The miracle run has come to an end.
In a season where three legends retired and a host of star players were sidelined with injuries, the battered and bruised Sydney Roosters have gone down to Manly 42-6 in their sudden-death semi-final on Friday night.
Already missing the likes of Luke Keary and Joseph Manu, the gallant Roosters were hit with two more blows during the week with Sio Siua Taukeiaho (injury) and Sam Verrills (suspension) both ruled out.
Speaking to the media after the game, Roosters coach Trent Robinson admitted he was 'disappointed' after the massive defeat at BB Print Stadium.
“I think I separate the two really," he said.
"It was really disappointing, just not to nail what we wanted to do tonight. That just wasn’t it – we had such a good week, we were really clear and we just weren’t up to nailing it tonight. We just couldn’t execute our plan and how we wanted to go after them and play.
"It wasn’t there for us and it’s really disappointing, because there is a belief in what’s possible. The signs were there that it could have happened tonight, that we could really do something special, and you have to believe in what’s possible.
"We just kept searching for it and putting the jigsaw puzzle together, but we just didn’t nail it."
Tom Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans were the stars for Manly, setting the tone with three early tries and running away with it after the break as well.
But with the dust settling on a truly horror season for Robinson's side, the three-time premiership-winning mentor opened up on the injury toll and what he told his young squad after the game.
“I just said to the guys in there, it’s obviously the craziest coaching year that I’ve had," he said.
"To retire absolute legends of the game, to see the injuries we’ve had and every game was a new combination and new task.
"The attitude of the guys to just go about that was incredible, every week was ‘we can do this’ and I said to them we are a greater Roosters club than what we were at the start of 2021.
"They’ve done our club proud in the way they have gone about it, and we’re a stronger club because of the way they have acted this year. I know that hurt tonight, but I know that we’re a better team because of the way we handled ourselves this season.
“You always learn new lessons and different lessons and how to adapt. We didn’t build any momentum, we had to catch new wave every week.
"I learnt a lot myself, and everyone with coaches and players about learning to adapt on the run.
"I’m just incredibly proud of staff, players, players that aren’t playing, players that didn’t think they were gonna play but played 15 games.
"That’s the overwhelming feeling – disappointment tonight, but absolute honour in the way they have worn the jersey this year."
The loss to Manly on Friday night also ended the tenure of Craig Fitzgibbon, who will link up with the Cronulla Sharks in 2022 as head coach.
Robinson paid tribute to a man he described as 'the greatest-ever Rooster', as well as head physio and trainer Travis Touma.
“Trav Touma and Craig Fitz, they are legends of our club," he said.
"We just had a long time there talking about it and it’s hard to put into words. Trav’s been at this club for I think 14 years, and the work that he has done behind the scenes is a credit to how we have played over that period of time.
"Fitz is possibly the greatest-ever Rooster – what has somebody done more than Craig Fitzgibbon as a Rooster? Coached, played, captained – he has just been legendary."