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Click HERE to download the Official Roosters theme song "RoosterMan" in Real Audio format.


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22/9/98 Brisbane prop Andrew Gee was yesterday cleared of a high tackle charge on Roosters prop David Barnhill in the 3rd minute of Saturday's loss to the Broncos. A lack of video footage was the main reason Gee was let off. This means he will be free to play in Sunday's Grand Final.

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20/9/98 The Canterbury Bulldogs have once again come out of the Sydney Football Stadium victorious. This time they came from behind to beat Parramatta in extra time by 32 - 20. This means it will be a Canterbury V Brisbane Grand Final.
Yesterday Phil Gould had this to say about the loss, and he was as dissapointed as all of us.
"No excuses,we made to many mistakes,we dropped to much football and some things when against us.The Broncos played very well,I don't think we would have beaten them where ever we played them on what happen here today.They were far to good on the day and it coincided with a very bad day for us" "I have seen Brisbane do that to lots of sides and we have done it ourselves,I feel sorry for my players ,it must have been mentally terrible for them out there.They could not get a hold of what was happening and it would have been a terrible afternoon for them. They have had a tremendous season,they have won a lot of games,but they didn't deserve to go out like this"

"It was unfortunate,but we had some players who where wounded,the further the game went the more they were found out.We are not going to hide behind this,we knew what injuries we had,but these injuries and the start the Broncos got in both halves of this football game played on our minds and we could not stop the rot"

"I don't know what the possession stats. were,but we never seemed to have the ball,and when we did ,we turned it over,they then found us out in defence and we could not stand up to them."

"We had a concern with Brad Fittler's injury on Friday he had an injection at a Brisbane Hospital,it did not really take,and he was not happy with it,we knew then that we were in trouble with him,that is why Andrew Walker came on to the bench.Andrew was not 100 percent either,but we had to have a fall back for Fittler.
Again,we're not hiding behind the injury factor.I don't think the way we played and the way they played we could have beat them anyway"

"I think this is a far better team than the Bronco teams of the early '90's,their backs are more mature the centres Smith and Renouf are good,it takes a long time to learn those positions properly,the halves Langer and Walters are very good.They have a forward pack that is more stronger,mobile and hardworking than the forwards of the early '90's.They have put together a strong unit"

"Next week is another week,I don't know what the Broncos injury situation is,they had a terrific game today and on the surface it looks like this Sundays game is a play off for second,but you never know.Whoever comes through will stand up to them and put on a show"

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19/9/98 So close, and yet so so far away. The Roosters season ended on a very disappointing note today going down by 48 points to 18 at ANZ stadium. In a hot and cold season for Sydney City this was definately one of their cold games. And for the second season in a row we are left wondering, if only.......

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18/9/98 Three more players have been added to the Australian train-on squad for the end of season Test matches against New Zealand following the losses by Newcastle and Melbourne last weekend. Newcastle duo Paul Harragon and Andrew Johns along with Melbourne’s Robbie Kearns are the players selected to make the train on squad.
Some notable omissions being Matthew Johns, Brett Kimmorley and Robbie Ross. Melbourne’s Glenn Lazarus was not considered due to a hamstring injury.

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17/9/98 Brisbane are expected to make a shock selection at lock forward for Saturday's match against the Roosters. They are expected to name the NRL's top tryscorer, Darren Smith at lock forward. Smith is no stranger to lock forward but he has been in the best form of his career this year playing in the centre's.
If this is what Wayne Bennett decides to do this would mean that Tonie Carroll would move off the wing and into the centre's and Michael Devere would start on the wing.
Also front rower Shane Webcke is in doubt with an ankle injury.

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16/9/98 Brisbane lock forward Peter Ryan was last night suspended for 3 matches which means he will be out for the rest of the season. He was found guilty of a grade 2 careless tackle on Brett Kimmorley last Sunday during their 30 - 6 win over Melbourne.
Michael Hancock will also be out for Saturday's match against us, with a broken finger.
The teams are now up in the Match Preview.

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15/9/98 The flight packages to go and see the Roosters in Brisbane are now $425. It will leave at 8.50am Saturday and depart Brisbane at 7.00pm.

