2000 - 2009 /

With four Grand Final appearances, a Premiership-drought broken, player and Club records set along with Centenary celebrations, it's fair to say that the first decade of the 21st century had it all. 

2000 - Millennium Marathon to the Grand Final

Now branded as the Sydney Roosters and under new Head Coach Graham Murray, the Club was headed on an upward trajectory off the back of their four consecutive finals appearances. 

With the Sydney Olympics pencilled in for September, the season kicked off in balmy February, with the Tricolours' new combinations a work in progress resulting in five wins and five losses in the first ten weeks, all alternating. 

But the additions of Craig Fitzgibbon, Ian Rubin and Craig Wing alongside rookies Anthony Minichiello and Chris Flannery brought a youthful exuberance that propelled the side to a second-place finish in the regular season with sixteen wins to their name. 

No doubt one of the highlights came in the final round of the regular season, crushing Minor Premiers Brisbane 28-nil in one of the finest displays in Club history which saw Brad Fittler's side hold the ball for an incredible 53 consecutive tackles and hold two-thirds of possession.; 

While the side was brought back down to earth at the hands of a young Parramatta outfit in the first week of the finals, their run began as they accounted for Canberra (38-10) before executing a memorable comeback victory against the Newcastle Knights at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Down 16-2 at the break, the Roosters had their backs to the walls, but after a right-side shift saw fullback Luke Phillips close the gap, the mercurial Brad Fittler stepped up to swoop on an Andrew Johns pass and bring his side back in the contest. 

Youngster Shannon Hegarty touched down in the dying stages before the Knights got one back to bring the difference to six, but the Red, White and Blue held on to book their place in the Grand Final for the first time in two decades. 

While there was plenty of jubilation in Bondi, the highs of that victory were unable to be replicated in the Grand Final - with the experienced Broncos flexing their muscles in a 14-6 defeat - with a late try to Craig Fitzgibbon unable to be converted, ending any prospect of victory in a dour contest. 

The loss signalled the final match for a number of Club stalwarts, including Matt Sing (Penrith), Richie Barnett (London) and most notably, halfback Adrian Lam, who departed to England after seven quality seasons of service. 

Still, despite the heartbreaking loss, the future lay bright for the Club over the next few seasons - evidenced by the fifteen players selected for the end-of-year World Cup.

Debutants: Craig Fitzgibbon, Craig Wing, Andrew Lomu, Luke Phillips, Ian Rubin, Anthony Minichiello, Chris Flannery, Dean Widders, Albert Talipeau

2001 - A Sixth-Placed Oddity

In a bitter pill to swallow, the highs of 2000 were unable to be capitalised on the following seasons, and in a season that had promised so much, results waned. 

The Tricolours stumbled to sixth place on the ladder, conceding 589 points in the process (the most in their 94-year history), finishing the year with thirteen wins, twelve losses and a solitary draw. 

The side, did, however, manage to breach the 50-point barrier twice, firstly in Round 16 against eventual wooden spooners North Queensland before a high-scoring encounter with 1999 Premiers Melbourne in a 50-28 victory - but it wasn't enough to recapture their form from the year prior.  

With a demoralising 40-6 loss at the hands of eventual champions the Newcastle Knights in the first week of the finals at Marathon Stadium, the season was all but over following the Dragons' one-point upset win over the second-placed Bulldogs later that night.

Despite guiding the Club to the Grand Final the year prior, the services of Graham Murray were terminated two days later after less than 60 games at the helm - with plenty of questions to be asked heading into 2002. 

Debutants: Paul Green, Adrian Morley, Michael Crocker, Todd Byrne, Monah Elahmad, Michael Korkidas, Sam Obst, Jamie Russo, Trent Clayton, Nathan Tutt, Luke Milton

2002 - Ricky's Roosters Rise to Glory 

In a boon for the Club, Phil Gould made a welcomed return as coaching director, and after Ricky Stuart's success in the lower grades at Canterbury, the stakeholders decided to test their luck on the recently retired Test star. 

With a heavy emphasis on fitness, Stuart's regime in Bondi ironically began with a mass injury toll, arguably the highest ever seen in Club history, which saw fifteen stars on the sidelines. 

