PENRITH PANTHERS 6 SYDNEY ROOSTERS 12
TOM SMITH, CommBank Stadium, Parramatta, Thursday

DALY CHERRY-EVANS scored a double to ensure the Roosters overcame the Panthers to claim top spot on the NRL ladder.

Trent Robinson’s men are renowned for their flashy attack, but had to produce some dogged defence to hold Penrith at bay.

The Tricolours withstood a mountain of early pressure before Cherry-Evans opened the scoring on 20 minutes, and were only breached when Moses Leota crashed over deep in the second half to set up a grandstand finish.

But the 37-year-old playmaker sliced through a second time with three minutes remaining to guide the Chooks home.

Cherry-Evans displayed every ounce of experience he’s accrued over his 373 first-grade appearances, combining beautifully with halves partner Sam Walker, who put a week of contract speculation behind him with a strong performance.

Transfer rumours have also swirled around Cherry-Evans, who is said to be in talks with Hull FC – and the Black and Whites will be hoping he can bring this sort of vintage form to East Yorkshire.

The Roosters now have one hand on the minor premiership with three games remaining.

They joined the Panthers at the top of the table last Friday, after Penrith lost in Auckland and the Tricolours overcame the Bulldogs.

And the Chooks notched their eighth straight win here to move one win clear.

The result disrupts the Panthers’ recent dominance of this fixture, having won twelve of the previous 13 meetings.

Pre-game, Ivan Cleary oversaw plenty of movement at the selection table.

He lost captain Isaah Yeo to a pectoral injury but regained fullback Dylan Edwards from a shoulder issue, replacing Jaxen Edgar. Jack Cogger also came back into the halves for Jack Cole.

On the other hand, Robinson didn’t tinker with a winning formula, as star fullback James Tedesco missed again with an ankle complaint.

The opening exchanges belonged to the men in black.

Chasing his 100th NRL try, PNG Chiefs recruit Brian To’o spilled an early chance, then tip-toed the touchline soon after.

Instead, Cherry-Evans stepped through Liam Henry and Isaiah Papali’i to snatch the first try against the run of play.

The Bunker turned down a Robert Toia try claim but Edwards’ skirmish with Connor Watson handed Walker two points on the stroke of half-time.

The Roosters’ stoic defence stood strong until the 66th minute, when a brilliant Lindsay Smith offload invited Leota to crash over beneath the sticks.

With the game – and potentially the minor premiership – on the line, Mark Nawaqanitawase plucked a crucial intercept off Blaize Talagi to relieve the pressure on the Chooks.

Then up the other end, Nawaqanitawase forced a grubber that Edwards failed to defuse but Cherry-Evans couldn’t ground.

It didn’t matter, as the veteran slashed through again with three minutes remaining.

Walker’s conversion attempt hit the woodwork to leave the door ajar for a converted try to level things, and although Thomas Jenkins reeled in Cleary’s short drop-out, the visitors denied any late miracle.

GAMESTAR: With Hull FC interested in his signature, Daly Cherry-Evans showed Super League fans what they can look forward to with the Roosters’ only two tries.

GAMEBREAKER: The Chooks didn’t have the two points in the bag until they repelled the Panthers’ last roll of the dice in the 80th minute, continuing the excellent defence they’d displayed all evening.

MATCHFACTS

PANTHERS
20 Dylan Edwards
2 Thomas Jenkins
3 Paul Alamoti
4 Izack Tago
5 Brian To’o
6 Jack Cogger
7 Nathan Cleary
8 Moses Leota
9 Freddy Lussick
10 Liam Henry
11 Isaiah Papali’i
12 Liam Martin
13 Lindsay Smith
Subs
1 Jaxen Edgar (not used)
14 Billy Scott (not used)
15 Scott Sorensen
16 Luron Patea
17 Billy Phillips
19 Blaize Talagi

Tries: Leota (67)
Goals: Cleary 1/1

ROOSTERS
18 Cody Ramsey
2 Billy Smith
3 Hugo Savala
4 Robert Toia
5 Mark Nawaqanitawase
6 Daly Cherry-Evans
7 Sam Walker
8 Naufahu Whyte
9 Reece Robson
10 Spencer Leniu
11 Salesi Foketi
12 Siua Wong
13 Victor Radley
Subs
14 Connor Watson
15 Lindsay Collins
16 Nat Butcher
17 Egan Butcher (not used)
19 Tommy Talau (not used)
20 Rex Bassingthwaighte (not used)

Tries: Cherry-Evans (20, 77)
Goals: Walker 2/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-8; 6-8, 6-12

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Panthers: Lindsay Smith; Roosters: Daly Cherry-Evans

Penalty count: 6-3
Half-time: 0-8
Referee: Adam Gee
Attendance: 16,768