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14/9/98 The following packages have been put together by the Roosters for this Saturday's grand final qualifier with Brisbane at ANZ Stadium :-
Bus: A Bus trip for supporters leaves Friday night at 9pm returning Sunday at 7am.
Cost: Adults: $130 includes reserved seating
Concession: $100 includes reserved seating

A supporters air package leaving Saturday a.m. returning Saturday p.m.
Cost: $450 includes economy airfare, reserved seating and transfers.

Note: Series final packages do not include the Brisbane game. However, anyone holding a series final ticket for Sunday 20th September will be given a free bonus ticket to the Brisbane game by showing it at the Ticketek office at ANZ Stadium.

Please contact the Roosters Marketing on 9386-3222 to book on either trip.

If you would like to purchase a ticket separately, tickets will be available from ticketek on a first come first serve basis.
Cost $25 (plus booking fee) (no concessions) - Behind the goal lines $15 with $10 concessions (plus booking fee).

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13/9/98 Brisbane have beaten Melbourne easily by 30 points to 6 at the Sydney Football Stadium today. This result means that the Roosters game next weekend will be on Saturday at ANZ stadium in Brisbane. We have not had one home semi-final this finals series and I find this very unfair. Especially when teams such as Brisbane (who have lost a game) get two home semi finals. You can Email the NRL with your thoughts at Reception@nrl.com.au or ring them on
(02) 9339 8500.

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12/9/98 In todays game the Newcastle Knights were defeated by the Canterbury Bulldogs in overtime. The final score was 28-16 but did not reflect how close the game really was. The Knights led early by 16 points to 0 and once again choked in the second half. This result means that next week Parramatta will play Canterbury either at the SFS or at ANZ in Brisbane.

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11/9/98 The NRL yesterday confirmed that the grand final and Sydney's State of Origin fixtures for the next three years would be played at the Olympic Stadium at Homebush.
With a capacity of 110,000, a sell-out at the stadium would break the world record for a league crowd set in 1954 when 102,569 packed into Odsal Stadium in the northern English town of Bradford for the Challenge Cup final.

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10/9/98 This following letter was sent to NRL chief executive Neil Whittaker by Sydney City's General Manager Richard Fisk just yesterday.

Dear Neil,

I write to officially protest at the manner in which the supporters of the Sydney City Roosters have been treated during the NRL semi-final series.

Whilst our Chief Executive Bernie Gurr has written to formally highlight issues relating to the unfairness of the finals series, it is critical our fans are not forgotten.

The semi-finals series was supposed to be an NRL event played at selected teams home grounds - Not a home game where visiting fans and clubs were stripped of their dignity.

For the Melbourne semi-final, we had to fight for our team to be announced, our club song played when the players took the field and a short video. They claimed it was a home game until brought into line.

With the Roosters minimal ticket allocation, on the Wednesday before the game I purchased an extra 20 for bus travellers, only to be advised Melbourne Storm had taken the balance of the tickets off the system, and our fans would have to sit isolated in another part of the ground.

Many of our fans travelled 12 hours each way on a bus to attend this game and were slugged $29 admission ticket.

I chose to sit with these fans in Melbourne as they had endured so much to be there. Be assured their stories of abuse are not over exaggerated.

The Newcasatle game was a disgrace with all 6,000 grandstand seats being sold to Novocastrians.

Only after protest from myself were 250 tickets allocated at each end, on wooden planks with a lousy view. These were sold in several hours. Our fans could not fit onto the seats in this caged area and many sat on the steps.

How do you think I felt when telling several elderly life long supporters not to go to Newcastle because they didn't have an undercover reserved seat and we couldn't guarantee safety?

Surely, 3500 reserved seats should have been allocated for Newcastle, 500 the NRL and 2,000 for Roosters fans.

We are told our semi-final may be in Brisbane! You are advising fans the clubs voted for this. We didn't! Our Chief Executive Officer, Bernie Gurr was advised it was happening, he did not vote.

Neil, on behalf of every Roosters supporter we ask for a fair go!

Many have purchased series final tickets without perhaps seeing their team and if they travel to Brisbane will have to purchase another seat.

Additionally, they will miss the Sunday Sydney semi-final as they will be travelling.

