Mitch Bourke reviews Sydney’s convincing win over Cronulla-Sutherland. Here’s how the game went.
MATCH TIMELINE
| Minute | Scoring Play | Score |
| 4th | Try Mitchell Aubusson (Roosters) | Roosters 4-0 |
| 5th | Goal Kyle Flanagan (Roosters) | Roosters 6-0 |
| 7th | Try Siosifa Talakai (Sharks) | Roosters 6-4 |
| 9th | Goal Shaun Johnson (Sharks) | Scores Tied 6-6 |
| 17th | Penalty Goal Kyle Flanagan (Roosters) | Roosters 8-6 |
| 22nd | Try Daniel Tupou (Roosters) | Roosters 12-6 |
| 23rd | Goal Kyle Flanagan (Roosters) | Roosters 14-6 |
| 28th | Try Luke Keary (Roosters) | Roosters 18-6 |
| 29th | Goal Kyle Flanagan (Roosters) | Roosters 20-6 |
| 35th | Try Mitchell Aubusson (Roosters) | Roosters 24-6 |
| 38th | Try Ronaldo Mulitalo (Sharks) | Roosters 24-10 |
| 40th | Goal Shaun Johnson (Sharks) | Roosters 24-12 |
| 55th | Try Luke Keary (Roosters) | Roosters 28-12 |
| 67th | Try Braden Hamlin-Uele (Sharks) | Roosters 28-16 |
| 68th | Goal Sione Katoa (Sharks) | Roosters 28-18 |
| 71st | Try Joseph Manu (Roosters) | Roosters 32-18 |
| 72nd | Goal Kyle Flanagan (Roosters) | Roosters 34-18 |
| 75th | Joseph Manu (Roosters) – SIN BIN | Roosters 34-18 |
MATCH SUMMARY
1st Half
Emotion headlined the game’s opening stanza, and not of the aggressive kind. Mitch Aubusson became the Sydney Roosters’ games record holder, and rose to the occasion.
Just as he’d run through his makeshift guard of honour minutes earlier, the Roosters milestone man Aubusson ran through the Sharks’ line to open the scoring with a touching try.
Keen to spoil the party, Shaun Johnson made for a quick reply with his 23rd try assist of the season, his flat ball isolating Siosifa Talakai with the slighter Kyle Flanagan, and a tied game the outcome.
Daniel Tupou came up trumps from a desperate in-goal wrestle with Sione Katoa: the 22nd minute converted try along, with Flanagan’s earlier penalty goal, stretched Sydney’s lead to eight.
Fancy footwork from Isaac Liu dismembered Cronulla’s line and sent him storming through the backfield, calling on support runner Luke Keary to finish the job.
With a whitewash beckoning, Angus Crichton’s ingoal-bound grubber wreaked havoc: 303-gamer Aubusson emerging from the tangle with a first-half double.
An ad-lib scramble of a set from Cronulla culminated in Ronaldo Mulitalo spectacularly soaring over the stripe to breathe life into the Sharks and close out a high-scoring six-try half.
2nd Half
Scoring was subdued for the most part of the second half, with a host of finals-threatening injuries compounding the Sharks’ loss.
A suspected snapped Achilles tendon to Shaun Johnson, a dislocated knee cap to Royce Hunt, and a hyperextended knee to Josh Dugan did Cronulla no favours: not only for tonight, but also heading into finals.
In the 55th minute, Keary reaped the rewards of his support running for the second time of the night, this time benefitting from Brett Morris’ touchline tip-toeing, mere blades of grass the difference between turnover and try.
Braden Hamlin-Uele was able to ignite Cronulla’s comeback chances, finally converting their territory control into currency: with the four points turned into six after stand-in kicker Sione Katoa converted.
The idea of a comeback was entertained for the best part of four minutes, before Joseph Manu quashed the Sharks’ hopes, sneaking an outstretched hand into the in-goal to seal the result.
Try scorer Manu was sent to the bin minutes later, but it had little effect on the match’s outcome, with the Tricolours itching to close out the game and continue their celebration of ‘ultimate clubman’ Aubusson.
GAME HIGHLIGHT
Mitchell Aubusson reached Sydney Roosters legend status. The occasion alone of becoming the most-capped Rooster was enough to steal the limelight, but his double enhanced the script tenfold. Alarm bells were ringing when Joseph Manu bombed a chance to put Aubusson over in the second minute, but by the fourth he was on the scoresheet. The pre-game guard of honour and post-game ball presentation were fitting tributes to a deserving champion.
SQUADS
Sydney Roosters: 1. Joseph Manu, 2. Daniel Tupou, 3. Josh Morris, 4. Mitchell Aubusson, 5. Brett Morris, 6. Luke Keary, 7. Kyle Flanagan, 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, 14. Freddy Lussick, 10. Lindsay Collins, 15. Angus Crichton, 12. Sitili Tupouniua, 13. Isaac Liu. Interchange: 16. Nat Butcher, 17. Sonny Bill Williams, 18. Poasa Faamausili, 19. Drew Hutchison.
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks: 1. William Kennedy, 2. Sione Katoa, 3. Josh Dugan, 4. Jesse Ramien, 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6. Connor Tracey, 7. Shaun Johnson, 8. Braden Hamlin-Uele, 9. Blayke Brailey. 10. Aaron Woods, 11. Briton Nikora, 12. Siosifa Talakai, 13. Toby Rudolf. Interchange:ย 15. Jack Williams, 16. Andrew Fifita, 17. Royce Hunt, 18. Scott Sorensen.
