Trent Robinson maintains that the Sydney Roosters made the correct decision in letting go of in-form players Terrell May and Sitili Tupouniua, with the coach standing firm despite a challenging beginning to the NRL season.
On Thursday, Robinson announced that Hugo Savala has been named as the Roosters' fourth rookie set to make his debut in their round-two match against Penrith. Prop Lindsay Collins will be absent from this game due to illness.
In 2024, the Roosters tapped May and Tupouniua on the shoulder, and they both stood out in their first match for their new clubs.
May ran for the most metres of any forward in Wests Tigers' tight loss to Newcastle before Tupouniua had two tries from the bench as Canterbury held off St George Illawarra.
The performances coincided with the weekend when the Roosters became the first team since 2009 to allow 50 points in round one, losing 50-14 against Brisbane at their own ground.
Analysts predict a potential decline in performance for the consistent challengers this season due to the exits of Luke Keary, Joey Manu, Joseph Akuuse Su'aaliili, and Jared Warea-Hargreaves.
However, the Roosters remained steadfast in their decision to willingly include May and Tupouniua in the departure to create opportunities for younger players to secure consistent spots in the senior team.
"Definitely," Robinson said.
People will have their views on that, which is okay. However, that decision was ours, and we are firm about our direction.
Robinson was delighted to witness his previous students excelling at new places.
"Often, you continue to stay in touch with many of the players who depart," he stated.
You consistently hope they perform excellently, to bring out their finest since you observe what transpires beyond the player’s performance—more than just what happens on the pitch.
The Roosters won't find things getting simpler following their defeat at the hands of the Broncos, as they face an even tougher challenge on Friday against Penrith, who haven’t lost to them in their past ten matches.
The Roosters will have to confront Premiership rivals Brisbane and Penrith twice more before they get their first week off in round 10.
However, Robinson was not convinced that the Roosters should anticipate a decline in their performance this season following the loss of over 1000 games worth of experience during the summer.
He stated, 'I prefer not to take that stance; I believe it’s not an appropriate perspective.'
It's important to be truthful about your current situation, yet avoid predicting how tough the future might be.
I'm certain we will enhance our performance every month.
Robinson has already backed up his talk with action by giving NRL debuts to Salesi Foketi, Rob Toia, and Taylor Losalu following the departures of May and Tupouniua.
Up next for the team, homegrown player Savala progressed from the junior ranks as a half-back but might also see some action in the forward line when facing the Panthers.
"He's moved from the wings to the front row in every training session we've had, giving him the ability to sit on the bench tomorrow evening," Robinson stated.
The 194-centimetre tall 22-year-old has slim chances of playing in the halves unless either Sandon Smith or Chad Townsend gets hurt during their match against the Panthers.
"Training him has been wonderful; he’s injected so much vitality into our team," Robinson stated.
Billy Smith, an unlucky center recovering from hip and ankle injuries, will come back through the NSW Cup on Saturday.
