The Sydney Roosters pride themselves on being a club that doesn’t stand still.
Saturday’s elimination final loss to Cronulla exposed glaring weaknesses in their spine.
The Roosters in the off-season prior to 2025 made a lot of big decisions, which included signing Reece Robson and targeting Daly Cherry-Evans when it was clear that he no longer wanted to be with Manly post 2025.
This direction in recruitment has been the shake-up they needed after losing key experienced players.
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Cronulla exposed the dummy-half deficiency
Against the Sharks, the Roosters’ ruck speed often stalled. With the Roosters realising Brandon Smith was not their ideal dummy half and released him mid-season, this position has been hampered with a lack of consistent service in the position that finals football demands.
Cronulla’s line speed overwhelmed slow ball movement, which led to a lot of handling errors by the Roosters, especially in their own half.
Robson’s arrival would immediately change that dynamic.
The Cowboys hooker is among the NRL’s top tacklers, delivers sharp distribution under pressure, and has proven himself on the Origin stage.
Cherry-Evans’ calm kicking game is the missing ingredient
The Roosters’ halves struggled to control territory once Cronulla surged. Cherry-Evans, still one of the league’s premier tactical kickers would bring composure and leadership that Keary and Walker couldn’t consistently provide.
Pairing DCE with Walker allows the young playmaker to focus on his running game, while a veteran with big-match experience steers the side around the park.
Turning Points Highlighted the Gap
Key moments in the Sharks game such as the mistimed fifth-tackle options, defensive gaps around the ruck, and a failure to shift momentum late, underscored the need for steadier hands.
A hooker-halfback pairing of Robson and Cherry-Evans could have provided the control and poise the Roosters lacked when Cronulla seized the game.
The Roosters know their premiership window isn’t infinite. Signing Daly Cherry-Evans on top of their major coup of Reece Robson would be a signal to the rest of the league that the Bondi club intends to climb to the top, not just compete.