The Roosters’ wheels came off at exactly the wrong time. Can they go back to the future?

September 12, 2026 — 1:30pm

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In the “before time” of four weeks ago, when Sam Walker still roamed the field without a moon boot, the Roosters were premiership favourites.

As James Tedesco notes, you don’t exactly forget “the best defensive performance of your season”.

The Tricolours’ stirring 12-6 upset of Penrith on August 13 wasn’t just their most recent victory. It was the club’s biggest win in years, finally shaking the chokehold Ivan and Nathan Cleary had held them in – to the tune of an 11-1 record – in the six-again era.

They rattled Nathan like never before, regularly rushing up on the champion No.7 given Isaah Yeo was sidelined, shutting down Penrith’s attack with goal line defence (occasionally illegal) that harked back to their halcyon 2018-19 premiership-winning days.

Ten days later, the Roosters lost to the Tigers. They’re still yet to fully recover.

Walker went down the following week against the Dolphins, and Trent Robinson chose to cut his losses and rest nine of his best players for the local derby against the Rabbitohs, which they lost by 30.

That Panthers........

© Brisbane Times