Monday Buzz: Alarming disciplinary statistics threaten Sydney Roosters’ NRL premiership push

A lack of discipline or victims of reputation? An analysis of the disciplinary records of all 17 NRL clubs after 14 rounds reveals the Sydney Roosters are the most ill-disciplined side in the competition.

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves challenges a penalty. Picture: NRL Photos

Lack of discipline is again the biggest threat to the Roosters winning the premiership this year.

An analysis of the disciplinary records of all 17 clubs after 14 rounds reveals they have made more infringements (combined penalties and set restarts) than any other club.

They have also had 13 players charged by the match review committee – which is second only to the Wests Tigers with 17.

This has been a common theme at the club, despite winning three premierships, since Robinson started at Moore Park back in 2013.

In almost seven out of 10 games they have lost the penalties.

That’s 204 times from 297 games (69 per cent).

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves challenges a penalty. Picture: NRL Photos

This year’s statistics at the premiership halfway mark throw up some interesting points:

● The Bulldogs run a close second to the Roosters for infringements, headed by renowned niggler Reed Mahoney, the most heavily penalised player in the game.

● The Warriors are the most disciplined side. They have conceded the least amount of set restarts (none against Storm on Saturday) and have had only two match review charges all year – and no suspensions.

● The Wests Tigers have had nine players sin binned, 17 charged and six suspensions – by far the worst record of any of the clubs. They finally kept all players on the field at Leichhardt on Saturday afternoon and got a rare victory.

● The Rabbitohs are the second worst in sin bins with a total of seven – plus the two on Friday night against the Broncos.

● The Cowboys have conceded more set restarts than any other club.

● The Dolphins, Titans, Broncos and Warriors had only one player sin-binned in the first 14 rounds.

But back to the Roosters.

Some might suggest they are often targeted by referees because of the reputations of Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Victor Radley and their uncompromising style.

On Saturday night they again lost the penalties 9-4.

Check out a replay of the Joey Manu tackle on Parramatta Eels forward Kelma Tuilagi. Manu’s shot was clearly no worse than chest high.

Tuilagi took a dive and poor old Chris Butler fell for it something shocking.

In a tight contest it could have been a costly blunder.

The Roosters penalty counts are an interesting story in that Robinson has always had pride in the quality of football the Roosters can produce.

That they not a bash-up side but prefer to play an adventurous and attractive brand of football in the spirit of the game.

Robinson spoke of his frustration on Sunday.

“I’ve talked to them (NRL) about it,” he said.

“We’ve worked so hard on our discipline and we’ll continue to work hard.”

I spoke to the NRL’s Head of Football Graham Annesley about the Roosters record a few years ago.

“Any suggestion that there has been some sort of sustained agenda against any club over such a long period of time across multiple administrations, multiple referees coaches, and a constant rotation of referees in and out of the NRL, is simply false,” he said.

Yet it keeps happening every year.

Same referees, same club, same issues.

Originally published as Monday Buzz: Alarming disciplinary statistics threaten Sydney Roosters’ NRL premiership push