Lachy MacCorquodale reviews the Saturday evening clash between the Sydney Roosters and the Gold Coast Titans
MATCHDAY RESULTS
SCOREBOARD
Sydney Roosters 44
Tries: James Tedesco 3 (6, 23, 65), Joseph Suaalii 2 (31, 76), Daniel Tupou 2 (61, 73), Siosiua Taukeiaho (34)
Goals: Sam Walker (7, 24, 32, 35, 66, 77)
Gold Coast Titans 16
Tries: Beau Fermor (2), Sam Lisone (37), Herman Ese’ese (42)
Goals: Toby Sexton (39, 44)
MATCH REPORT
Embed from Getty Images1st Half
It was a strange old first half in Mackay between the Sydney Roosters and the Gold Coast Titans. The Titans started off in the best way possible, with a try in the second minute after an error from Joseph Suaalii gave Beau Fermor a chance to give his side the lead. It took the Roosters just four minutes to equalise through James Tedesco. The Roosters performed a sweeping play to the right with Luke Keary digging into the line, which gave Tedesco room to move before he passed the ball to Manu, who broke a few tackles before returning the ball back on his inside for Tedesco to score his 100th try in the NRL.
The game ebbed and flowed for a bit with errors from both sides until Lindsay Collins was sent to the sin-bin for a shoulder charge on Corey Thompson. The Titans trailed by just two points and this was a good an opportunity as any to get back in front. However, the Titans failed to take their opportunity and the Roosters started to gain some momentum and score minutes later as they moved the ball down the right edge in similar fashion to their first try. This time it was Tedesco who took the line on and scored with ease as he broke through the Titans’ defence for his second try.
The Roosters kept their foot on the pedal as Joseph Suaalii was able to redeem himself after a blunder that led to the Titans’ first try. The Roosters once again attacked down the right edge before Keary threw a cut-out ball to his winger, who barged his way over to score in the corner. A few sets later the Roosters grabbed their fourth try. They once again went down the right edge on the last tackle and with Taukeiaho at first receiver, but the Titans weren’t expecting anything special. The forward threw the dummy and then burrowed his way over. Sam Walker made his fourth consecutive sideline conversion to put the Roosters up by 20 points.
However, the Titans were able to grab a try just before the half-time break as a Will Smith kick ricocheted off Angus Crichton and fell at the feet of Sam Lisone, who picked the ball up and ran it over the tryline to bring the Titans within 14 at the break.
HALF-TIME: Sydney Roosters 24 Gold Coast Titans 10
Embed from Getty Images2nd Half
The Titans came out of the blocks in perfect fashion. They got on the scoresheet first as Herman Ese’ese barged his way over for the Titans’ third try. Unfortunately for the Titans, this was as close as they were going to get to the Roosters. The game went without a try for the next 20 minutes until an intercept from Sam Walker swung the momentum in the Roosters’ direction. Moments later, Luke Keary delivered a pin-point kick to his winger Daniel Tupou, who leapt high and brought the ball down to score in the corner. The Roosters couldn’t be stopped now. They took no time in getting back down into the Titans’ own end and they decided to attack down that right flank once again. Tedesco received the ball at first receiver, tucked the ball under his wing and charged through a tackle to score his third of the night, just his fourth hat-trick in the NRL.
The ‘home’ side marched their way back down into Titans’ territory as the Titans continued to fail at preventing the Roosters from gaining territory. This time, the Roosters attacked down the left flank and it was Keary’s halves partner Walker who delivered the try – this time with a great pass over the top of the Titans’ defence which found Tupou, who scored in the corner for his second.
The Titans unfortunately put the following kick-off out on the full, allowing the Roosters entry into their own end once again. They followed the trend of the match and attacked the Titans’ right-edge defence again and came up with another try as a Keary cut-out ball found Suaalii on the wing, who charged for the corner and scored gracefully for his second try of the night.
The Roosters turned it on tonight and that’ll hurt Titans fans. There will be plenty of talk about their performance on the Gold Coast this week as they still managed to have a fair share of the ball but failed to convert that into any points, just as their opponents did.
FULL-TIME: Sydney Roosters 44 Gold Coast Titans 16
PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS
Embed from Getty Images3 pts – James Tedesco (Roosters), 2 pts – Luke Keary (Roosters), 1 pt – Joseph Manu (Roosters)
Follow Nothing But League on Facebook.
