Behind the wall and into the storm that will decide the Roosters’ season

8 hours ago 1

With headlines screaming and photographers and cameramen crawling around their $828 million Allianz Stadium digs on Wednesday, the Roosters went behind closed doors.

The Tricolours’ field sessions at their usual Kippax Lake training paddock can usually be spotted by anyone who happens to be driving down Anzac Parade at the right time.

But with the walls closing in, their season on the line and the media looking to kick the story of an NRL scandal along, Trent Robinson’s side took to the city’s most scrutinised turf – training on the Allianz Stadium deck that will be ripped up and completely returfed in a few weeks.

Namely because even a hint of rain this winter has had it resembling the actual Kippax Lake.

In a week when first Victor Radley was dragged into the police investigation of Brandon Smith’s drug supply and betting allegations, and then six teammates and a mid-year golf trip became the talk of rugby league and beyond, Friday can’t come soon enough.

Which is saying something considering the Roosters’ woeful record against Melbourne.

Sydney Roosters captain James Tedesco and playmaker Hugo Savala depart Allianz Stadium after training.

Saturday’s shock loss to Parramatta – when the Tricolours completed at 54 per cent, the worst effort of any side this season – put their top eight claims in jeopardy.

The police drama around one-time star recruit Brandon Smith, and its widening to then take in Radley and co, has kept the Roosters firmly in the gun since.

Smith, who moved across Anzac Parade to the Rabbitohs a few months ago, allegedly contacted a drug dealer to supply his ex-teammate Radley with an illicit substance on June 7, the middle of a King’s Birthday long weekend golf trip to the Sunshine Coast.

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Radley or fellow golf trip participants captain James Tedesco, Chad Townsend, Sandon Smith, Hugo Savala, Zach Dockar-Clay and Egan Butcher.

Roosters forwards Brandon Smith and Victor Radley during their time together at the club.

Radley’s name appeared in a Queensland police summons outlining the allegations against Smith, and the seven Roosters were all part of that long weekend golf trip.

Nonetheless, few things send Sydney’s media scrambling like an NRL scandal.

With South Sydney not playing this weekend and the Roosters one of the game’s genuine glamour clubs, they have been front and centre of the news cycle for the past 48 hours.

Coach Robinson will front cameras and microphones early on Thursday morning as well.

Chairman Nick Politis’s suggestion of a zero-tolerance policy at his club on drug use earlier this year has been mentioned repeatedly throughout coverage of the Smith allegations, and will be on the agenda again when Robinson fronts up.

“My view is if somebody’s caught doing cocaine or leaning over snorting something, we’re going to get rid of them,” Politis told The Sunday Telegraph in January.

“Our stance is zero tolerance. We are very strong on it. Trent [Robinson] is very strong on it.”

How strong Robinson comes out on the whole saga, not least the coverage of his club and players (the Roosters on Tuesday released a terse statement noting the “allegations in written media and on TV”) will be compelling viewing.

So too will be which Roosters team turns up at AAMI Park on Friday night. The difference between the physical, thrilling outfit that trounced Canterbury, and the same players with hands like feet against Parramatta, was as stark as it gets.

Trent Robinson will be the first Roosters figure to speak publicly this week.

Their attack without the concussed Sam Walker paddled and back-peddled against the Eels.

Sandon Smith steps into the halves with an early move to Newcastle or North Queensland next year looming.

And their record against Melbourne is nothing short of dismal. Since 2020, the Roosters have won just one game from 13 against the Storm.

The NRL premiership front-runners are without Harry Grant (suspended), Tui Kamikamica (concussion), Xavier Coates, Eliesa Katoa, Nick Meaney and Josh King (rested), but they’re still warm favourites with the bookies.

A Roosters loss would open the door even further for the Dolphins or even Manly to pinch their top-eight berth. And then a final round clash against Smith and South Sydney awaits. Shouldn’t be much interest in that one at least.

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