Anasta and Harrison - Good or Bad decisions

[RufusRex]

Serious questions ... have they jumped on board a leaking ship ...

The reason i say this is this:

Stuart inherited a successful club with a dynamic playing roster. Even in 2002 there were so many news stories doing the rounds that Gould was actually training the side and not Stuart ... remember the closed training sessions and the media fights when photos of Gus running training were shown.

2003 to 2005 has Gus Goulds influence in the coaching seeming to wane a little and the player drain really taking a toll. The loss of Fitler was immense.

Now we see players like Hodges and Firman playing like busted arses at the chooks but seemingly able to produce better form away from the tri colours. Hell even Brownie was able to get decent form out of Firman for a whole season.

My points are these - Is Ricky Stuart a dud coach? Will Anasta and Harrison go the way of Firman/Hodges at the Roosters?

 

[bulldog]

It has got to be worry for you guys, theres no doubt Ricky inherited a powerful squad for his first year and they played some fantastic footy under him, but it's been a downward spiral since then.

There was a post somewhere on this site from a Roosters fan suggesting the intensity the Roosters have been playing the game with over the past couple of seasons has finally exacted a toll on them mentally, and I can see where this would be true - no doubt Ricky was a very intense player and maybe his expectations of his squad in this regard have been a little bit high.

 

[Mr Saab]

any team that loses back to back GFs has a lean 2-3 yrs afterwards. Chooks are no different

 

[bulldog]

I don't know of too many precedents to that one Charlie, Tigers are the only one that comes to mind.

 

[RufusRex]

We did after 92/93 ... 96 was an anomoly - we overachieved in that year

 

[Mr Saab]

manly 1982/3 lost...made the semis in 1984, knocked out week one of the semis
1985...knocked out for playoff for 5th
1986...knocked out week one of the semi

balmain 1988/9...made semi 1990, knocked out week one. From then on it was down hill

Stg 1992/3....failedto make the semis 1994. Finished well down the ladder.
1995..made the semis...1996 made the Gf...so they recovered fairly quick...but then went down hill again until they merged

There is evidence of it in AFL too.

 

[Ricky Walford]

And the Drags after '92 and '93

 

[Ricky Walford]

Ignore my last post.

 

[Southernsaint]

Stg 1992/3....failedto make the semis 1994. Finished well down the ladder.
1995..made the semis...1996 made the Gf...so they recovered fairly quick...but then went down hill again until they merged

In 1996 we were playing on passion & emotion. That squad deserved to finish mid-table at the very best but made the Grand Final on guts & willpower. It'd be simplistic to blame 1997 on the cycle in the above posts, the club was torn apart by Super League.

We actually made the finals again in 1998 with a decent squad, certainly a stronger one than '97, but were rorted at home by Steven Clark against C*nterbury.

Anyway, it's an Easts board, so I'll leave it there.

 

[Mr Saab]

i dont blame 1997 on the cycle...i should have stopped at 1995 for the dragons, but wanted to show a team that had managedto get back into a GF after back to backers.
Generally it is the next yr and the yr after that teams play poorly.
Roosters are just adding to this stat.

 

[RoostarGirl]

I think you might be reading a little more into it.

We have had a bad year with injuries and suspensions etc....I'm not too concerned every team has a year where they fall from grace....some more often than others. We had a bad season in 2001 that year we were smashed out of the Semis I think by Newcastle......then to come back and win and 2002 and appear in the 03, 04 Grand Finals. Penrith were great in 2003 where were they the years before that?? and then again this year?? same for Parra in 2001, what happened to them in 2002, 2003 and 2004.....its just footy and its hard to stay at the top.

The Roosters are OKAY, nothing wrong with Sticky or his coaching....just one of those years.

We'll be back...no doubt in my mind.

 

[Mr Saab]

I think the chook will be back in 2006, but the trend of the past 3 GF back to back losers is to have an avg to poor season the yr after...the chooks followed that trend in 2005.

 

[RoostarGirl]

Yeah I agree Charlie, you can't win all the time....I'm happy for other teams to have their time in the sunshine....

 

[Nugby]

To answer RufusRex's question, I don't think that Anasta can said to be boarding a leaking ship. Sticky coached him for Origin and that was what apparently made him join the Roosters. He was impressed by Sticky's training and thought he was "the best coach I've ever played under". Of course Sticky had plenty of time to talk about the under the table pay while they were in Origin Camp but I think that Anasta truly thought Sticky was a great coach so I think there is some merit to the man. Burnout, and the effects of losing successive grand finals, as has been mentioned, would definately play a bigger part.

 

[Wobbygong]

It all comes down to, can Anasta put two decent seasons together in a row? He hasn't managed it in the past, maybe things will change. Without needing to be Einstein everyone knows the Roosters problems are in the halves, Anasta can make a difference here, but by how much we'll wait and see, but for those thinking he can get the team playing as well as it did under Freddy at 5/8 are kidding themselves, Fittler was a one in a generation player.

Front row will also be a problem next year Tonga (the replacement) is very average at best, and Cayless will be sorely missed.

The Roosters will be competitive next year, but they won't be good enough to win it or even make the GF.

 

[m0j0]

The Roosters will be competitive next year, but they won't be good enough to win it or even make the GF.

That's all I want...to be competitive. Don't get me wrong, winning the big one is great, but I'm just happy to have the team turn up each week and to know that every week we're in with a chance. I've tipped against the Roosters 3 times this year (4 counting this week), and unless there's signs of improvement over the coming weeks, I can see myself tipping against them twice more before the season is out. I've not tipped against them that much for a long time.

 

[Nugby]

Wobbygong, Tonga's got very little first grade experience. He may well be a good player next year after actually having an off-season to train. I'm suprised that he's rumoured to be on 150,000 a year though (Andrew Denton). I had expected him to be a bargain.

 

[roosters4life]

Braith Anasta : Played for nsw under Ricky stuart ( roosters coach ) and has great bond with the coach and origin stars like Craig Wing, Anthony MInechello and Craig Fitzibibbon. So adapting to the team wont be a problem. But will he perform?

Ashely Harrison: To play origin while playing for souths is a big achievement and isnt easy to do. He is a very under rated and very skilled player.

My question is what is the haves combination going to be next year with Anasta, Finch and Soward

My predicted side for 2006

1. A.Minichiello
2. A.Roberts
3. R.Cross
4. I.Soliola
5. J.Monaghan
6. Braith Anasta
7. Soward or Finch
8. R.Fa'aoso or A.Tupou
9. C.Wing
10. A.Morley
11. C.Flannery
12.C. Fitzgibbon (C)
13.A.Harrison

BENCH

14.R.Fa'aoso or A.Topou
15.Soward or Finch
16. H.L'estrange
17.George Rose

ONES TO WATCH FOR 2006

Mickey Paea
George Rose
Nigel Plum
Ben Hannant ( if he resigns)
Micheal Lett

 

[bush chook]

Hi, I'm new to this site and I think Roosters4life is right. Lets just wait and see what next year bring in their performance. Lets not try and predicted any improvements with new signing but as they say a change is good as a holiday. Yes, it won't be no holiday for Anasta and Harrison. I've had my reservations in the past about Anasta and Harrison deserves a chance with a better performing team.Good luck boys!

 

[HBG]

At least Harrison can bring the Roosters the WINNING Culture.

17-16
HG