The Sydney Roosters have served notice to the rest of the NRL that they are still the team to beat after producing a battling performance to beat Melbourne 24-12 at Allianz Stadium.
The defending premiers’ rise up the ladder has almost gone unnoticed after their sluggish start to the season, but they’ve peaked at precisely the right time.
They have moved up to second spot and can potentially win a second successive minor premiership with victory over competition leaders South Sydney on Thursday.
Craig Bellamy’s side were on top for most of the encounter thanks to two Billy Slater tries but the game turned in favour of the hosts 15 minutes from time when Mitchell Pearce scored following a rare mistake from Cameron Smith.
Despite the rainswept conditions both teams produced a finals-like match-up in front of a disappointing crowd of 13,879.
The Roosters opened the scoring when NSW winger Daniel Tupou timed his run perfectly to latch onto Jake Friend’s well-executed grubber kick after just four minutes.
But the Storm responded well and had the bulk of possession thanks to back-to-back penalties against the home side before Slater darted under the posts allowing Smith to level the game with a close range kick.
The Roosters’ defence held out the visitors despite some heavy pressure as the sides went into the break at 6-6.
A James Maloney penalty restored the Roosters’ lead early in the second period, but the NSW representative then coughed up the ball from the resulting kick-off and from the scrum Slater scampered over for his second.
With Cooper Cronk and Slater having a greater influence on the game, the Roosters were pegged back in their own half.
However, they got the break they so desperately needed when Smith threw an awful pass from a scrum that fell short of Sisa Waqa and Pearce picked up the loose ball to race to the line.
Boosted by that piece of good fortune, Trent Robinson’s side stepped up a gear.
They forced a third try when Storm prop Jesse Bromwich lost the ball and Aidan Guerra fell on a Maloney kick to score his fourth of the season.
That setback knocked the stuffing out of the Storm and Tupou scored his second late in the game to secure a 12-point victory.
mushi
Guest
But then on a dry track do the roosters make all those simple handling errors?
mushi
Guest
There is the panthers who whilst not having the multiple season form to insert themselves into our consciousness are pretty good. When you say Manly and Souths didn't play that well but won that was pretty much the roosters Saturday? Don't get me wrong I think we a re very good shot - and the way that the finals series works finishing second is a benefit as I'd rather avoid the bunnies in the knock out game - no disrespect to the panthers et al but I can see the bunnies pack forcing us to "ride the whistle" to stop the momentum more than anyone else and that introduces a massive risk.
Dan
Guest
To be honest, I still think that if the track was dry the Storm would have won Saturday night. They never play well in the wet and always look unsettled.
Stu
Guest
Agreed. Tough night and despite what most buffoons will say, the refs were lenient both ways. I would tip a Storm v Rooster GF if the Storm finished top 4. They won't so...Roosters v ....
The eye
Guest
Yep,cost his side 6 points..
Pot Stirrer
Guest
Maloneys Droped Ball from the kick of was equally as bad as Smiths error, Why is that thats what won the game for the roosters when they gave Melb far mpre oppurtuniites, I think it was 3 times the Roosters fumbled the kick of and gave Melb possesion
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
Funny you say that - I think the Roosters are, currently, the most likely to go all the way. Manly aren't playing all that well, despite winning; Souths are much the same; the Storm rely too much on The Big Three and the rest of that team lose games for them...I dunno who else is there. The Roosters strike me as being the most "all-round capable", to use dubious grammar. I ask myself this: after 25 rounds, given the way all the teams have performed up until now, in addition to current form, who's position (not necessarily ladder position) would you most like to be in? My answer is the Roosters.
mushi
Guest
As a chooks fan I'm not as sold on that performance. If the game was called a little tighter we'd have been put to the sword as both sides were allowed to lay in the ruck it advantaged us more than the storm as we were constantly under pressure from our own blunders. Even the Friend knock on that probably should have been a penalty irks me. At first I was outraged and then in the replays it’s pretty clear he had an opportunity to pick up the ball and Roberts would not have interfered (I think it was Roberts anyway). But instead he purposely waited until he force the referee to make the call problem is those calls are going less and less his way as he builds a milker’s reputation (he didn’t get an offside call earlier this year when he deliberately went out of his way to make contact with someone trying to get out of the play). The only thing I took out of it is that we do have the side that can rack up quick points if the opponent lets it's guard down - but if we play like that many more times this year we'd want to hope the referee's are being lenient.
matth
Guest
It's no secret that the Roosters are willing to give away penalties to get their line set, they have that much confidence in their defence once set. I suspect the new quick tap laws were brought in specifically to try and discourage this.
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
Renegade, if you're referring to me about whingeing, I think that's a bit harsh to be honest. In terms of the 2013 GF, I didn't really have a dog in that hunt and I was happy to just enjoy the Rugby League that was on offer. Those thoughts about Cherry are pretty self-evident to me, but I'm happy for others to have their own. I don't want to get into a situation where we're kicking each other in the bollocks as the starting default position for a debate. I respect your views, and I thought your article on Carney the other week was one of the better ones on the site. In fact, I find it interesting that some of the most interesting conversations I have are with Sharks and Eels supporters, and you're obviously in that group (and I've said this on other threads). We can disagree with each other without that sort of thing. I don't care about what a lot of other posters say about me personally, I wouldn't include you in this group though. If I've misread this, I'm happy to be stood corrected. And I know it might seem a bit innocuous, fair enough, but I just dont like the precedent it can set...slippery slopes, spirals and all the rest of it.
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
Fair enough mate. Play on.
eagleJack
Guest
Sorry JH but unless the refs now vote on the CC Medal then I can't see how DCE winning it, and Manly supposedly getting a "strikingly disproportionate" number of 50/50 calls can in anyway be linked. Or how it "re-inforces" your point.
Renegade
Roar Guru
I was at the game, watched the replay.... I thought he was best on ground both times. But then, whingers will always whinge.
Rasputin
Guest
My cowboys will tenderly roast your chooks feathers and all. Keep dreaming!
Matthew Edwards
Guest
Pearce is a great player but I disagree. Jake Friend was best on ground last night IMO.
Matthew Edwards
Guest
DCE wasn't the best on the ground last year... The fact he won it was embarrassing. The voters must have all sent them in before the game even started.
Muzz
Guest
All good mate. Your brain is fine.
MAX
Guest
Sorry Muzz, I do not know why I typed in JM. Perhaps I need the cataracts removed from my brain as well.
Muzz
Guest
MAX - It was Pearcey who picked up the loose ball and scored. He was the Roosters best last night and showed plenty of leadership in the second 40.
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
Geez I disagree with that. But each to their own I suppose.