Sydney Roosters bounced back from their crushing defeat to New Zealand Warriors to inflict a comfortable 28-10 win over Cronulla Sharks.
The game started with both sides exchanging penalty goals before a Cooper Cronk chip to the corner was dropped by Sosaia Feki. Ryan Matterson was on hand to pounce and score the game’s first try. The Roosters were in again when Luke Keary kicked into the in-goal on the zero tackle for Joseph Manu to slide and score.
Despite being two tries behind, the Sharks always looked dangerous throughout the first half and they were rewarded when Valentine Holmes expertly caught a Matt Moylan pass and finished well in the right-hand corner. Townsend missed the conversion, his first miss in 19 attempts this season.
In the final minute of the half, Cronk kicked for Blake Ferguson who rose high to catch and pass back to Matterson for his second.
Sydney further extended their lead when Tedesco dummied and stepped inside Trent Hodkinson. Mitchell added a further two points to make the score 24-6 after Cronk was tackled dangerously by James Segeyaro.
Cronulla were struggling to trouble the Roosters when attacking their line but after nine successive sets on the Roosters line, Cronulla finally broke through when Townsend’s grubber found the onrushing Holmes but it was a mere consolation.
Reece Robinson bounced back after a poor performance last week with a try in the final minute from a great Luke Keary kick to round off a good Roosters performance.
Sharks: Moylan, Feki, Ramien, Leutele, Holmes, Hodkinson, Townsend, Fifita, Brailey, Prior, Lewis, Graham, Gallen; Interchanges: Capewell, Segeyaro, Seumanufagai, Paulo.
Tries: Holmes 2; Goals: Townsend
Roosters: Tedesco, Robinson, Mitchell, Manu, Ferguson, Keary, Cronk, Taukeiaho, Friend, Napa, Cordner, Matterson, Liu; Interchanges: Waerea-Hargreaves, Tetevano, Aubusson, Radley.
Tries: Matterson 2, Manu, Tedesco, Robinson; Goals: Mitchell 4
Full match reports of all this weekend’s NRL games will feature in Monday’s League Express
