Nothing quite compares to the anticipation of the weeks leading up to Round 1 of a new NRL season.
As the summer days slowly start to cool down, cricket season winds up, and you just can't wait to see your favourite team take the field.
Then - come early March - the day finally arrives, and the action rarely disappoints.
With the 2023 season just six weeks away from kick off, roosters.com.au took a look back at some of the most iconic Roosters moments to occur in the first week of a new campaign.
2012 | Mini Magic Completes Epic Comeback
OK, you simply can't start a list like this without mentioning one of the most dramatic local derbies of all time.
Played on a balmy Monday night at Accor Stadium, the Roosters seemed destined to start the season with a loss when they trailed 20-12 with two minutes to play.
What followed was simply remarkable.
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves set up the grandstand finish by storming over between the posts, leaving the Roosters with an opportunity for one last roll of the dice.
Over to you, Anthony Minichiello.
The move began with Mitchell Pearce drifting across field, eventually beating a tackle and finding Mitchell Aubusson in space out wide.
Aubusson steps inside, surging downfield before putting a young Boyd Cordner away.
Summing up the situation perfectly, Cordner draws in two Souths defenders before grubbering through for a flying Anthony Minichiello, who scored under the posts to cap off an unbelievable finish to an instant Round 1 classic.
Round 1, 2012 Highlights: Roosters vs Rabbitohs
2015 | Cordner at the Double in Townsville
Round 1 draws don't come much tougher than this.
It was 2015 when the Roosters were tasked with travelling to a searing North Queensland in Round 1, facing a Johnathan Thurston-led Cowboys who were hellbent on getting one back over the side who knocked them out of the finals just six months earlier.
Not that any of that concerned Trent Robinson's troops.
The Roosters were more than on song at 1300 Smiles Stadium, with Boyd Cordner scoring twice in a runaway 28-4 win.
Round 1 Rewind | Cordner at the Double
2017 | Keary Bags Brace in Dream Debut
Now entering his sixth season in the Tricolours, it's hard to imagine Luke Keary in any other colours.
However, back in 2017, Keary had only just arrived at the Club and was immediately tasked with returning the Roosters back to the premiership summit.
He wasted no time getting to work.
The No.6 was in absolutely everything in his Roosters debut, tearing the Gold Coast to shreds with a two-try performance.
It set the tone for his future in Red, White and Blue, with Keary now having played over 100 Roosters games, winning two premierships.
Round 1 Rewind | Keary's Memorable '17 Debut
2021 | 10/10 Teddy Crushes Manly
What a day this was for James Tedesco.
Entering his fourth season as a Rooster, Tedesco had already well and truly established himself as one of the world's best players.
But this game was something else.
Incredibly, his hat-trick of tries didn't tell the full tale of the dominance of his performance.
Tedesco was everywhere, and the Roosters ran away 46-4 winners over a shell-shocked Manly outfit.
2021 | Brilliant B-Moz Winds Back the Clock
Still on that game in 2021, it would be remiss not to mention the fact Tedesco was not Man of the Match that day.
That honour went to veteran winger Brett Morris.
Playing what was ultimately one of his final games in the NRL, the 36-year-old was unbelievable in a three-try, 297 run metre performance.
Round 1 Match Highlights: Roosters v Sea Eagles
