Cam Smith spoke first.
"I can't remember the last time we lost two in a row, to tell you the truth," the Storm captain said.
Coach Craig Bellamy butted in.
"Rounds three and four in 2006, mate, that's when it was."
Melbourne are duds - at the SFS.
The Storm's diabolical record at the Roosters' home track continued last night with their 10th loss from their past 12 starts here. Such a woeful history at any venue beggars belief given their thunderous displays everywhere else, but there you have it. Duds.
"We've lost two games in a row but I don't think anyone is going to be driving up to the Harbour Bridge and jumping off it," Bellamy said.
"We lost by a point last week and four points tonight. It's not that bad. We were tremendous defensively. With the footy, it wasn't pretty. Lazy, basically. We're not giving in just yet."
Storm hardman Mick Crocker issued one of the more bizzare press releases during the week when he formally requested to be called Michael from now on. His wishes must be respected and we want to take it one step further by calling every player by their full Christian names. It's only right.
"We just haven't lifted our game from last year," Cameron Smith said after a pair of defeats no one could have predicted a month ago.
"We knew we would have to if we were going to be successful.
"Two losses in a row, you can't get a worse kick up the bum than that."
The Storm were boosted with the late inclusion of Gregory Inglis, but his impact was limited. Storm fullback William Slater produced arguably the tackle of the season on Roosters custodian Anthony Minichiello in one of those truly great individual clashes you get when a couple of genuine superstars collide.
The Roosters led 6-0 after only seven minutes thanks to a try from winger Shaun Kenny-Dowall, who put on a performance of Manu Vatuvei proportions. There was the exceedingly good, the diabolically bad and the oh-my-God-look-away ugly. His try and the slotting of a couple of penalties from captain Craig Fitzgibbon were all the Roosters needed as five-eighth Braith Anasta conjured up a magnificent 80 minutes.
Asked if he was tempted to replace Kenny-Dowall when he was doing his Mr Bean impersonations, Roosters coach Bradley Fittler replied: "Yeah, heaps of times. He was giving me a heart attack.
"He was catching butterflies. The good thing was, his second half was excellent. That's a big hurdle to be able to come back from having a bit of a downer - a real downer - and being as solid as. He'll learn a lot from that."
William Mason was limping after the match, but he's sweet. Imagine the tsunami-sized let-down if he wasn't able to play the Bulldogs in the NRL's equivalent of World War III next week.
Mitchell Pearce was outstanding, although sent to Disneyland after the buttocks of a leaping Slater crashed into his skull. Buns of steel, obviously. Slater scored late on, but it was too late.
"Our willingness was unreal," Fittler said.
The Roosters have decided to drink beer only after recovery sessions the day following a match.
They looked in need of refreshment and deserved a celebratory ale after toppling the premiers.
SYDNEY ROOSTERS 10 (S Kenny-Dowall try C Fitzgibbon 3 goals) bt MELBOURNE 6 (B Slater try C Smith goal) at Sydney Football Stdm. Referee: S Hayne. Crowd: 12,137.