The 12th-placed Roosters bounced back from a 1-4 record with a 58-12 demolition of the North Queensland Cowboys on their way to win nine of their next eleven matches. 

Through that run, local hero Luke Ricketson, etched his name in the history books, breaking legend Kevin Hastings' appearance record for the Club in the Round 14 win over the Northern Eagles in a memorable moment for the inspirational forward.

Building through the year, a three-match losing streak was broken with a remarkable 28-18 victory over rivals the Brisbane Broncos in Queensland, which not only kick-started the Tricolours' winning run but marked the first appearance of the infamous all-white strip. 

Retiring from representative football in a bid to bring the trophy home, Captain Brad Fittler steered the side with aplomb to five consecutive wins, with their final round 30-18 defeat of Cronulla solidifying an all-important place in the top four.

Cruising past the Sharks in the first week of finals in the return match, Easts then trounced the Newcastle Knights in a torrid affair at the Sydney Football Stadium, with a 6-all stalemate heading into the final half-hour broken by second rower Craig Fitzgibbon's momentum-shifting 95-metre intercept try. 

Despite hooker Simon Bonetti and Ricketson succumbing to injury early in their preliminary final with the Broncos, the Tricolours qualified for their second decider in three years with a 16-12 win after overcoming a 12-8 halftime deficit in a famous victory. 

Ricketson pushed through the pain of a torn hamstring to take his place in the decider after being cleared just hours prior to kick-off with headlines throughout the week predicting his availability. 

The men from Bondi - in their all-white kit - took on formidable and unpredictable opponents the New Zealand Warriors, and quickly got to work as centre Shannon Hegarty finished off a long-range effort.

Trailing just after the break thanks to an individual effort from Warriors halfback Stacey Jones, Fittler rallied his troops to kick a 40/20 before laying on halves partner Craig Wing for the lead.

One of the most memorable Grand Final moments soon followed as the skipper courageously recovered from an ugly hit courtesy of Warriors' hitman Richard Villasanti, which galvanized his teammates as they rallied behind their leader.

Fitzgibbon wrestled his way to the line in an exhaustive effort, before young utility Chris Flannery dived on a Fittler grubber to extend the lead further, and the final nail in the coffin came fan favourite Bryan Fletcher marked his last game in the Red, White and Blue with a trademark four-pointer in the dying stages. 

A stirring performance from Fitzgibbon saw the backrower claim the Clive Churchill Medal as he added five goals to his name, with the Roosters washing away 27 years of heartache to claim the Club's 12th Premiership.

Debutants: Justin Hodges, Brett Mullins, Eric Grothe, Mark Leafa, George Azzi, Kylie Leuluai, Chad Robinson, Justin Holbrook, David Kidwell, Jason Cayless, Mark Minichiello, Wade Humphreys

2003 - From Strength to Strength

Before the 2003 season could begin, the Roosters had leftover business from their Premiership triumph as they travelled to England to claim the World Club Challenge.

Showing no signs of slowing down from their Grand Final victory, the Tricolours crushed St Helens 38-0 in their own backyard, with Craig Fitzgibbon adding to his Clive Churchill Medal with a man-of-the-match performance which included a try and nine goals.

With no signs of a Premiership hangover - taking out five of their opening six games - the Roosters of 2003 only lost on consecutive occasions once during the year, with both times being without their Origin contingent against the Wests Tigers (30-22) and Brisbane Broncos (10-8). 

Fitzgibbon's glittering form was cut down by a serious knee injury which kept him out of action for ten weeks alongside front rower Peter Cusack who was out for the season with an ACL tear, but despite this, the side fought on to claim a string of seven victories. 

During that time, Brad Fittler become the seventh player in history to feature in 300 Premiership matches, while Luke Ricketson extended his appearance record to 250 in Round 25.

After finishing in second place on the ladder, the Red, White and Blue began their finals campaign with a dominant 36-8 win over Newcastle before accounting for bitter rivals Canterbury in the Grand Final qualifier 28-18.

