The clearest sign the Roosters partied deep into Sunday night after their grand final triumph over Newcastle came from playmaker Daly Cherry-Evans just after 10am on Monday, in front of a few thousand fans at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
“Thank you very much for everyone supporting tonight,” Cherry-Evans said from behind dark sunglasses.
asserted
Evans → partie → sunglasses
“We’ll see you in the Clovelly [hotel] soon.”
asserted
We → see → hotel
In Cherry-Evans’ mind, the magic of Sunday night hadn’t quite ended.
asserted
magic → end → night
Fronting up for a grand final takes little motivation, but plenty of resilience was shown by Roosters players – male and female – after their dual premiership wins at Accor Stadium on Sunday.
asserted
plenty → front → Sunday
A public holiday in Sydney gave several thousand Roosters supporters the chance to descend on Moore Park and catch a glimpse of players looking a little the worse for wear.
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holiday → give → wear
Late on Sunday night, they’d rolled into the Eastern Suburbs Leagues Club after starting celebrations at the ground.
asserted
they → roll → ground
Soon-to-be Waratah Angus Crichton, who was filmed wearing a rooster mask at one point during the night, fronted up with an alcoholic Hard Rated drink in his hand and premiership rings on his fingers.
asserted
who → film → fingers
Roosters enforcer Lindsay Collins was still sporting his jersey from the previous evening as he sipped Japanese lager in the sun alongside his teammates.
asserted
he → sport → teammates
Some players still had ski goggles hanging around their necks.
asserted
goggles → have → necks
Mark Nawaqanitawase took the microphone and thanked fans for their support during his memorable two-year journey at the Roosters ahead of a stint in Japanese rugby in 2027 and 2028.
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Nawaqanitawase → take → 2027
“See you in 2028,” yelled one fan, as another implored the try-scoring machine to “come back” to the club.
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another → see → club
“Ask Robbo,” Nawaqanitawase replied.
asserted
Nawaqanitawase → ask → Robbo
While the turnout wasn’t quite what it would have been in Newcastle had the Knights made the most of a 12-point first-half lead, the Roosters faithful were delighted by the players’ efforts to show their faces.
asserted
faithful → make → faces
Women’s coach John Strange, operating on zero sleep, happily obliged when asked for an impromptu breakdance on stage, while Trent Robinson was less forthcoming but eventually got into the spirit with a five-second demonstration of his best moves before exiting stage left.
asserted
Robinson → operate → moves
From there, both teams boarded a private double-decker bus normally reserved for tourists, with no signs of the party slowing down.
asserted
party → board → signs
With cars and motorbikes beeping their horns and onlookers trying to catch a glimpse of their heroes, the bus travelled down Anzac Parade before turning right onto Moore Park Road and passing the Roosters’ home ground, Allianz Stadium.
asserted
bus → beep → ground
Nawaqanitawase, on the top deck of the open-air bus, stood up at one point and was nearly collected by an overhanging tree.
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Nawaqanitawase → stand → tree
Some players waved regally to those at street level.
asserted
players → wave → level
The bus zigzagged its way through the eastern suburbs and into Bondi for what was expected to be further celebrations of the club’s first NRL title since 2019 and third NRLW premiership in six seasons.
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what → zigzag → seasons
There will be player movement at the Roosters in the coming months, which is why this party will be one to savour.
asserted
party → come → months
Men’s players Nawaqanitawase and Crichton are off to rugby, Cherry-Evans is heading to English Super League and Connor Watson will join the Dragons.
asserted
Watson → head → Dragons
In the women’s team, Millie Elliott and Corban Baxter are both now officially retired from the NRLW competition.
asserted
Elliott → retire → competition
Spencer Leniu has also most likely played his last game for the club, with Parramatta flagged as his next destination.
asserted
Parramatta → play → destination
For one last day, though, the premiership band was still together – and nobody seemed in any hurry for this party to end.
asserted
party → seem → hurry
The Aporia
