Roosters 2023 preview: Sydney juggernauts have a date with prelims
The Sydney Roosters head into another NRL season with a glittering cast of superstars across the park, from the game’s best full-back James Tedesco to the game’s brightest young star Joseph Sua’ali’i. Add a pinch of Cheese to Nutte and things are looking up for the heavyweight club.
Don’t expect injury clouds to hold Roosters back forever.
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Much of the last year was spent waiting for Luke Keary and Sam Walker to reunite at the half, while niggles, punches, punches and serious injuries kept many other big names out of the park in bouts. The team is packed with State of Origin and international stars, but their start-stop combinations over the last year weren’t enough to advance to the provisional finals.
However, this is still largely the team that declined in 2018 and 2019. Most of the moving parts, apart from Cooper Cronk, are still there or nearby.
Funnily enough, after those two premierships, they actually followed up with their worst finals in years – three seasons without making the preliminary round to the previous six after six in a row. The sporty basis keeps a close eye on the Tricolors as they rumble back into Juggernaut mode in the 2023 season.
conclusion of the last year: 6th, 15 wins and nine losses
Last ten NRL campaigns: 6th (qualification), 5th (semi), 4th (semi), 2nd (premier), 1st (premier), 2nd (prelim), 15th, 1st (prelim), 1st (prelim) , 1. (premier)
Estimated line-up for round 1
- James Tedesco
- Daniel Tupu
- Joseph Sualii
- Joseph Manuel
- Jason Paulo
- Luke Keary
- Sam Walker
- Matt Loge
- BrandonSmith
- LindsayCollins
- Egg butcher
- Nat Butcher
- Victor Radley
- Drew Hutchison
- Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
- Siua Wong
- Terell May
Coach: Trent Robinson
Biggest Losses: Sio Siua Taukeiaho, Sam Verrills Biggest Wins: Brandon Smith, Matthew Lodge
This is what 2023 looks like for Sydney
Very good is probably the only answer. Really check out the Roosters roster now — the past few years have been underperforming for this star-studded tricolor outfit, and Trent Robinson isn’t going to let them sit on it forever.
The big news here is that Luke Keary is back. He might not last the length of the season, especially considering his near-permanent concussion problems that made most of his final season horrid, but Sam Walker is another year wiser and is now 20 and gaining weight. Also behind them, whether Walker makes it or not, is one of the biggest and most dangerous backlines in the NRL: Tedesco, Sua’ali’i, Manu, Tupou. Hell, three of those four are international full-backs, two of them in centre.
Up front, too, the Roosters made a big signing in Brandon Smith.
Injuries have been Sydney’s biggest enemies in recent campaigns. With the Cheese now on the hooker likely to end the season and a veritable horde of superstars throughout the park, the Roosters appear poised to return to the top 4.
There’s every chance that the Cowboys, Sharks and Eels will continue to build on the momentum of 2022 and round out the top spots alongside the Panthers, but that’s very unlikely given how many guns the Roosters have to boast of.
Expected end of 2023: 4
The first five: Dolphins (A), Warriors (H), Rabbitohs (H), Eels (H), Storm (A)
TopSport Odds: Premiers $5.50, Make Top 4: $1.55, Make Final 8: $1.14, Miss Top 8: $4.60
minimum score: Make it to the provisional finals.
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