NRL great ‘really surprised’ by Roosters struggles, one move that ‘hasn’t worked’

The Sydney Roosters’ underwhelming season is at a crossroads and an NRL great says one key move just hasn’t worked.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 07: Joseph Manu of the Roosters passes the ball during the round 10 NRL match between Sydney Roosters and North Queensland Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium on May 07, 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Are the chooks cooked?

That’s the questions many rugby league fans are asking at the midway point of the NRL season as the Sydney Roosters endure an underwhelming season.

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After 14 rounds, the Roosters are in ninth on the ladder but are only two wins behind competition frontrunners the Panthers and Broncos.

The Roosters have a 6-6 win-loss record but have looked nothing like the team that won back-to-back premierships in 2018-19.

Injuries to Sam Walker have kept the young gun out of the line-up and forced a reshuffle in the halves, with Joey Manu moving from the centre to five-eighth.

Manu enjoyed a career-best season last year and was named at centre in the Dally M team of the year.

But the 26-year-old’s move to the No. 6 jersey in the halves alongside Luke Keary hasn’t worked wonders for the Roosters.

“I’m not sure the Manu to five-eighth positional change has worked,” Fox League’s Michael Ennis told news.com.au.

Joey Manu’s move to five-eighth hasn’t worked for the Roosters. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

“I love him. We all do. We all know what he’s capable of and he’s done a great job at times filling in at five-eighth. But it’s a different role than fullback, where he’s come in for (James) Tedesco at different times to play fullback and been unbelievable.

“But playing five-eighth, I think they’ve got two guys who are really dominant ball runners who love the ball in their hands, in Tedesco and Manu.

“Therefore I don’t feel like they’ve had that flow with their attack because both those guys are so used to getting the ball in different positions and now it just looks like it’s different. “Everyone was saying ‘Joey can go in there he’s a great ball runner’. And he is, but when you’ve got guys like (Joseph) Suaalii, Tedesco on the fringes that need the footy in their hands, it probably just hasn’t moved as crisp and as fluently as we’ve seen the Roosters attack in recent years.”

“Therefore the ball hasn’t got to Teddy in those positions that he’s probably been on the fringes, where he’s attacked before.

“I don’t think Joey’s had the space and the time that they may have thought by going to No. 6. To me, they just lack a bit of rhythm in attack.”

James Tedesco is chasing his best form. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

On paper, the Roosters have one of the most talented rosters in the NRL, but there’s a sense they have underachieved with the players they have.

So are the chooks cooked in 2023?

“No, they’ve got too much quality there,” Ennis said.

“I must say I’m really surprised. I’m really surprised at where the Roosters are at.

“Some key players are down on confidence, players I thought I’d never see down on confidence just because of how good they are.

“Interesting time for Trent Robinson and the Roosters. I still say they’ll play finals, they’re too good a side not to.”

The Roosters play Penrith on Saturday in what will be a mid-season litmus test for the tricolours.

It will also see James Tedesco face off against Panthers No. 1 Dylan Edwards in a clash of two of the NRL’s best fullbacks.