MANLY SEA EAGLES 4 SYDNEY ROOSTERS 20
TOM SMITH, Four Pines Park, Saturday
SAM Walker steered the Roosters to a gritty win over the Sea Eagles to keep their season alive in atrocious conditions at Brookvale Oval.
Walker set up all three tries and kicked beautifully all night in driving rain, howling wind and even hail early in the second half.
The weather meant the two teams produced more errors than points — 31 in total — but the Walker-led Chooks prevailed in the arm wrestle to leapfrog the Eagles on the ladder and remain in the hunt for the top eight.
Tolutau Koula got Manly on the board first before the Tricolours struck twice in two minutes via Billy Smith and Angus Crichton late in the first-half to establish a lead they defended well in the wet.
Both these sides entered Round 22 just outside the top eight, knowing another loss would almost be fatal to their September aspirations.
The stakes were particularly high for the Roosters, travelling to the Brookvale graveyard with clashes against the Dolphins, Bulldogs and Storm still to come on the run home.
The Chooks had loosened their grip on a play-off spot by losing three of their past four, whereas the Eagles surged into calculations on the end of three straight wins before last Sunday’s chastening defeat to the Bulldogs.
Souring that loss for Anthony Seibold’s men was a season-ending shoulder injury to dynamic back-rower Haumole Olakau’atu.
In the other camp, Trent Robinson recalled Hugo Savala (wrist), Billy Smith (concussion) and Victor Radley (shoulder), but lost playmaker Sandon Smith to concussion.
Robinson also shuffled Benaiah Ioelu and Spencer Leniu into the starting 13 on game day at the expense of Connor Watson and Egan Butcher.
Sea Eagles standoff Luke Brooks celebrated his 250th NRL appearance, including 205 at the Wests Tigers.
The soggy home fans weren’t happy when Reuben Garrick’s apparent opener was chalked off for a forward pass.
But the Silvertails eventually claimed the first points through Koula, who wriggled free of James Tedesco’s clutches.
The Roosters skipper made amends by denying Garrick from close range, and with Manly hammering for their second, Walker belted back-rower Corey Waddell to force an error and relieve the pressure.
The visitors earned their reward when Robert Toia snaffled an intercept then Walker stabbed an inch-perfect grubber for Smith to turn into four points.
And they took the lead with a team try that would’ve been daring even in dry conditions, with Tedesco breaking the Eagles’ line, Walker chipping wide to Daniel Tupou, and Angus Crichton accepting the scraps.
Manly’s task became harder when Ben Trbojevic succumbed to a head injury assessment then Walker booted an easy penalty goal following a ruck infringement.
The halfback’s boot soon set up his side’s third try, when Egan Butcher snaffled a bomb that Lehi Hopoate failed to handle.
And with the weather worsening, the Roosters defended bravely to secure two crucial competition points.
The Sea Eagles now face the toughest road trip in the game, tackling the table-topping Raiders in Canberra this Friday, while the Roosters meet the Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium the following day in another important clash in the race for the eight.
GAMESTAR: Sam Walker had his fingerprints over all of the Roosters’ points, and kicked superbly in tough conditions.
GAMEBREAKER: Egan Butcher’s try in the 50th minute — resulting from a probing Walker bomb — gave the Chooks enough points to defend.
MATCHFACTS
SEA EAGLES
1 Lehi Hopoate
2 Jason Saab
3 Tolutau Koula
4 Tom Trbojevic
5 Reuben Garrick
6 Luke Brooks
7 Daly Cherry-Evans
8 Matthew Lodge
9 Jazz Tevaga
10 Siosiua Taukeiaho
11 Corey Waddell
12 Ben Trbojevic
13 Jake Trbojevic
Subs (all used)
14 Jake Simpkin
15 Tommy Talau
16 Ethan Bullemor
17 Toafofoa Sipley
Tries: Koula (17)
Goals: Garrick 0/1
ROOSTERS
1 James Tedesco
2 Daniel Tupou
3 Billy Smith
4 Robert Toia
5 Mark Nawaqanitawase
6 Hugo Savala
7 Sam Walker
8 Naufahu Whyte
14 Benaiah Ioelu
10 Lindsay Collins
11 Angus Crichton
12 Siua Wong
17 Spencer Leniu
Subs (all used)
9 Connor Watson
13 Egan Butcher
16 Salesi Foketi
22 Victor Radley
Tries: Smith (32), Crichton (34), Butcher (50)
Goals: Walker 4/4
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 4-6, 4-12; 4-14, 4-20
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Sea Eagles: Siosiua Taukeiaho; Roosters: Sam Walker
Penalty count: 4-8
Half-time: 4-12
Referee: Grant Atkins
Attendance: 12,478