Roosters coach Trent Robinson says his team better than last year, eyes off preliminary final upset

An upfront battle between two of the NRL’s best enforcers could determine Friday’s preliminary final in Melbourne.

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Nelson Asofa-Solomona shunned interviews this week, unwilling to add fuel to a simmering fire that has been ignited in several on-field clashes between the pair of monstrous Kiwi props.

Their battle in Friday night’s preliminary final at AAMI Park could be match defining as the Roosters look to turn around a horror record against Melbourne Storm and topple the minor premiers at AAMI Park.

But coach Trent Robinson is adamant there’s no “emotional revenge” driving their campaign, having been bundled out of the finals by Storm last year, with enough internal motivators to get them going.

The match could be the last game Waerea-Hargreaves plays in the NRL if the Roosters lose, with the veteran prop set to bring the same physicality that he unleashed against Manly a week ago.

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves was fired up against Manly. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

That was his first game back from a three-week suspension for a high shot, with the rest of the pack feeding off his energy that led to their most dominant performance just days after they were outplayed by Penrith.

Waerea-Hargreaves is set to bring that same aggression against the Storm when he renews his rivalry with the giant Asofa-Solomona, whom he went after in 2022 when they last beat Melbourne.

The Roosters legend spent 10 minutes in the sin bin that night but the ploy worked, with his side able to get on top in the physical exchanges.

“There’s nothing about an individual and the opposition, it’s more about how he goes about playing,” Roosters coach Trent Robinson said.

“Jared idles high when it comes to his intensity, so it’s more about himself than any opposition.

“We just want him to play how he plays, along with the forward pack. There are 10 of the guys that play in the forwards and they know their role.”

Nelson Asofa-Solomona is set to renew his rivalry with Waerea-Hargreaves. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Maintaining the aggression they showed a week ago is crucial for a Roosters side that has lost 10 of its past 11 games against the Storm but did bash them in the 2019 preliminary final when Siosiua Taukeiaho and Asofa-Solomona traded punches on the opening play of the contest.

“I think it’s the key to us. You have a style of play, and when we play at our best, we honour that,” Robinson said.

“We need to hold that intensity about us, and we have the players that enjoy playing at that level. That’s important to our game.

“You focus a bit on the opposition, but being at your best, that’s what it looks like for us.”

Much has been made of the Roosters’ poor record against Melbourne, but they went within two minutes of knocking them out of the finals last year only for Will Warbrick to score a stunning try off a kick to steal an 18-13 victory.

The Roosters don’t have a great record in Melbourne. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

The Roosters fielded a depleted backline that night, but Robinson insists his side is better prepared for Friday’s clash even if they’re missing Sam Walker and Brandon Smith.

“We’re a much better team this year, and I think we’ve proven that on performance,” he said.

“We have a belief in our game style and we’re really settled in that. That’s why it’s really key for us to be really confident in what we do tomorrow night but also execute.

“We’re in a frame of mind where we want to play our style and honour that, and there’s a calmness that goes with that because we’re really clear about our style.

“The past is the past. There are lots of things I’d like to hold onto or get back or do again, but all of that’s a memory.

“We can’t go back and change any of that, but our view on how they play, what’s key to them and what happened on that play are all lessons for what’s next.

“You don’t build it up as an emotional revenge, you build it up as a tactical ploy and how you improve on that.”

Originally published as Roosters coach Trent Robinson says his team better than last year, eyes off preliminary final upset