Grand Final > Storm v Roosters

[Frank Facer]

How St George Illawarra sparked the Roosters premiership run

• Cameron Mee

Local Sport

Man-handled: James Tedesco. Picture: NRL Imagery/Gregg Porteous.
St George Illawarra fans remember Anzac Day 2018 fondly.

It was the day the Dragons revealed themselves as genuine NRL premiership contenders.

And it was the day Roosters fans hit the panic button after a 24-8 drubbing in which the team's star-studded attack looked lost.

The Dragons forward pack monstered the Roosters for the entire match, with Tariq Sims seemingly honing in on a target painted on halfback Cooper Cronk's chest.

Sims was supported by the remainder of the Dragons pack, with Jack de Belin and Paul Vaughan rocketing into State of Origin contention on the back of an outstanding defensive performance.

The Roosters controlled possession and territory for large portions of the game, yet there was no way through the Dragons defensive wall.

The fallout to such a disappointing Roosters performance on such a big stage was swift, with Roosters consultant Andrew Johns pulling no punches in his criticism of the team's attack.

Now having won the 2018 NRL premiership with a 21-6 victory over the Storm, fullback James Tedesco, one of the team's prized recruits, concedes Anzac Day was the first time he feared the pieces of the Roosters attacking puzzle were not going to fit.

“Obviously you look at our team and we’ve got talented players all over the park, it did take a while to get clicking,” Tedesco said.

“Me and [Luke] Keary after Anzac Day, we looked at each other and thought ‘oh this isn’t how we planned it.’ So me and Keary were a bit, we didn’t know [if the attack was going to come together].”


The defeat forced the Roosters into wholesale changes to their attacking structures, with coach Trent Robinson admitting after Sunday's grand final that the team completely overhauled their game plan.

Tedesco, who is set to make his Kangaroos debut in a fortnight, said Cronk was a pillar of calmness throughout the entire period, never doubting that the team's attack would come together in the second half of the season.

“Throughout the whole year, even when we weren’t playing good, he [Cronk] was the settling voice in our team.

“He was the one who said, ‘the more we practice, the more we train, the more we know each other’s strengths and roles, that will get us there.’

“With his experience, he said ‘I’ve been in this game for 14 years, so let’s just keep practicing, keep training together and it will come’ and that’s pretty much what happened.”


https://www.illawarramercury.com.au...-sparked-the-roosters-premiership-run/?cs=302

I say that we definitely should be making enquiries about getting Cronk involved as part of our coaching staff when he retires. At the very least, he could take on a Andrew Johns type role, that he does at Easts.

Phil Gould referred to him as an on field coach in the grand final.

I think Cronk would have made a great 5/8 in Union.

 

[getsmarty]

I say that we definitely should be making enquiries about getting Cronk involved as part of our coaching staff when he retires. At the very least, he could take on a Andrew Johns type role, that he does at Easts.

Phil Gould referred to him as an on field coach in the grand final.

I think Cronk would have made a great 5/8 in Union.

His wife was a Dragons fan prior to him joining Roosters.

 

[Gareth67]

I say that we definitely should be making enquiries about getting Cronk involved as part of our coaching staff when he retires. At the very least, he could take on a Andrew Johns type role, that he does at Easts.

Phil Gould referred to him as an on field coach in the grand final.

I think Cronk would have made a great 5/8 in Union.

Frank , that would be tremendous if they could hook him - the prize catch ! The man would be worth his weight in diamonds , not gold , but diamonds.

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

His wife was a Dragons fan prior to him joining Roosters.

His wife sounds like a keeper.

 

[ouryears]

Frank , that would be tremendous if they could hook him - the prize catch ! The man would be worth his weight in diamonds , not gold , but diamonds.

When is the last time a non old boy ever had any position of anything at our boys club?

Creeping, and even then they refused him a 5 yr contract.

I cannot imagine this changing, the culture of old boys is deep seated and will take an alien attack of some sort to wipe it out.

I see Cronk in the media, fox or the like.

 

[SEAT 1A]

I see Cronk in the media, fox or the like.

Cronk's in a ideal position to elect to go into Fox or Nine, can give more than Locky giving the weather condition or how the team is going at half time.

Would presume he could negotiate a similar wage against an assistance coach non could I see him coaching anywhere other than MEL or now the Chocks.

 

[Datramp]

Cronk's in a ideal position to elect to go into Fox or Nine, can give more than Locky giving the weather condition or how the team is going at half time.

Would presume he could negotiate a similar wage against an assistance coach non could I see him coaching anywhere other than MEL or now the Chocks.

Or he could do both like Andrew Johns.

 

[ouryears]

The grand final, who won?
Within 2 days Of the game i had to try to remember......
That’s how much that game had care factor
Like Alien VS Predator
2 opponents I wished just ate each other