The Sydney Roosters are a club which pride themselves on doing things professionally, seamlessly and with a touch of dignity. The outside world might not see them in the same light, but they certainly do.
But David Fifita’s ‘now you see me, now you don’t’ backflip has been a major embarrassment for the Tricolours and their proud chairman Nick Politis. He doesn’t need me to tell him how to run a business and I’m not about to start.
But Fifita mucked the Roosters around so much in initial negotiations Politis wanted to end talks there and then and walk away. His gut instinct – so usually on point – told him the Gold Coast backrower’s reluctance to immediately agree to terms was a sign his heart wasn’t really in the move.
Politis told those around him he wasn’t going to let Fifita continue to sleep on a decision – and then did anyway. The Chooks were desperate to get a kill over three-time premier Penrith and flex their muscle as a club of choice for marquee players. The Roosters pushed on and eventually got their main, picking up a star player at the same time they were pissing off another.
Second-rower Angus Crichton has started the season so well there’s talk of a State of Origin recall. He plays the same position as Fifita yet no one at the Chooks thought it a good idea to give him a heads up of their plans.
It was poor form and Crichton let them know in comments you don’t often see from a premier player. It’s especially rare to hear it from someone at the Roosters, a club which likes to control the message.
