Latrell Mitchell kicked a field goal in golden-point extra-time to hand Sydney Roosters a 21-20 victory over Melbourne Storm in the Grand Final replay.
The Roosters started well early in the game. Luke Keary, James Tedesco and Daniel Tupou combined to send Mitchell over for the first try.
Mitchell kicked a penalty before the Storm almost scored through Curtis Scott who failed to ground Brodie Croft’s grubber.
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves had no such trouble a minute later when he grounded Keary’s grubber which hit the post. Then Mitchell created more magic when setting up Tedesco’s try to make it 20-0.
Josh Addo-Carr’s try just before half-time, along with Brodie Croft’s conversion and penalty, got Melbourne back into the game.
Plenty of pressure came from the Storm in the second half: Tui Kamikamica scored to reduce the deficit to six. Then Curtis Scott scored from dummy half to level the game at 20-20.
Despite there being 20 minutes still to go, no further points were scored until Mitchell kicked the Roosters to victory in golden point.
Storm: Hughes, Vunivalu, Chambers, Scott, Addo-Carr, Munster, Croft, J Bromwich, C Smith, Asofa-Solomona, Kaufusi, K Bromwich, Finucane; Interchanges: B Smith, Welch, Kamikamica, Papenhuyzen
Tries: Addo-Carr, Kamikamica, Scott; Goals: Croft 4
Roosters: Tedesco, Tupou, Mitchell, Aubusson, Ikuvalu, Keary, Cronk, Waerea-Hargreaves, Radley, Collins, Cordner, Crichton, Tetevano; Interchanges: Butcher, Verrills, Tupouniua, Curran
Tries: Mitchell, Waerea-Hargreaves, Tedesco; Goals: Mitchell 4: Field goal: Mitchell (82)
Full match reports of all. this weekend’s NRL games will feature in Monday’s League Express