Against Minor Premiers Penrith in the decider, the Roosters were, unfortunately, unable to capture their scintillating form in the wet weather conditions, going down 18-6 with Anthony Minichiello scoring the side's sole try.

But in a positive end to a season that finished in tears, Ricky Stuart's squad continued to build from strength to strength, with Origin selections including Fitzgibbon, Minichiello, Ricketson, Craig Wing (all NSW) and Michael Crocker, Chris Flannery, Justin Hodges and Shannon Hegarty (all QLD).

That continued onto the international stage, with Crocker, Fitzgibbon, Hegarty, Minichiello, Ricketson and Wing for Australia, Jason Cayless for New Zealand and Adrian Morley for England - with seven representatives in the 2003 Ashes series. 

Debutants: Brett Finch, Ian Henderson, Lelea Paea, Todd Payten, Ned Catic, Tevita Metuisela, Stuart Webb, Fred Petersen, Steve Skinnon, Henari Veratau, Chris Walker, Todd Ollivier, Lopini Paea, Ben Wellington

2004 - End of an Era

In 2004, the rise of status in the squad came with salary cap complications as the potential of many youngsters had been realised, with incoming CEO Brian Canavan conceding that departures would inevitably occur.

None was more significant than the retirement announcement of Captain Brad Fittler at the end of May - with the 32-year-old set to hang up the boots at the conclusion of the season.

Taking an SOS call from NSW Coach Phil Gould, Fittler's presence propelled the Blues to a famous State of Origin series victory, highlighted by his memorable try in the shadows of fulltime during the third deciding match.

That success also translated into clubland, with the Tricolours continuing their formidable momentum and powering through to their first Minor Premiership since 1981, overcoming the heartbreak from their Grand Final defeat. 

In August their dominance was particularly on show, with crushing victories over Premiers Penrith (44-12), Canberra (38-22), the Warriors (24-20) and Parramatta (48-12) before accounting for the Raiders once more in the qualifying final (38-12).

Easts then qualified for their third consecutive decider after a tense 19-16 preliminary final win over finals newcomers the North Queensland Cowboys, however, it was a bittersweet victory for Luke Ricketson, who paid the price for his involvement in a scuffle that saw him suspended for three weeks. 

Grand Final day began like no other in the Club's long-standing history; the Roosters featured all three grades, with the Jersey Flegg side sealing a perfect season with an extra-time 14-13 win, while the Premier League side took home the title with ease, 30-8. 

However, the first-grade side wasn't so lucky with their result - after taking a 13-6 lead at halftime thanks to tries to winger Chris Walker and fullback Anthony Minichiello, the Bulldogs struck twice in the second half for a 13-16 lead.

Errors cruelled Ricky Stuart's side with a diabolical error rate after the break, and their chances of sending Fittler out a winner were undone after second rower Michael Crocker was ankle tapped after breaking through. 

With the 2004 season coming to a close, a number of fan favourites joined Fittler on the departures list; most notably Justin Hodges, Shannon Hegarty, Peter Cusack and Chad Robinson, and in many senses, it was the end of an era at the Club.

Debutants: Anthony Tupou, Steven Crouch, Gavin Lester, Heath L'Estrange, George Rose, Sam Perrett, Luke Dorn

2005 - Grand Final Hangover

With the void left by legendary Captain Brad Fittler unable to be filled, the Roosters' nine-year finals streak came to an end in the 2005 season. 

Luke Ricketson was named Captain in what was his final season in the Red, White and Blue, retiring as the first Rooster to play 300 games, tallying his 301st and final in the Round 26 clash. 

Joining the Club was young playmaker Brett Firman along with exciting wing pairing Amos Roberts and Joel Monaghan, who joined from Penrith and Canberra respectively, however, for Ricky Stuart, the post-Fittler era would prove to be difficult.

Instability in the halves saw the likes of Firman, Roberts, Brett Finch, Craig Wing, youngster Jamie Soward and even Chris Flannery and Michael Crocker trialled in search of the perfect playmaking combination - to no avail.

Unable to recapture the form that propelled them to three consecutive Grand Finals, the Roosters - for the first time since 1995 - failed to qualify for the finals.

