SYDNEY ROOSTERS 38 BRISBANE BRONCOS 24
CALLUM WALKER, Allianz Stadium, Saturday

IT was almost a comeback for the ages, but Brisbane’s fightback from 30-0 down fell just short as the Roosters managed to grind out an impressive victory to sit in third on the NRL ladder – if only overnight.

Both sides ended up ruing the cost of several injuries with the Roosters’ Lindsay Collins (concussion), Mark Nawaqanitawase (ankle) and Angus Crichton (knee) all having to leave the field early.

Nawaqanitawase’s injury did allow Cody Ramsey to make an inspirational return to the NRL, after 1337 days out and a long battle with ulcerative colitis.

With the Broncos already being hit with ten players out prior to kick-off, their injury woes worsened with Adam Reynolds (concussion), Josiah Karapani (ankle) and Deine Mariner (cork) also adding to the casualty list.

As it was, it was perhaps no surprise that the Roosters came out of the blocks flying. On the back of some big metre-eating runs, wily halfback Daly Cherry-Evans sold an outrageous dummy to skip through with Sam Walker on target with the conversion.

Walker added the first of five conversions and kept the scoreboard ticking over moments later when the ever-impressive James Tedesco was caught with a nasty-looking hip-drop tackle.

Within a flash, the Broncos were 8-0 down and staring down the barrel of a gun as Daniel Tupou got on the end of a superb right-to-left flowing Roosters move.

This time Walker couldn’t convert, but there was no such problem on the half-hour mark when Cherry-Evans’ pin-point grubber was pounced upon by Hugo Savala.

If 18-0 was bad enough for the Broncos, then a 24-0 half-time deficit would have been like a dagger to the Brisbane hearts – especially in the lucky fashion it happened.

Crabbing across the line, Connor Watson tried a kick through, but it ricocheted back in to the gleeful arms of Walker who went over untouched.

Things could hardly have started any worse in the second half for Brisbane, either, Nat Butcher forcing his way through off a sleek Watson pass.

That made it 30-0 to the hosts, but that seemingly kicked the Broncos into gear with Reece Walsh coming to the fore.

It was Walsh himself who began the fightback on 51 minutes before Xavier Willison doubled the visitors’ score just before the hour.

The Broncos somehow found belief from within and when Patrick Carrigan was the next over the line after Karapani had gone close, they were suddenly just twelve points behind.

Jordan Riki cantered over for their fourth try in 15 minutes, with Duffy’s conversion reducing the deficit to just six with 14 minutes to go.

Such a comeback had been scarcely believable, but the Broncos were hungry for more. Unfortunately for Michael Maguire’s side, a Kotoni Staggs brain fart ensured the Roosters took the two points.

An elbow to the face of Savala enabled Walker to extend the hosts’ lead to eight at 32-24 and earned Staggs a seat on the sidelines for the final seven minutes.

With that, the momentum changed once more and Reece Robson finally settled proceedings with a trademark dummy-half burrow.

Try as they might in the remaining five minutes, the Broncos just couldn’t find the energy to fight back once more as Sydney held on.

GAMESTAR: Daly Cherry-Evans led from the front.

GAMEBREAKER: Sam Walker’s penalty edged Sydney in front by eight with seven minutes to go, stemming what had seemed an unstoppable Brisbane tide.

MATCHFACTS

ROOSTERS
1 James Tedesco
2 Daniel Tupou
3 Hugo Savala
4 Robert Toia
5 Mark Nawaqanitawase
6 Daly Cherry-Evans
7 Sam Walker
8 Naufahu Whyte
9 Reece Robson
10 Lindsay Collins
11 Angus Crichton
12 Siua Wong
13 Victor Radley
Subs
14 Connor Watson
15 Spencer Leniu
16 Nat Butcher
17 Salesi Foketi (not used)
18 Cody Ramsey
21 Egan Butcher (not used)

Tries: Cherry-Evans (3), Tupou (19), Savala (33), Walker (40), N Butcher (43), Robson (75)
Goals: Walker 7/8

BRONCOS
1 Reece Walsh
2 Josiah Karapani
3 Kotoni Staggs
4 Gehamat Shibasaki
5 Deine Mariner
6 Ezra Mam
7 Adam Reynolds
8 Ben Talty
9 Cory Paix
10 Jack Gosiewski
11 Xavier Willison
12 Jordan Riki
13 Patrick Carrigan
Subs
14 Josh Rogers (not used)
15 Jaiyden Hunt
16 Va’a Semu
17 Aublix Tawha (not used)
18 Jesse Arthars
21 Thomas Duffy

Tries: Walsh (51), Willison (59), Carrigan (61), Riki (66)
Goals: Duffy 4/4
Sin bin: Staggs (71) – elbow

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 8-0, 12-0, 18-0, 24-0; 30-0, 30-6, 30-12, 30-18, 30-24, 32-24, 38-24

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Roosters: Daly Cherry-Evans; Broncos: Reece Walsh

Penalty count: 9-5
Half-time: 24-0
Referee: Adam Gee
Attendance: 25,239