Roosters defy rain in big win over Wests Tigers

The Roosters have defied Sydney’s rain to maintain the mantel of the NRL’s entertainers with a 40-6 victory over the Wests Tigers on Sunday night. 

While the wet conditions at Allianz Stadium made attack difficult, Trent Robinson’s men weren’t afraid to throw the ball around. The expansive style proved too much for the Wests Tigers to handle, with the Roosters running in eight tries to one in the win. 

The Roosters have now scored 480 points this year, 80 more than their nearest rival, the Melbourne Storm. They have now passed 30 points seven times this season and average 30 points a game.

Robinson’s side isn’t just relying on their attack to win games, with only the Panthers and Bulldogs conceding fewer points after 17 rounds. 

Sunday’s win ensured the Roosters maintained fourth place on the ladder with 22 points, two points clear of a chasing pack of four teams on 20 points.  

The Roosters hit the ground running and thought they had opened the scoring in the left corner through Daniel Tupou, however the play was called back for obstruction. 

It didn’t take long for the hosts to be back on the attack and this time it was Dominic Young who latched on to a superb Joseph Manu pass to slide over in the right corner.

The Englishman had a second in the ensuing set of six after Connor Watson put James Tedesco through a hole in the middle of the field. Sam Walker then made the most of a disorganised Wests Tigers defence to throw a looping ball for Young to make it 10-0.

The onslaught continued after play resumed, a penalty for a high tackle putting the Roosters back on the attack. This time it was Terrell May who scored, charging through Aidan Sezer’s attempt at tackle. 

Suddenly it was 16-0, the hosts having scored three tries in the space of six minutes.

The visitors were able to stem the tide in the short term and the Roosters were dealt a blow when centre Joseph Manu left the field with a suspected fractured hand. 

The injury, however, was only a minor hiccup and they eventually had a fourth after Wests Tigers winger Luke Laulilii spilled a bomb. 

Sitili Tupounia produced a grubber to keep the ball alive, with Keary diving on the ball to make it 20-0.

The points continued after the break, Tedesco delivering a perfect tap on to send Tupou over in the corner. 

The fullback had a try of his own later in the half, the Roosters making the most of a two-man advantage after Api Koroisau and Adam Doueihi were sent to the sin bin. 

Koroisau’s return couldn’t stem the tide, with Victor Radley finishing off a short side raid through the channel Doueihi would have been defending in to make it 36-0. 

Tupou added his second soon after, finishing off a length of the field effort after latching on to a perfect Keary cross-field kick. 

The Wests Tigers fought throughout the match and they were rewarded in the final minute when Fonua Pole produced an impressive piece of footwork to put his team on the board. 

Match Snapshot

• The Roosters have now won their past eight games against the Wests Tigers and 18 of their past 19. 
• Roosters forward Nat Butcher was placed on report for a dangerous tackle in the 39th minute,
• Wests Tigers hooker Api Koroisau was sent to the sin bin for a lifting tackle in the second half. The side was briefly reduced to 11 men when Adam Doueihi was joined his skipper in the sin bin for a hip-drop tackle.
• Forward John Bateman was placed on report for a high tackle on Angus Crichton.
• Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves equalled the club’s all-time appearance record of 306 matches. He is set to overtake Mitchell Aubusson in next week’s clash with the Dragons. 
• Trent Robinson coached his 300th NRL game in the win, while James Tedesco played his 150th match for the Roosters. 
• Winger Daniel Tupou has now scored 21 tries against the Wests Tigers, drawing level with Mark Gasnier as the most tries against the side.

Play of the Game

The Roosters scored plenty of entertaining tries in the win, but Daniel Tupou’s second may have been the pick of the bunch. A Brandon Smith break put his side on the front foot, before James Tedesco kicked a loose ball forward. Wests Tigers fullback Jahream Bula gathered the ball, only to have it stripped. The Roosters then attacked down the right flank, with Terrell May coming within inches of scoring. Luke Keary then produced a perfect cross-field kick for Tupou to catch and stroll over untouched.

What They Said

“It was disappointing. Our first half set it up for us, we wanted to play more field position and control possession and they did exactly to us what we wanted to do to them. Then scoreboard pressure in the second half, we were feeling that and then the two sin bins definitely didn’t help after that.” – Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall.

“I really liked the steeliness and the variety we played with. I know the scoreline blew out, but the Tigers at the start of the game were really confident in the way they were playing. You could see they were coming off two wins and I thought it was a really good contest. For us to get the first try, then we had two in a row off the kick offs, which was really well played from our guys, really well set up and that blew it open. It was a really good performance, we held our nerve there at different times so it was a good performance.” – Roosters coach Trent Robinson.

What’s Next

The Roosters will face the Dragons in a Sunday afternoon blockbuster at Allianz Stadium while the Wests Tigers return to Leichhardt Oval to play the Storm on Saturday evening.