The Sydney Roosters continued their march towards a first NRL minor premiership since 2004 with a 56-14 crushing of the struggling Wests Tigers on Monday at Allianz Stadium.
The Tigers were very much in the game at halftime, trailing only 14-6 after James Maloney kicked a penalty from the last play of the opening period.
However, it was all one-way traffic after the restart as the Roosters flexed their attacking muscle and blew away Mick Potter’s side with seven tries to clock up a half-century of points for the second time this season.
Jake Friend opened the scoring after just four minutes when he darted over out of dummy-half for the Roosters.
But the Tigers hit back almost immediately through veteran winger Lote Tuqiri – playing his first game since round 18 last year – following a smart pass from young fullback James Tedesco.
Tedesco then almost put the home side in front when latched onto a Benji Marshall chip-kick only for his foot to brush the line behind the posts.
But the Roosters showed their class in the 25th minute when Sonny Bill Williams lunged over the line and touched down one-handed despite pressure from three Tigers defenders.
Tempers were frayed 10 minutes before the break when Keith Galloway and Luke O’Donnell were involved in a spot of pushing and shoving.
And moments later a still smarting O’Donnell was placed on report for a dangerous lifting tackle on Tim Simona that will almost certainly come under the attention of the NRL match review committee on Tuesday.
But the fight shown by the Tigers in the opening 40 minutes was knocked out of them in a 19-minute second half spell as the Roosters crossed six times with Daniel Mortimer and Mitchell Pearce – in his 150th game – each crossing twice.
Daniel Tupou and Michael Jennings also went over to continue the humiliation before the ever-willing Tedesco grabbed a deserved try when he muscled his way over the line.
However, Jennings then streaked clear to grab his second four-pointer with Maloney making it a flawless night with the boot converting his 10th kick of the game.
But those of a Tigers persuasion in the pitiful crowd of 8,395 did have the last cheer when young Curtis Sironen burrowed his way over to add a modicum of respectability to the scoreline.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson paid tribute to his side’s second half display and said the depth of talent in his squad allowed him to withdraw Williams with 15 minutes remaining.
“We lacked a bit of composure in the first half but the boys got it back on track in the second half and did a good job,” Robinson said.
“He (Williams) had 65 minutes and been out for a couple of weeks and I think he’ll get enough footy over the next few weeks.”
Both Robinson and Tigers coach Potter felt the tackle by O’Donnell on Simona was not intentional but agreed the incident didn’t look good.
“It’s obviously spectacular … but it was like a swinging arm that missed,” Robinson said.
Potter was philosophical about the incident but said it did put his player in a dangerous position.
“It was unusual and I think there was a bit of momentum there,” Potter said.
“It was obviously dangerous but I don’t think there was intent there and it was probably good he didn’t stop halfway through.”
Potter was pleased with what his side produced in the first half but admitted they were punished by a Roosters side at the top of their game in the second half.
“I was encouraged by what we did in the first half and we took it to them,” he said.
“But in the second half there was a period there where it was a disaster.
“They have some strike all around the park and you can’t take your eye of them for a second.”
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