On a positive note, this club has been given great support by Graham Annesly and Peter Jourdian. The trouble was, the horse had bolted and by the time they were involved.

We took our last home game to Wagga Wagga to help promote the game in the country NSW. For our last 3 games fans have travelled to Wagga Wagga, Melbourne, Newcastle, bought finals series tickets and suffered the worst seating in the ground.

Think of the financial cost for our fans, particularly families. Many are not wealthy people, they just love rugby league, the Roosters and are the heart and soul of our game.

Fans have phoned the NRL on 9339-8500 to complain and unfortunately, reports back indicate many have been treated unfairly and in some cases rudely. These are frustrated people, not idiots.

We await your response to these issues of concern for our supporters.

Kind Regards,

Richard Fisk
General Manager
Marketing & Media

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9/9/98After ringing the NRL to complain today I was advised to email them with my thoughts at Reception@nrl.com.au . I advise you all to do the same. Let them know how big a mistake they have really made.
Roosters boss Burnie Gurr had plenty to say on the way the team was being treated by the NRL.
"We had to play the number three seed at home and we won; we had to play the number two seed at home and we won, now we might have to play the number one seed at home," Roosters boss Bernie Gurr said yesterday.
"That's hardly a fair path to the grand final."
"I'm disappointed for the fans, not just ours but all the fans in Sydney. There hasn't been a lot of finals football played here when it's the traditional heartland of the game," Gurr said.
He said he would lodge an official complaint with the NRL even though he knows there will be no changes to the schedule.

Brisbane Chief Executive Shane Edwards had this to say: "I hear all this criticism of taking a game to Brisbane and I think the Roosters are motivated by self-interest. I'll accept the criticism after the event if it's not successful but not before it,"

Saying the Roosters are motivated by self-interest....now let me think back not to far.... wasn't it the Brisbane Broncos that started a new competition, a so called "Super League" to suit themselves! Thats right, so it was! Funny how the tables turn, and these comments by Mr Edwards will make the Roosters victory over them in two weeks time even sweeter!

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8/9/98 Here's what Brad Fittler and Phil Gould had to say about our Grand Final qualifier being swapped from Sunday the 20th of September at the Sydney Football Stadium to Saturday the 19th of September at ANZ Stadium.
Fittler said:"It's ridiculous, It's rude, really. I can't see how it's right. If we do get to the grand final we'll be pretty stuffed by then."
Gould said: "We've got no control over what happens. The people who suffer are the Sydney fans who follow the game. These (the NRL) are the people who are taking the game to the people. They're doing a good job, aren't they?"

The Players Gallery has also been updated.

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7/9/98 Sydney City officials yesterday fired in an angry protest to the National Rugby League after weekend results left us the possible task of having to win a third away finals match on the road to the grand final.
If the Broncos win this weekend against the Storm, they will host the Roosters on September 19 in the first grand final qualifier (In Brisbane). The Roosters have already won finals in Melbourne and Newcastle.
"I have spoken to [NRL operations manager] Brad Levy about the situation but he tells me the decision has been made," said Sydney City chief executive Bernie Gurr.
What a joke!!! There seems to be one rule for Brisbane and another rule for the rest of us!!! Why don't Brisbane play this Saturday's match against Melbourne at ANZ instead of the Sydney Football Stadium!!! All Roosters supporters should get out to the SFS this weekend and cheer on the Storm!!! AND you can ring the NRL to complain on (02) 9339 8500

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6/9/98 The Roosters have staged one of the all time great comebacks to beat Newcastle by 26 - 15. The team was down by 15 points at half time with nothing going their way. After some reasuring words from coach Phil Gould and a blasting to playmaker Adrian Lam they came out as a different side, blowing a tired Newcastle pack away. The full match report will be up this afternoon. This win entitles the Roosters to a week off and a well earned one at that. The only dissapointment to come out of the game was that Brad Fittler has a suspected broken rib. He will undergo X-rays today and we will keep you informed.

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4/9/98 Jason Lowrie and Justin Dooley have been named in the President's Cup's side to play this weekend. They may or may not take part in first grade against the Knights.

We thank all of you for sending us E-Mail regarding the above RoosterMan Song not working and we apologise for the delay. We have now fixed it so feel free to download it today!!

