Sydney Roosters held on for an 18-14 win over South Sydney Rabbitohs to head to the top of the NRL table.
After Adam Reynolds sent the Rabbitohs into a two-point lead early, the Roosters hit back with a try. Victor Radley offloaded to James Tedesco near the line and the fullback finished. Latrell Mitchell converted and added a penalty soon after.
The game was level at 8-8 when Reynolds kicked to himself to score after the ball ricocheted off his chest. But Mitchell added another penalty to send the Roosters in at half-time up by two.
Reynolds evened up the game again with his boot but the Roosters were next on the board with a try. Joseph Manu split the defenders on the right, beat Dane Gagai and put down spectacularly in the corner.
Mitchell’s penalty stretched the lead to eight. But, a bit of special play from Braidon Burns, a flick pass out the back, provided a try for Hymel Hunt.
The Rabbitohs through everything at their opponents but erros at crucial times cost them in the end.
Rabbitohs: Johnston, Burns, Hunt, Gagai, Kennar, Walker, Reynolds, T Burgess, Cook, G Burgess, Sutton, Crichton, S Burgess; Interchanges: Murray, Clark, Tatola, Fuimaono
Tries: Reynolds, Hunt; Goals: Reynolds 3
Roosters: Tedesco, Tupou, Mitchell, Manu, Ferguson, Matterson, Cronk, Waerea-Hargreaves, Friend, Taukeiaho, Cordner, Liu, Radley; Interchanges: Napa, Tetevano, Aubusson, O’Sullivan
Tries: Tedesco, Manu; Goals: Mitchell 5
Full match reports of all this weekend’s NRL games will feature in Monday’s League Express.
