SYDNEY ROOSTERS 28 PARRAMATTA EELS 12
CALLUM WALKER, Allianz Stadium, Saturday
DANIEL TUPOU registered a hat-trick in his 300th career game as the Roosters overcame a stubborn Parramatta.
The Eels more than matched their opponents for an hour before a late Roosters flurry inflated the scoreline.
Mark Nawaqanitawase’s skill knows no bounds and his outrageous offload with four men round him left Robert Toia with an open run to the whitewash for a 4-0 lead.
It was almost déjà vu moments later when Nawaqanitawase did exactly the same, only for Toia to this time lose possession.
Credit to Parramatta, who weathered the early storm and hit back immediately after half-time, Joash Papalii taking a Jack Williams offload following a break by the rampaging forward.
Hugo Savala added a penalty to level proceedings at 6-6 but Tupou stepped forward to take the game away from the Eels.
The flying winger notched his first on 51 minutes before Billy Smith finished off a brilliant Cody Ramsey break to make it 18-6.
Tupou rose highest to a Savala kick on the hour to inflict further damage on the Eels, with the veteran dotting down a Savala grubber shortly after.
The visitors did bring up double points on the hooter when Araz Nanva grabbed his first NRL try, but the night belonged to Tupou and the Roosters.
ROOSTERS: 22 Cody Ramsey, 2 Daniel Tupou, 3 Billy Smith, 4 Robert Toia, 5 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 6 Daly Cherry-Evans, 7 Hugo Savala, 8 Naufahu Whyte, 9 Connor Watson, 10 Spencer Leniu, 11 Salesi Foketi, 12 Siua Wong, 13 Victor Radley. Subs: 14 Benaiah Ioelu, 15 Taylor Losalu, 16 Egan Butcher, 17 De La Salle Va’a (not used), 18 Rex Bassingthwaighte, 19 Tommy Talau (not used)
Tries: Toia (16), Tupou (51, 67, 73), Smith (61); Goals: Savala 4/6
EELS: 1 Isaiah Iongi, 2 Brian Kelly, 3 Jordan Samrani, 4 Araz Nanva, 5 Josh Addo-Carr, 6 Ronald Volkman, 22 Jonah Pezet, 8 Sam Tuivaiti, 9 Tallyn Da Silva, 10 Jack Williams, 11 Kelma Tuilagi, 12 Kitione Kautoga, 13 Jack De Belin. Subs: 14 Dylan Walker, 15 Toni Mataele (not used), 16 Teancum Brown, 17 Harrison Edwards, 18 Joash Papalii, 19 Charlie Guymer (not used)
Tries: Papalii (42), Nanva (80); Goals: Pezet 2/2
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0; 4-6, 6-6, 10-6, 16-6, 22-6, 28-6, 28-12
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Roosters: Daniel Tupou; Eels: Jack Williams
Penalty count: 4-4; Half-time: 4-0; Referee: Adam Gee; Attendance: 23,222