2010 NRL Season Preview - Sydney Roosters

The 2009 Sydney Roosters resembled a group of high school graduates on a 'gap year'. A bunch of backpackers rather than a 1st grade football team.

Craig Fitzgibbon couldn't quite get the boys motivated for last year. Here's why...

 The Roosters adopted the following backpackers travel itinerary, which replaced their fixture card for season 2009:

1. Land at Heathrow
2. Drinks every night to settle in. (read 'pre-season training')
3. Jump on a train to Prague for more drinks. (read 'away game at Brisbane')
4. Head back to our pad in London for a party. (Read 'Coogee Bay Hotel')
5. Over to Amsterdam for the long weekend. (read 'Central Coast Hotel which apparently had no ensuites')
6. Back to London to work in a pub. (read 'Bondi Hotel during the bye weekend')
7. Over to the Greek Islands. (read 'away game against Melbourne')
8. Visit Rome and Paris for a taste of European culture. (read 'Canberra and the Gold Coast')
9. E-mail Mum and Dad asking for more money. (literal)

The Roosters 'gap year'? Photo from SMH website and I couldn't resist using it. So apt.

Mitchell Pearce asking father Wayne for some holiday spending money.

This Roosters team started their 'end of season trip' in about April, 2009 and in charge of festivities was a more than capable Brad Fittler. Now they are back from holidays and about to start Uni with a new professor: Brian Smith.
The party is over for these blokes - imagine the difference between Smith and Fittler? If you'll permit another vague analogy, this must be like when your regular teacher comes back from a sick day. The substitute teacher was just killing time and you took full advantage. The 2009 Roosters team did just that.

So many questions about this fantasy classroom:
Were Nate Myles and Jake Friend the two class clowns? One got suspended, the other expelled.

Brisbane players begging Nate Myles to hold it in.

Was Braith Anasta the class nerd? I can picture him drinking breezers and heading home early.
Was Willie Mason the serial truant? Absolutely, and when not recovering from knee surgery last year, Willie's ADHD must have been a great source of entertainment during bonding sessions.
Moving on to this year:
Is new signing Jason Ryles the missing link for 2010? In more ways than one.
Will Todd Carney be banned from another city apart from Goulburn? He can’t possibly get into any trouble living in the Eastern Suburbs!!!
One final question...

Will Roosters fans once again turn out in record numbers for 2010?

Tip - The Roosters begin their re-education this year and will be better for it. They finish outside the 8 but fans will find out which players are fairdinkum.
X Factor – Mitchell Pearce is a star who will be better off listening to Brian Smith's advice as opposed to a slurring Freddy Fittler.
Premiership odds - $26.00. This year is not about premierships for the Bondi club.
Breakout season - Ciriaco Mescia. He is our tip to be a truly inspiring figure as High Performance Manager for the Roosters this year. For those of you who remember ‘Cherry’… you’ll know he was always about 'High Performance' as shown in these career statistics.