'Light and fluffy' Roosters grounded
"It's over." That was the only positive coach Brian Smith was taking out of the Sydney Roosters' 60-14 shellacking from Canterbury on Sunday.
But also over was what had looked to be the dawn of a new era at the 2009 wooden-spooners, who had won their first two games of the new season in upsets over South Sydney and the Wests Tigers.
"The obvious things about disappointment and embarrassment are there for sure but, from a coaching perspective, it's probably a bit more about ... two swallows not making a winter," Smith said in a colourful post-match press conference.
"Everyone around us might have got themselves a bit carried away including the odd person in the room right now on that side of the table," he added, referring to the media.
"We also looked like a team who'd played three hot Sunday afternoon games who were looking for an umbrella tree, a patio and some nice pina coladas."
Asked if he'd sensed the humiliating defeat was on the cards, Smith said: "I sense that every week, it can happen, I hope that it doesn't.
"We went about our preparation in a really light fashion, (the heat) took a lot out of our guys last Sunday afternoon.
"My experience is if you prepare light and fluffy you tend to play light and fluffy, so we did.
"It was right across the board, we all had the disease, I probably had it myself today to be honest."
The early season heat Smith was referring to also produced a mammoth scoreline at Suncorp Stadium, where Brisbane were upset by the Warriors 48-16.
The Broncos are the Roosters' next opponents and Smith, somehow, expects his side to bounce back.
"I'm thinking they'll respond well," he said.
"I'm a positive sort of bloke and, as glum as today is, I've seen plenty of teams who've turned it around.
"We didn't persevere, we've got to learn how to do that, stick at it for longer, even on the days when the opposition are getting a bit of a good run."
The Roosters might find the Broncos an easier proposition than the rejuvenated Bulldogs, with Ivan Henjak's men now officially among the early season strugglers at 1-2.
Brisbane also have massive injury concerns with Test star Israel Folau to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks after suffering a compound fracture of a finger and winger Denan Kemp with suspected broken ribs.
With Justin Hodges (achilles), Steve Michaels (ankle), Jharal Yow Yeh (knee) and Corey Parker (knee) already on the sidelines, the "baby" Broncos are suddenly looking more like embryos.
"They (the Broncos' players) weren't competing towards the end, that was the most disappointing thing," Brisbane captain Darren Lockyer said of his young side.
St George Illawarra, Gold Coast and Melbourne are now the NRL's only unbeaten sides after three rounds, while the only clubs still searching for a win, Cronulla and South Sydney do battle on Monday night.
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