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2/9/98 David Barnhill has been named in the starting line up for Saturday night's huge calsh with Newcastle. It has once again been rumoured that Andrew Walker, Jason Lowrie and Justin Dooley may be back, whether they are in first grade or not is another matter.
The teams are now up in the Match Preview.

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1/9/98 The referee for this Saturday nights game against the Knights will be Steve Clark. For those of you interested in going to the game in the supporter bus, tickets are on sale at Easts Leagues Club. If you just want tickets, they are also available. Ring Easts on (02) 9386 3248.

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31/8/98 David Barnhill has been cleared from another fractured arm after undergoing x-rays this morning. He is expected to miss Saturday night's clash with Newcastle, but only as a precaution.
Meanwhile Ivan Cleary now needs just 4 points to tie Parramatta's Mick Cronin's alltime record for points in a season. Cronin scored 282 in 1978. Cleary currently has 278. It has been a great season for Cleary and he thoroughly deserves to be in the record books.
The Players Gallery has also been updated.

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30/8/98 The Roosters have beaten the Melbourne Storm comprehensively by 26 points to 12. Although the game wasn't a 'must win' situation it kept the Roosters second chance intact and as Brad Fittler said "We had something to prove". They now play the Newcastle Knights at Marathon stadium on Saturday night.

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29/8/98 Some great news for the Roosters is that David Barnhill and Jason Lowrie are all expected to make shock recoveries from injury in time to play in the match tomorrow.
Melbourne skipper Glenn Lazarus has been ruled out with a hamstring injury for tomorrow's clash at Olympic Park.

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28/8/98 Jason Croker, Ben Kennedy and Ken Nagas have all been ruled out with injury for tonights sudden daeth clash with Manly at Bruce Stadium.

Last night Andrew Johns was named Dally M Player of the year. This is the first ever time a Newcastle player has ever won the award.
Brad Fittler was named five - Eighth of the year, while Chris Anderson was coach of the year, Mark McLinden was named rookie of the year (no suprise) and Jason Taylor got captain of the year.

The Australian selecters have named a squad that comprises of players whose club duties ended last weekend. Others will join the squad as their teams are booted out of the premiership race.
The players that have been selected are Tim Brasher (South Sydney), Jamie Goddard (Gold Coast), David Peachey (Cronulla), Mat Rogers (Cronulla), Russell Richardson (Cronulla), Trent Barrett (Illawarra), Paul McGregor (Illawarra), Rod Wishart (Illawarra), Ryan Girdler (Penrith) and Craig Gower (Penrith).

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27/8/98 Sydney City Roosters marketing have placed an advertisement in Big League Magazine for all Roosters fans to write in with their name and address etc so that the club can keep in contact with them. I will send out more details to you all tomorrow.

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26/8/98 Luke Ricketson (knee) and Scott Gourley (ankle) have been named in the squad to play Melbourne on Sunday but are in doubt with injury.
Have a look at the teams in the Match Preview.

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25/8/98 For the supporters who wish to make the trip down to Melbourne for Sunday's clash with the Storm, the club has organised a number of packages :-

Bus Package
Departs: Saturday 29/8/98. 10pm from Easts Leagues Club.
Arrives: Approx. 10am Sunday morning.
Return: Departs Olympic Park at 7pm Sunday 30th August.
Arrives: Approx. 7am Monday morning.
Cost: $135 adults, $105 children.
This includes a reserved seat in the grandstand.

Flight Package
Departs: Sydney Airport, 8:00am, Sunday 30th August.
Return: Departing Melbourne Airport, 7:30pm, Sunday 30th August.
Cost: $375. This includes flight, transfers and reserved seat in the grandstand.
Contact the club for more information on Tel:(02) 9368 3248 or Fax:(02) 9387 8554.

The meet the players BBQ that was washed out and postponed is now on:
Date: This Monday 31st August, 1998
Time: 5pm Open training session, 6pm Meet the players BBQ
Venue: ES Marks field, Anzac Parade, Kensington.

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24/8/98 We now have "Rooster Man" the Official Sydney City Roosters theme song online for your listening pleasure! It is in RealAudio format for you to download. Anyway, here it is: RoosterMan!

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