Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson has conceded his side is simply not up to NRL standard when it comes to completion rates after another loss, this time to the Gold Coast Titans.
In a scrappy game on Friday evening, the Roosters completed just 24 of 42 sets and squandered a 12-8 lead early in the second half, eventually losing 30 points to 12 as the Titans ran on four unanswered tries between the 61st and 78th minute.
The 59 per cent completion rate on Friday evening follows a similarly poor tally against the New Zealand Warriors last weekend, and Robinson admitted his side simply wasn't up to scratch.
“I think we were probably mid-60s last week so if it was high 50s there, that's not NRL standard,” Robinson said during his post match press conference.
“You're going to create opportunities if you play and we're going to create those opportunities, but then pressure is a big part of the way that NRL has played.
“And when you build none, you're not going to get those decision-making errors out of the opposition, where you're going to get the tries.
“We were creating some, but then also giving them a lot of opportunity with our field position through those errors.”
The Roosters, who lost a number of players over the off-season and also are without hooker Brandon Smith and halfback Sam Walker until at least the middle of the season through ACL injuries, have managed just a single win from the first month of competition.
That might have come as a shock against four-time premiers the Penrith Panthers, but between their errors and their defence, Robinson has major questions to answer if he is aiming to keep his Bondi-based outfit in the mix for the finals.
He said his side should have closed out Friday's game against the Titans though, who picked up their second victory on the trot after almost shutting out the Newcastle Knights from the scoreboard last weekend.
“There was lots of opportunities and it would have been nice to finish them off,” Robinson said.
“But I would have liked us to nail 12-8. I think the progression for us as a team is, I think we will create opportunities, but sitting at 12-8 and feeling comfortable with that would have been a really nice thing as well.
“Yeah, it would have been nice to score 30, but what happens if you score 12? Can you keep them to eight through field position and some uncomfortable moments for them, and it ended up a shootout, which they won.”
Captain James Tedesco said the bigger issue is with the club's defence - a typical problem for clubs with young rosters and limited experience, a situation the tri-colours find themselves in this year.
“I feel like we were on top for most of the game,” Tedesco said.
“We were making good meters, we were creating opportunities, but I felt like the score line probably didn't reflect the game, obviously it blew out a bit at the end.
“But I feel like it was right there for us, probably similar to last week, we were right in the game and then momentum shifts a bit at the end that we can't back our D to stop some tries.
“So I feel like it's progressing, we're getting there, we're showing a lot of good signs, but it's not tough enough to grind out these wins at the moment.”
The Roosters will look to pick up their second win of the season next weekend against the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
