ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 24 SYDNEY ROOSTERS 31
STEPHEN IBBETSON, Jubilee Stadium, Saturday

VICTOR RADLEY scored the match-clinching try three minutes from time as the Roosters held off the Dragons for two vital points in the race for the top eight.

The England forward, making a return from his latest concussion, charged onto a James Tedesco pass to seal a chaotic clash.

Sam Walker, another comeback kid making his first appearance of the season following knee surgery, added his fourth conversion to make sure of victory with a two-score gap.

Walker was busy throughout, also adding a crucial field-goal at the end of a first half in which he was sent to the sin bin for a dangerous tackle.

The Dragons could have moved level on points with their opponents in a ridiculously tight play-off race, but instead have much work still to do.

It was a frantic first period, which started with a flurry of five converted tries in the opening 17 minutes, after which St George held an 18-12 lead.

Slick handling through Walker, Tedesco and Billy Smith created the first try for Roosters winger Daniel Tupou.

But Tyrell Sloan hit straight back for the Dragons, surging into the corner when half a chance opened up.

A similar left-edge attack brought the second Sydney try, again finished by Tupou after more great work by his centre Smith.

The next St George response came from inside their own half as Luciano Leilua scooped low to pick up a loose pass and released Valentine Holmes, who set up his wideman Sione Finau.

And Finau had his own double three minutes later, on the end of an excellent sweeping move left and set up by fullback Clint Gutherson.

All three of their efforts were converted by Holmes and the Dragons were further boosted when Walker was sent for ten minutes in the bin for a tackle below the knee.

But the only points in the following period were scored by Sydney as Toia brilliantly leapt into the air to claim a lofting kick by Hugo Savala, who added the goal in Walker’s absence to level once more.

And with half a minute of the first half remaining, returning Walker knocked over a field-goal from straight in front of the posts to nudge the Roosters in front.

It was a lead they wouldn’t let slip again – though that was a close-run thing at times.

Smith charged onto a Walker pass to open the second-half scoring after six minutes – an especially deserved personal score at the end of an attack he himself launched with an excellent catch in the opposite in-goal.

Walker also converted and, shortly after, Tedesco failed to pouch a Toia offload which would have completed a try-of-the-season contender for Sydney.

Instead they had to see things out the hard way, making a series of errors and finally pulled back to a one-point lead with 15 minutes to go when Jaydn Su’A – on his 150th NRL appearance – ran a great line to score off Kyle Flanagan, who converted.

But the Dragons had nothing left to throw and the newly-headgeared Radley stormed onto a Tedesco pass to clinch it.

GAMESTAR: Naufahu Whyte was a driving force for the Roosters.

GAMEBREAKER: Victor Radley provided sweet relief at the end of a tense second half.

MATCHFACTS
DRAGONS
1 Clint Gutherson
2 Tyrell Sloan
3 Moses Suli
4 Valentine Holmes
5 Sione Finau
6 Lykhan King-Togia
7 Kyle Flanagan
8 Emre Guler
9 Damien Cook
10 David Klemmer
11 Luciano Leilua
12 Jayden Su’A
13 Jack De Belin
Subs (all used)
14 Jacob Liddle
15 Hamish Stewart
16 Blake Lawrie
17 Michael Molo

Tries: Sloan (8), Finau (14, 17), Su’A (65)
Goals: Holmes 3/3, Flanagan 1/1

ROOSTERS
1 James Tedesco
2 Daniel Tupou
3 Billy Smith
4 Robert Toia
5 Mark Nawaqanitawase
6 Hugo Savala
7 Sam Walker
8 Naufahu Whyte
9 Connor Watson
17 Spencer Leniu
11 Angus Crichton
12 Salesi Foketi
13 Victor Radley
Subs (all used)
10 Lindsay Collins
14 Zach Dockar-Clay
15 Blake Steep
16 Egan Butcher

Tries: Tupou (3, 11), Toia (31), B Smith (46), Radley (78)
Goals: Walker 4/4, Savala 1/1
Field-goals: Walker (40)
Sin bin: Walker (25) – dangerous tackle

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 6-12, 12-12, 18-12, 18-18, 18-19; 18-25, 24-25, 24-31

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Dragons: Jayden Su’A; Roosters: Naufahu Whyte

Penalty count: 7-4
Half-time: 18-19
Referee: Grant Atkins
Attendance: 13,856