Despite the side's readjustment without their talisman, the year provided a handful of highlights: 

• Ricketson became the first player in Club history to reach the 300-game milestone, just the seventh in the code's history to do so 
• Craig Fitzgibbon broke Allan McKean's point-scoring record for the Club, one that stood for over 30 years in the Round 12 victory over Canberra at Central Coast Stadium
• Fullback Anthony Minichiello continued to stamp his mark as one of the game's best players, claiming the Harry Sunderland Medal for a second consecutive year, along with the Wally Lewis Medal as the Player of the State of Origin series, the RLIF Back of the Year and the Golden Boot as the code's best player of 2005

At season's end, Ricketson announced his retirement, with the beloved clubman sent off a winner in the final round with a 32-12 victory at the Sydney Football Stadium. 

Further big-money offers saw the likes of Jason Cayless and Michael Crocker depart, with a number of other players released to alleviate cap space following their 9th-placed finish.

Debutant: Richard Fa'aoso, Brett Firman, Joel Monaghan, Nigel Plum, Amos Roberts, Iosia Soliolia, Ben Hannant, Jamie Soward, Adam Schubert, Michael Lett, Mickey Paea, David Shillington, Shane Shackleton

2006 - Fitzy's Firm

Ricky Stuart enlisted experienced back rower Craig Fitzgibbon as his skipper for the 2006 season (the side's third in as many years) and joining him were notable signings in Premiership-winning five-eighth Braith Anasta from Canterbury and lock forward Ashley Harrison from Souths. 

A season-ending knee injury to Joel Monaghan in the pre-season was a disturbing omen for Easts, with Anthony Minichiello succumbing to what would be an ongoing, long-term back issue, failing to return after just six weeks.

Meanwhile, English enforcer Adrian Morley and emerging second rower Lopini Paea were sidelined for lengthy stints with suspension, with Morley returning to his homeland at the conclusion of the season.

With continuing troubles in the halves and a mounting injury toll, wins were few and far between, and for the first time since the dreaded 1966 season the Roosters failed to win consecutive matches. 

Fitzgibbon himself would have a season to remember, though, becoming the highest-scoring forward in competition history after eclipsing David Furner's record just a year after claiming the Club's point-scoring gong. 

A six-match losing streak in July saw pressure mount on Stuart, and as performances continued to stagnate, the Premiership-winning coach's tenure at the Club officially ended as the side narrowly avoided the wooden spoon.

Debutants: Braith Anasta, Ashley Harrison, Charles Tonga, Mark Edmondson, Glenn Hall, Vince Mellars, Steve Meredith, Lafi Manua, Setaimata Sa, John Doyle, Shaun Foley, Josh Lewis

2007 - Centenary Celebrations 

With centenary celebrations and with a new and proven face at the helm, there was every reason for the Eastern Suburbs faithful to head into 2007 with supreme confidence. 

The Club enlisted the experience of 1999 Premiership-winning coach Chris Anderson to lead the Roosters in the Club's 100th season, despite being without NRL experience for three years. 

Needing just a solitary win to claim the Club's 1000th, the Tricolours would have to wait until Round 6 to claim their first victory of the season, losing the opening five matches and anchored to the bottom of the table in an uncharacteristic start to the season. 

But the historic win finally came in Round 6, making a memorable ANZAC Day clash against St George Illawarra, which saw Braith Anasta guide the Roosters with a classy performance after being unceremoniously criticised in the media during the week.

A mini revival with wins in four of the next eight matches was shot down after heavy losses to the Bulldogs (6-38) before a 56-nil capitulation against Manly saw Anderson resign, citing health issues. 

Already considered for the job before the season kicked off and just four years after his retirement, Brad Fittler stepped in to take the clipboard, with his fresh approach bringing immediate results.

The Tricolours won four of their next five matches, including wins over Cronulla (23-12), Newcastle (20-17), Melbourne (26-16) and the Wests Tigers (26-22), along with a solitary draw against the New Zealand Warriors in a memorable 31-all contest. 

