Privately, some within Roosters HQ fear the current crop may be paying the price for those indiscretions of previous, less disciplined, teams.
The fear is that when referees believe a club is guilty of certain indiscretions, it sticks.
And good luck getting the 50/50 calls when lumped with that tag.
Already this year, the Roosters have conceded 189 penalties. Further back, and split by only two penalties, are Manly (167), Wests Tigers (166) and the struggling Parramatta Eels (165).
There is then another gap to Canterbury, on 156 penalties, followed by Gold Coast (148) and Brisbane (141).
http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/sinning-sydney-roosters-are-rugby-leagues-public-enemy-no1/story-fndv38w0-1226707728248