NRL: Roosters won't let title shot slip again

James Maloney tasted defeat in the 2011 grand final against Manly while playing for the Warriors. Photo /Getty Images

Once bitten, twice not so shy - the Sydney Roosters are adamant they won't make the same mistakes committed in their failed 2010 grand final tilt.

With seven players backing up from the side humbled 32-8 by St George Illawarra in the decider three seasons ago, the Roosters claim the feeling heading into this year's grand final against Manly is different.

This time they have earned the right to be there, and have been playing the type of football capable of securing a premiership for a number of months, not weeks.

"There's a lot different. Back then we were on a bit of a tidal wave,'' halfback Mitchell Pearce said of the comparisons between 2010 and 2013.

"It was all really exciting (in 2010) and each game we won in the semis was like a mini grand final.

"We feel a lot more composed this year, I feel we've earned being in this position.

"We probably set our goal to be in the grand final (with) at least two months to go in the season.

"If we didn't get to this game, we would heave been disappointed.''

Much of the momentum for that tidal wave in 2010 was generated by the brilliance of five-eighth Todd Carney, who completed a remarkable career resurrection to be named the Dally M player of the year a season after being banished to park football by the NRL for repeated disciplinary issues.

This time around it's James Maloney in the No.6 - who himself experienced a late rush into the decider when the fast-finishing Warriors went down to Manly in the 2011 grand final.

He too admits the occasion can all be a bit overwhelming.

"When you go to your first grand final, it's easy to get caught up in the hype - it's easy to lose focus, there's so much going on through the week,'' Maloney said.

"There's so much build-up, it's not like any other game.

"Having been there before, I look at it a bit differently now - there's still 80 more minutes, it's a massive job.''

That feeling of a job not yet complete was hammered home by coach Trent Robinson just moments after the Roosters crushed Newcastle 40-14 on Saturday night to book their grand final ticket alongside the Sea Eagles.

And it is a mindset that well and truly flows through the players.

"We don't want to just be in the grand final,'' Pearce said.

"We've done that before and lost it, we want to make it ours.''

- AAP