Brendan Wood reviews the Sydney Roosters dominant win over the Newcastle Knights on Friday night.
MATCHDAY RESULTS
SCOREBOARD
Newcastle Knights 12
Tries: Phoenix Crossland (74), Edrick Lee (77)
Goals: Kalyn Ponga (5), Anthony Milford (75)
Sydney Roosters 42
Tries: Luke Keary (17), Joseph Suaalii (26, 54), James Tedesco (32), Daniel Tupou (48, 60), Angus Crichton (67), Egan Butcher (69)
Goals: Sam Walker (18, 33, 49, 68, 71)
MATCH REPORT
Embed from Getty ImagesWith Newcastle hosting a Roosters side decimated by injury, Joseph Suaalii intercepted a pass and put James Tedesco into space. However, Tyson Frizell showed a turn of pace as he dragged down Tedesco and forced an error.
Not long after Frizell’s effort, the Knights opened the scoring via a penalty goal. Just minutes later, Kalyn Ponga left the field for a HIA after being hit high by Matt Lodge.
With Ponga off the field, the Roosters scored a long range try when Connor Watson and Luke Keary combined. They followed up with their second try 10 minutes later, when Joseph Suaalii finished off an attacking shift to the right.
Falling behind by eight, the Knights looked rattled as the Roosters found their third try. Suaalii was in the action again, this time catching a cross-field kick and passing inside for James Tedesco to score.
Unfortunately for the Knights, Kalyn Ponga failed his HIA to end his night prematurely. The Roosters closed out the remainder of the half holding a 16-2 lead.
The second half started with a bang for the Roosters, when Daniel Tupou crossed for a try after reeling in a cross-field bomb. Following on from the Tupou try, the Roosters continued to run rampant as Joseph Suaalii bagged his second try of the night.
The blows kept coming for the Knights, as Dane Gagai was sin binned for dissent. A James Tedesco pass setup Daniel Tupou’s second try, then tries to Angus Crichton and Egan Butcher came in a flurry for the Roosters with the Knights down a man.
Eventually Gagai returned to the field, and the Knights found some consolation tries through Phoenix Crossland and Edrick Lee.
Despite the fast finish from the Knights, the Roosters still coasted to a comfortable 42-12 victory. The win boosts them back into the top eight with a strong for and against differential.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS
Embed from Getty Images3 pts – James Tedesco (Sydney Roosters), 2 pts – Joseph Suaalii (Sydney Roosters), 1 pt – Luke Keary (Sydney Roosters)
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