SYDNEY ROOSTERS 42 CRONULLA SHARKS 16
TOM SMITH, Industree Group Stadium, Gosford, Saturday
JAMES TEDESCO led the depleted Roosters to an impressive victory over the Sharks in Gosford.
Missing five Origin stars, the Chooks led from start to finish, with Tedesco (194 running metres, a try and a try assist) and first-year halfback Hugo Savala (one try and two try assists) stepping up.
Winger Daniel Tupou bagged a brace and England international Dom Young marked his return to first grade with an 80th-minute score.
While Craig Fitzgibbon lost no one to State of Origin duty, Trent Robinson missed Angus Crichton, Connor Watson, Lindsay Collins, Robert Toia and Spencer Leniu, inviting Young back into the Roosters’ line-up and handing Benaiah Ioelu and Xavier Va’a their NRL bows.
Tupou’s two early tries came in identical fashion — leaping for a Savala bomb — either side of a Sandon Smith penalty-goal.
Cronulla captain Cameron McInnes crashed over from close range but Savala’s four-pointer, courtesy of Young’s line break and Tedesco’s offload, made it 20-6 at the break.
Ronaldo Mulitalo was sin-binned for a late shot on Mark Nawaqanitawase in the build-up.
Savala’s boot led to the chaos that resulted in Nawaqanitawase’s second-half try, before Va’a crossed seconds after entering the fray for the first time.
KL Iro and Mulitalo both scored down the left flank, but the Roosters had the last laugh via Tedesco and Young.
ROOSTERS: 1 James Tedesco, 2 Daniel Tupou, 3 Billy Smith, 4 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 5 Dom Young, 6 Sandon Smith, 7 Hugo Savala, 8 Makahesi Makatoa, 14 Benaiah Ioelu, 10 Salesi Foketi, 11 Egan Butcher, 12 Siua Wong, 13 Victor Radley. Subs (all used): 9 Zack Dockar-Clay, 15 Taylor Losalu, 16 Blake Steep, 19 Xavier Va’a
Tries: Tupou (4, 11), Savala (25), Nawaqanitawase (50), Va’a (55), Tedesco (77), Young (80); Goals: S Smith 7/8
SHARKS: 1 Will Kennedy, 2 Mawene Hiroti, 3 Jesse Ramien, 4 KL Iro, 5 Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6 Braydon Trindall, 7 Nicho Hynes, 8 Addin Fonua-Blake, 9 Blayke Brailey, 10 Oregon Kaufusi, 11 Briton Nikora, 12 Billy Burns, 13 Cameron McInnes. Subs (all used): 14 Daniel Atkinson, 15 Jesse Colquhoun, 16 Siosifa Talakai, 17 Braden Hamlin-Uele
Tries: McInnes (15), Iro (60), Mulitalo (68); Goals: Hynes 2/3; Sin bin: Mulitalo (27) – high tackle
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 8-0, 14-0, 14-6, 20-6; 26-6, 32-6, 32-12, 32-16, 38-16, 42-16
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Roosters: James Tedesco; Sharks: Cameron McInnes
Penalty count: 7-8; Half-time: 20-6; Referee: Grant Atkins; Attendance: 13,399
