SYDNEY ROOSTERS 42 NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 8
TOM SMITH, Allianz Stadium, Sunday
RUGBY union convert Mark Nawaqanitawase helped the Roosters turn on the style in their crushing victory over the Cowboys.
The ex-Wallaby’s second try – finishing an end-to-end team move he began – put the cherry on top of this eight-tries-to-two rout which cements the Chooks’ top-eight berth and leaves the Cowboys further adrift.
This is North Queensland’s second humiliation in two weeks, after their 58-4 belting by the Dolphins.
How each club’s Origin stars managed to back up from Wednesday’s clash in Perth was always going to impact this duel.
While the Roosters called on all of Angus Crichton, Connor Watson, Spencer Leniu, Robert Toia and Lindsay Collins, the Cowboys didn’t risk Reece Robson and Reuben Cotter, while Tom Dearden and Jeremiah Nanai played.
Collins crashed over inside just five minutes, before Sandon Smith kicked perfectly for Billy Smith and Watson cashed in on a Benaiah Ioelu kick.
Braidon Burns broke North Queenslander’s duck before the break, but the hosts went to another level in the second half.
Hugo Savala sent Billy Smith in for his second, Nawaqanitawase stole an intercept, James Tedesco finished an exhilarating long-range effort and Ioelu supplied Tupou by boot.
Murray Taulagi nabbed a consolation try, but Nawaqanitawase’s second – courtesy of his own speed, Toia’s boot and Savala’s acrobatics – was the highlight of the afternoon.
An early knee injury to Siua Wong took some gloss off the Roosters’ result.
ROOSTERS: 1 James Tedesco, 2 Daniel Tupou, 3 Billy Smith, 4 Robert Toia, 5 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 6 Sandon Smith, 7 Hugo Savala, 8 Lindsay Collins, 9 Connor Watson, 10 Naufahu Whyte, 11 Angus Crichton, 12 Siua Wong, 13 Salesi Foketi. Subs (all used): 14 Benaiah Ioelu, 15 Zach Dockar-Clay, 16 Blake Steep, 17 Spencer Leniu
Tries: Collins (5), B Smith (23, 47), Watson (26), Nawaqanitawase (50, 74), Tedesco (53), Tupou (57); Goals: S Smith 5/6, Savala 0/2
COWBOYS: 1 Scott Drinkwater, 2 Robert Derby, 3 Zac Laybutt, 22 Braidon Burns, 5 Murray Taulagi, 6 Jaxon Purdue, 7 Tom Dearden, 8 Jordan McLean, 19 Karl Lawton, 16 Griffin Neame, 11 John Bateman, 20 Kai O’Donnell, 15 Sam McIntyre. Subs (all used): 10 Coen Hess, 12 Jeremiah Nanai, 14 Harrison Edwards, 23 Thomas Duffy
Tries: Burns (30), Taulagi (65); Goals: Drinkwater 0/1, Duffy 0/1
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 18-0, 18-4; 24-4, 28-4, 34-4, 38-4, 38-8, 42-8
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Roosters: James Tedesco; Cowboys: Griffin Neame
Penalty count: 2-4; Half-time: 18-4; Referee: Ashley Klein; Attendance: 21,143