thursday night.

There were grave concerns for the Roosters in 2025 before a ball was even kicked and the naysayers will get louder after what can only be described as a horror show.

And with Victor Radley set to be sidelined following a nasty collision with James Tedesco in the first half, the night couldn’t have gone much worse.

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Radley’s head whipped back after the teammates collided and he stayed down for several minutes before he was helped off Allianz Stadium.

From then on it was one-way traffic, with the Broncos racing in three tries in 10 minutes to set up a big halftime lead which they turned into a massive 36-point victory, with the scoreline if anything flattering the Tricolours.

Alarm bells are ringing after the Roosters were hammered by the Broncos. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Halves Chad Townsend and Sandon Smith offered nothing in attack and were both found out defensively, with Trent Robinson now facing his toughest test since the brutal 2016 season.

The three-time premiership-winning coach was bullish on Wednesday about their chances this year, but they look a shell of a champion team with so many superstars no longer there.

In another round 1 wake-up call, no team has ever gone on to win the comp after conceding 50 points - leaving some to come to the conclusion their season is now officially over.

The loss also saw the Roosters create unwanted history by becoming the first NRL team to leak 50 or more points in Round 1 since, well another Roosters outfit in 2009.

Roosters’ woes could get even worse

Already without 1278 games’ worth of experience from their 2024 squad, the Roosters will be sweating on the long-term availability of Radley, who failed five HIAs across the past three seasons before a sixth on Thursday night.

The Roosters looked outgunned in every area on Thursday night. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

The club has traditionally been conservative with head knocks.

So while the NRL’s 11-day stand-down policy means he will miss next week at the very least, the likelihood is he could be out for several weeks if not indefinitely.

And it is a blow that they simply couldn’t afford especially ahead of a date with Penrith next Friday.

Fellow edge forward Angus Crichton is also facing a nervous wait after he was placed on report for a late shot on Ben Hunt after he kicked the ball.

Roosters fans may think it surely couldn’t get any worse than Thursday night, but it seems it almost certainly will.

– with NCA NewsWire

Originally published as Ugly Roosters truth laid bare as Chooks’ ‘season over’ after Round 1 demolition