The Broncos legend has made a huge call with the Roosters’ squad being questioned.
Broncos legend Corey Parker has called out the Roosters for letting too much experience leave in 2025 to make NRL finals footy as Brisbane coach Michael Maguire alludes to a big switch for Patrick Carrigan. The Roosters are under plenty of pressure heading into the 2025 season having lost a host of superstars on their roster.
Despite captain James Tedesco still leading them into the next season, the likes of Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Luke Keary left to join the Super League. While Joey Manu and Joseph Suaalii crossed to rugby union.
Overall, the Roosters have lost 1,257 games of experience as coach Trent Robinson scrambles to plug the gaps in the squad. Speculation suggests the Roosters have plenty of room in their salary cap and are looking to make a huge signing in 2026.
Though many feel the Roosters will head into the 2025 season with an underwhelming roster and Parker is one of them. The Broncos and Queensland great claimed he can’t see the Roosters making the top eight in 2025, which will pile pressure on Robinson having failed to prepare for this scenario.
The Broncos great claimed losing 1,257 games of experience is too much for Robinson and Tedesco to overcome with the likes of the Broncos and Rabbitohs expected to get stronger with new coaches at the helm. He was also baffled the Roosters and Robinson had let so much experience go all at once.
“This is not something they are used to. It’s mind-boggling to think they haven’t had a contingency plan in place. The Roosters will not make the top eight. They have lost 1,257 games of experience from last year,” Parker said on SEN Radio.
“They have lost Michael Jennings…retired. Luke Keary, dual premiership player, gone. Joseph Manu, incredible X-factor player, gone. Tyrell May, up and coming middle forward, gone. Joseph Suaalii, unbelievable young superstar, gone…Sam Walker is still out for half of the year with a knee injury.
“Brandon Smith is still out for half of the year…I just don’t understand how the Roosters, who normally have their finger on the pulse for a contingency plan moving forward, have let so much experience go. I just think, a bold prediction from me, they won’t be a part of the semi-final series.”
Michael Maguire considers Patrick Carrigan move
While Parker isn’t too fond of the Roosters’ chances in 2025, he has talked up the Broncos’ hopes with Maguire taking over. The coach has taken the players to a military-style camp to get fit ahead of the competition, despite some backlash to Maguire’s brutal pre-season training.
But Maguire did reveal he is tossing up moving Carrigan to the front-row to help bolster the forwards. “They play a similar role. Look, having Patty play as a front-rower or 13, they are very similar. Carrigan has excelled at the highest level,” Maguire added to Parker on SEN Radio on Monday.
“If you are looking at origin or international level. That is part of my thought pattern. When you have Payne Haas and Patty there, but working on the make-up of the 13…that will be a decision,” Maguire added.
Corey Parker supports Patrick Carrigan shift
Parker was an elite lock during his career having represented the Broncos, Queensland and Australia. And the NRL great admitted it wouldn’t be hard to shift from lock to front-row for Carrigan. This would allow Kobe Hetherington to jump into the 13.
“What it does allow is it brings Kobe Hetherington in. It also allows someone like a Corey Jensen…to churn out minutes. I like the potential move. I played lock most of my career. But I also played front-row. It doesn’t meant anything. You can still play the same roll,” Parker added.
If Carrigan moves to the front row with Haas it means Jensen would be axed from the starting 13 as a result. Jensen played 24 games for the Broncos in 2024 and was predominantly used by Kevin Walters as a starting prop. He would shift to the bench, which would allow him to churn out minutes with high-impact from the bench.