Disappointing losses to the Gold Coast and Penrith ended their hopes of qualifying for the play-offs, however, a controversial yet satisfying victory in the last round to the finals-bound South Sydney gave optimists hope for a better 2008.

Debutants: Mitchell Aubusson, Chris Beattie, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Nate Myles, Danny Nutley, Mitchell Pearce, Willie Brown, Frank-Paul Nu'uausala, John Williams, Danny Williams

2008 - Back in the Semis

Much as his influence brought numerous signings to the Club during his own playing days, Brad Fittler's status saw the likes of International forwards Mark O'Meley and Willie Mason don the Red, White and Blue.

Spurred by young halfback Mitchell Pearce and with Craig Fitzgibbon in career-best form, the Roosters rose to the occasion and after twelve rounds found themselves flying high and leading the competition.

One week later though, disaster struck - a 42-nil drubbing at the hands of fellow top-four side Manly destabilised the side before the State of Origin period saw inconsistent results.

Not to be deterred, the Tricolours continued to produce wins, most notably a 34-12 victory over the Sea Eagles in the return match, but a sluggish end to the regular season saw them win just two games in the final five weeks - a 22-20 result against South Sydney before a 10-nil slug fest against St George Illawarra. 

Qualifying in fourth place on the ladder, Easts were in a strong position to return to the Grand Final, however, their recent form translated into two consecutive losses to Brisbane (16-24) and a semi-final loss to the New Zealand Warriors (13-30). 

In a highlight, fledgling hooker Jake Friend made his debut in Round 16, going on to make five appearances for the season in what was the beginning of a long and distinguished career in Bondi. 

Meanwhile, as the game's 100-year celebrations continued, 21 Eastern Suburbs representatives were named in the Australian Rugby League's 100 Greatest Players, making up more than one-fifth of the list. 

In alphabetical order, they were: Jack Beaton, Arthur Beetson, Brian Bevan, Kerry Boustead, Dave Brown, Joe 'Chimpy' Busch, Ron Coote, Les Cubitt, Brad Fittler, Dan Frawley, Bob Fulton, Herb Gilbert, Arthur 'Pony' Halloway, Dally Messenger, Ernie Norman, Andy Norval, Joe Pearce, Sandy Pearce, Albert Rosenfeld, Ray Stehr and Viv Thicknesse.

Five were selected (Bevan, Beetson, Coote, Messenger and Fulton) in the Australian Rugby League's Team of the Century, with none other than Club great Jack Gibson named as Head Coach. 

Debutants: James Aubusson, Riley Brown, Brent Grose, Willie Mason, Mark O'Meley, Anthony Cherrington, Jake Friend, Shaun Rudder, Ben Jones

2009 - Bottom of the Barrel 

For the season that 2008 produced, the Roosters' faithful were in for a rude awakening the following winter, which would ultimately lead to a clean-out from the board. 

An ominous warning came in the side's Round 1 clash against arch-rivals South Sydney: what had usually become an easy victory was one-way traffic to the Rabbitohs, who piled on 52 points in an absolute drubbing at the Sydney Football Stadium.

While a solid win the following week was welcomed, the season quickly slipped further with player form and injuries - most notably the absence of star fullback Anthony Minichiello - saw the Tricolours languishing at the bottom of the ladder.

With a multitude of youngsters trialled and tested and battling a host of off-field indiscretions, Easts claimed just five wins in total, finishing off their year with a string of five consecutive losses, and claiming the dreaded wooden spoon for the first time since 1966. 

Inspirational skipper Craig Fitzgibbon called time on his career in Red, White and Blue at age 32, finishing with 263 games along with the Club's point-scoring record of 1454 points - no doubt finishing as one of the great Roosters. 

Nearly as quickly as he had come in, Fittler was moved on from his role with the clipboard, with the Roosters looking to make a quick reversal as a new decade loomed. 

Debutants: Martin Kennedy, Sonny Tuigamala, Rohan Ahern, Sisa Waqa, Jordan Tansey, Nick Kouparitsas, Tom Symonds, Stanley Waqa, Ray Moujalli, Sandor Earl, Iwi Hauraki, Khalid Deeb