By Emma Kemp
What is this trickery? This early season twist? In which St George Illawarra, whose defensive intensity has been rescued by Shane Flanagan, becomes the first team this season to concede 50 points? Correction: to concede 60 points.
And what happened to those Sydney Roosters, whose erratic tendencies are already the source of much crisis talk and whose chopping-and-changing halves are not worthy of a top-four finish? How does that narrative play out now that Sam Walker has returned with some facial hair and changed the world?
Where are we with Trent Robinson now that he has resumed the externally unflappable demeanor for which he is traditionally known? In meditation parlance, Robinson has been one to stand behind the waterfall, unaffected by the violent stream of consciousness in front of him. Observing the deluge of ruminations while deliberately choosing not to partake.
In recent weeks, it appeared as if he’d been drawn into the deluge, jumping into the cascade and emerging from the body of water below shaking his fist at the clouds (referees). He had no such reason to do so on Thursday, especially after the bunker overruled an on-field no-try call on Dom Young despite what seemed a textbook double movement.
But, as it stands, Robinson has dried himself off and returned to his position behind the waterfall, watching from a safe distance as the questions about James Tedesco’s viability at fullback plunge and churn in front of him. He had no reason to engage. His Roosters have just beaten the Dragons by 42 points - the biggest margin of the Anzac Day Cup to date.
The Dragons, in the absence of an explanation that makes more sense, appear to have stayed in the bath for too long. It was nice and hot over the past few weeks, and even the first five minutes of this match - Jaydn Su’a’s opening team try would have been the highlight on another day.
Sam Walker (left) finished the game with a personal haul of 24 points including 10 from 10 conversion attempts.Credit: Getty
But after that they didn’t replenish the water, and now it’s lukewarm and they are too. Supersaturated and lightheaded and only realising their fingers are like prunes after Zac Lomax had offloaded needlessly to Ben Hunt and Hunt couldn’t hold onto it and Angus Crichton ran over for the Roosters’ first try.
This is the same Lomax who last week made a personal haul of 14 points against the Warriors, including a two-point field goal. The same Lomax who had five tries from his five previous games. This week he seemed to be introducing some of his teammates to each other for the first time. “X, please do get acquainted with Y at some point over the next 40 minutes. No rush, perhaps just before they hang us on the (towel) rack.”
In this sense, it is difficult to tell if the Dragons were merely tepid or the Roosters were spicy to the point of indigestibility. If the former were a bit off-kilter as soon as Moses Suli was knocked out cold trying to defend Jared Waerea-Hargreaves on the opening kick-off return, or if they fatigued under the pressure of constant opposition possession.
Walker, who returned from a concussion layoff to partner Luke Keary in the halves, was directly responsible for 24 of the Roosters’ 60 points - including kicking 10 from 10 conversion attempts. The 21-year-old was involved in many more. His and Joey Manu’s rush defence must have been unsettling for the Dragons in their direct line of sight because it felt unsettling from the stands.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson is back standing behind the waterfall.Credit: Getty
But despite all of this one-sided action. Even at half-time, when the Dragons were 30-6 down, there was this feeling of potential deception. This was only the first half. Anything could happen in the second. If it did, it wouldn’t be the first time.
On Anzac Day in 2012, the forlorn Dragons supporters who walked out of Allianz Stadium with five minutes to go and their team trailing 24-16, would have missed a mighty finish including that Matt Prior try and then another from Ben Creagh following a seemingly endless attack in the final seconds for a 28-24 win.
Twelve years later, in 2024, the Dragons were 24 points behind at the break with 40 minutes to change it. Five minutes from full-time, some Red V supporters did leave. The only thing they missed this time was confirmation the situation had become substantially more dire. That Robinson is back behind the waterfall and Flanagan is once again reminded of his pre-season declaration that “our focus is 2025”.
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