NRL 2023: Roosters’ Mitchell Pearce-Cooper Cronk decision should have James Tedesco worried

A disastrous season could lead to one of the biggest decisions in the Roosters’ history. We dissect what has gone wrong for Trent Robinson’s star-studded roster this year - and what will be done to fix it.

James Tedesco. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty

For anyone who thinks the Sydney Roosters would never contemplate making the tough call on the futures of stars such as Luke Keary or James Tedesco, think back to Mitchell Pearce.

Because Pearce was the Roosters’ line in the sand moment that told everyone just how serious this club takes winning.

Under the rule of chairman Nick Politis, the Roosters don’t cop mediocrity let alone failure.

In 2017, the Roosters finished second on the ladder - before ultimately getting knocked out in the grand final qualifier by the Cowboys.

Yet that still didn’t stop them making the brutal decision to bring in Cooper Cronk over the top of one of the club’s favourite sons.

Of course, that paved the way to back-to-back premierships in 2018-19, following Pearce’s move to Newcastle.

But where the Roosters sit right now is a world away from where they ended 2017.

Saturday’s clash against Gold Coast Titans is basically the last chance for the team that currently sits 14th on the ladder to keep their finals hopes alive.

If the Roosters lose this game, not even NASA could work out a formula to get them into the top eight.

Yet regardless of Saturday’s result, there is just no hiding from this season being a car crash by the Roosters’ lofty standards.

And there has to be some huge calls on the horizon when it comes to the futures of some of the club’s biggest stars.

Two-time Roosters premiership-winning halfback Cooper Cronk. Picture: Brett Costello

TEDESCO V MANU

The Roosters have two of the NRL’s top-five fullbacks but only one can wear the No.1 jumper.

And given Joey Manu is off contract at the end of next season, the star New Zealand international will have clubs lining up to potentially pay him $1m plus if he wants to test the market come November 1.

Manu, 27, is currently on $820,000-a-season, compared to Tedesco’s $1.1m, that puts Tedesco eighth on this masthead’s NRL Rich 100 list, 22 places above his Kiwi teammate.

Yet there is no way of ignoring Tedesco’s struggles this year.

So can the Roosters afford to go another two years with Tedesco at fullback until his current contract expires?

While Manu could well be content continuing in the centres after his failed move to five-eighth this season, the question the Roosters need to answer is whether they are actually getting the most out of Manu’s amazing talent if he stays in the centres another two seasons.

KEARY V WALKER

With a strained ACL knee injury this week ruling Sam Walker out for the season, Keary’s form over the final seven rounds will only be further put under the blowtorch.

We saw earlier this season that the combination between Walker and Keary wasn’t exactly a match made in heaven regardless, with Walker initially dropped to make way for Manu’s move to No.6.

Yet Keary, 31, is off contract at the end of next season, and there would be plenty of clubs more than willing to take over his $850,000 deal if the Roosters went down that path.

Questions also remain if they still see Walker in their long-term future, even though the 21-year-old is contracted until the end of 2025.

Make no mistake, the ongoing make-up of the halves is the biggest issue the Roosters are facing.

Potential recruits off contract for 2025 include Penrith’s Jarome Luai, Brisbane’s Ezra Mam and the Cowboys’ Tom Dearden.

But that’s not for next year and are the Roosters patient enough to go another season with what they have right now?

Though it’s not as if there is another Cronk out there ready to immediately slip in regardless of if the Roosters are willing to go down the same path they did with Pearce.

Who should play fullback: James Tedesco and Joey Manu?

IS SMITH THE ANSWER AT NO.9?

Brandon Smith is on $800,000 and contracted until the end of 2025. But let’s not beat around the bush, he has been hugely underwhelming even allowing for injuries.

And there are again legitimate questions not only if he fits into the Roosters’ culture, but if he should stay at hooker, or move to lock.

The issue with potentially moving Smith is that Victor Radley is contracted until the end of 2027, and Radley belongs at lock, not on the edge where he is currently playing to make room for Nathan Brown.

But outlaying $800,000-a-season to play Smith off the bench is also a massive waste of salary cap space.

You wonder if the Roosters would regret letting Sam Verrills go given he would have been on a fraction of that.

It will make for interesting viewing watching how the now Titans hooker Verrills aims up against his former club. Especially given Jake Turpin has again been named as starting No.9 with Smith on the bench again.

SHOULD SUAALII BE LET GO?

Ever since Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii did his deal with rugby his form has dropped off a cliff. The talk is he could be given an early release at the end of the season.

But even with Dom Young coming from Newcastle, would the Roosters be a better team if Suaalii stayed as well?

They have an outstanding young centre in Robert Toia who is closing in on a return from injury, but the 18-year-old is yet to play NRL.

Remember, Young was already signed well before Suaalii did his rugby deal.

So letting Suaalii go early is a step back unless they can find an instant replacement of a similar standard to take over his $700,000 salary for next year.

Trent Robinson has some big decisions to make. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

WILL CRICHTON BE CUT?

Angus Crichton is the other player who has been an ongoing concern ever since the Australian Test forward returned from last year’s World Cup with his well-documented health struggles.

Crichton is on a reported $620,000 for next year as well.

WHO IS AVAILABLE

The recent revelations that Titans star forwards Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and David Fifita have exit clauses in their contracts has made them the hottest players on the open market.

While Payne Haas is the other big name who has said he wants to test the market for 2025.

No doubt the Roosters, like every club, would have interest in all three.

But the Roosters have already signed Penrith enforcer Spencer Leniu for next season, while veteran Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has been extended for another year.

And bringing more forwards is not still going to fix the biggest issue which relates to the make-up of their all-important spine.