The Roosters have the attacking brilliance to beat any team on their day, but representative hooker Connor Watson says they must find defensive consistency if they are any chance of making the finals and competing for the title.
The famed Bondi Wall has been the cornerstone of the club’s success since Trent Robinson took over as coach in 2013, with the Roosters only conceding 500 points once during that time in the disastrous 2016 campaign.
They have made the finals every year bar 2016, with the current side sitting ninth having already leaked 451 points – the seventh-most in the NRL this season.
That included a run of 119 points in four matches from round 18 onwards, but they steadied the ship and allowed just one try in appalling conditions against Manly last week – the fewest points they’ve conceded in a match since round 9, 2023.
The ninth-placed Roosters now face the Dolphins who are ahead of them on the table by two points but boast a vastly superior for and against, which makes Saturday’s trip to Brisbane feel like a finals game in August.
“We’d obviously like to be entrenched in the eight and playing for the top four,” Watson said.
“But the reality is we need to keep winning to make the finals. For us with a young side, it’s really exciting for everyone to have these important games coming up for us to show what we’re really capable of.
“The Dolphins have been in red-hot form and they can score points from anywhere. Last time we went up to Brisbane and played them during Magic Round, I thought we played well, but the game was probably a bit closer than what it was after halftime.
“Hopefully, we learn from that and defend a bit better.
“Even though the game against Manly on the weekend, the conditions weren’t great and some of the intensity came out of the footy, I thought our goal-line ‘D’ took a step in the right direction.
“For the last month since Origin, that’s probably the thing that’s let us down the most.”
That defensive display against Manly where they absorbed plenty of pressure in the first half and then attacked the hosts through Sam Walker’s kicking game will give them plenty of confidence, but it’s only a starting point.
The best defensive teams are the ones that contend for titles, and Watson accepts that’s what hurt them last year when they leaked 94 points in three finals matches.
“It gives you confidence, but there’s also the reality of the weekend and how wet it was,” he said.
“Manly weren’t going to be able to attack as well as they can, so it’s about understanding (our defence) was good, but we need to keep getting better and attacking with more intensity.
“For us to be the side that we want to be and to do the things that we’ve talked about all year, it’s important for us (to defend well).
“Last year we attacked really well but our defence wasn’t good enough for us to make the grand final and win the comp.
“The big thing for us this year has been our defence, but the last month has been really poor except for the weekend.”
Originally published as ‘The thing that’s let us down the most’: Roosters concede one good defensive performance won’t be enough as they fight for finals spot