 Despite claiming the premiership in 1945 , Eastern Suburbs failed to make the finals for the following seven seasons . A runners @-@ up finish in 1960 was the closest the club came to claiming the premiership during this era . Eastern Suburbs were soundly defeated 31 – 6 in the grand final that year , by the famous record @-@ beating St George outfit . In 1966 , the club fell to new depths and was winless for the first time in its history . It was also the last occasion in which the Roosters won the wooden spoon until claiming it again in the 2009 season . It ended a poor run for Eastern Suburbs ; from 1963 to 1966 , they won 8 of 72 matches , finishing second to last in 1964 and last in the other three years . The club underwent a renaissance in 1967 after appointing Jack Gibson as coach ( 1967 – 68 ) , and introducing a new emblem on the playing jerseys , the rooster . 
