Sydney Roosters beat Gold Coast Titans 34-14 today at the Central Coast Stadium with 28 unanswered second-half points after being behind 6-14 at half-time.
They ran in four converted tries and Latrell Mitchell added two penalties in the second half to finish as convincing winners.
For the Roosters backrower Ryan Matterson was a late withdrawal. Coach Trent Robinson moved Isaac Lui to Matterson’s spot and made Jared Waerea-Hargreaves the new starting loose forward. Nat Butcher came onto the interchange bench, while Eloni Vunakece was omitted an hour before kick-off.
For the Titans Konrad Hurrell was promoted from the reserves to the starting 13, with winger Phillip Sami dropping out. Kevin Proctor’s return from a groin strain pushed Ryan James to prop and Max King to the bench. Moeaki Fotuaika was promoted to the bench in place of Jack Stockwell.
The Titans scored an early penalty from Michael Gordon before Blake Ferguson misjudged an Ash Taylor grubber kick into the Roosters’ in-goal for Gordon to touch down in the ninth minute.
The Roosters replied with a James Tedesco try from a Jake Friend grubber and the Titans then looked to be harshly treated when dubiously denied a try for obstruction by Anthony Don that was created by a superb Taylor pass in the 28th minute. But Don was more successful three minutes later and another penalty goal stretched the Titans’ half-time lead to eight points.
The Roosters hit the Titans in the second half with 22 unanswered points in 13 minutes, with Gold Coast’s woes increasing as Ash Taylor was sin-binned on the back of repeated infringements.
Isaac Liu, Latrell Mitchell and Cooper Cronk scored tries, with Mitchell adding two penalties to make the score 28-14 on 59 minutes.
With five minutes remaining Tedesco beat several defenders to set up Mitch Aubusson to seal the 34-14 result, with Ferguson adding the final goal.
Roosters: 1 James Tedesco, 2 Joseph Manu, 3 Latrell Mitchell, 4 Mitchell Aubusson, 5 Blake Ferguson, 6 Luke Keary, 7 Cooper Cronk, 8 Siosiua Taukeiaho, 9 Jake Friend (c), 10 Dylan Napa, 11 Boyd Cordner (c), 13 Isaac Liu, 14 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves; Interchange: 15 Zane Tetevano, 16 Kurt Baptiste, 17 Victor Radley, 18 Nat Butcher
Tries: Tedesco, Liu, Mitchell, Cronk, Aubusson; Goals: Mitchell 6, Ferguson
Titans: 1 Michael Gordon, 2 Anthony Don, 3 Dale Copley, 4 Brenko Lee, 19 Konrad Hurrell, 6 AJ Brimson, 7 Ashley Taylor, 8 Jarrod Wallace, 9 Nathan Peats, 10 Ryan James (c), 11 Kevin Proctor, 12 Keegan Hipgrave, 13 Jai Arrow; Interchange: 14 Mitch Rein, 15 Max King, 17 Bryce Cartwright, 18 Moeaki Fotuaika
Tries: Gordon, Don; Goals: Gordon 3
Full match reports of all this weekend’s NRL games will feature in Monday’s League Express.