The Wests Tigers have caused a major first round upset, beating the Roosters 10-8 in a thriller at ANZ Stadium.
Tui Lolohea kicked a sideline conversion after winger Corey Thompson had shown great athleticism to score the Tigers only try of the match with less than three minutes to go.
Benji Marshall was a late inclusion in the Tigers starting line-up, after Bulldogs’ recruit Josh Reynolds tore his hamstring at training on Friday.
Marshall had a great game, using all his experience to keep the Tigers in it, especially when they were down to 12 men for 10 minutes early in the second half.
Luke Brooks was sin binned for not clearing the ruck after bringing down a rampaging Blake Ferguson.
The Tigers were willing in defence for the full 80 minutes, in a performance that will give their fans plenty of heart for the season ahead.
They led 2-0 at half-time after a first half arm wrestle.
Roosters’ fullback James Tedesco was heavily booed by Tigers’ fans in his first game against his old club.
They especially enjoyed watching him bomb the only try-scoring opportunity for either team in the first 40 minutes.
He spilled an inside pass from winger James Ferguson with the try line at his mercy in the 13th minute, after Ferguson had made a break out wide.
The teams traded a penalty each in the second half for the score to be 4-2 to the Tigers. Marshall had a try disallowed in the 58th minute off a Brooks grubber kick, when the bunker correctly ruled that Roosters’ five-eighth Mitchell Cornish grounded the ball first.
The Roosters eventually scored the first try of the match in the 65th minute when quick hands created an overlap for Ferguson to score out wide.
Latrell Mitchell’s sideline conversion made it 8-4 to the Roosters, before Thompson and Lolohea’s late heroics snatched the win for the Tigers.
Cooper Cronk has played his usual organised game in his first outing for the Roosters, without managing to spark their attack.
Wests Tigers 10
Sydney Roosters 8
Emcie
Roar Guru
I'm not sure SKD has ever been the heart and soul of anything
B.A Sports
Guest
Those first two statements about Cronk being slow and Tedesco not being much of an upgrade are ludicrous - but everyone can have an opinion. The Roosters will be fine. Cleary was top of the league in try assists etc last year. He wasn’t there yesterday and the hooker/half and fullback were playing their first game together. As for the Tigers, Good luck to them on the win and they should improve on last year but they rarely looked like scoring so I wouldn’t be getting carried away. The only guy who looked threatening was Marsters. He needed to be on the end of an offload.. except he was the one doing the offloads.. I still think they struggle to get to 20 points more often than not.
Oingo Boingo
Guest
It's the dawning of a new era .... problem is , the new era only lasts three weeks , and then it's back to normal programming.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The Tigers and Warriors won in round 1 last season. The Sharks , Pennies and Eagles all lost and made the 8.
Oingo Boingo
Guest
Blah blah blah ,,, The Roosters are finished . Well ! Put ya houses on the Tigers or the Warriors to win the comp if ya sooooo confident in your ability to predict the future. See this kinda stuff every year.
Duncan Smith
Guest
Good to see the Tigers and Warriors win. Makes it interesting. Broncos and Roosters to miss the eight ...? Heheh
Rick
Guest
Great display by the Tigers - particularly in defence. Long way to go in attack. However for the moment it is a case of the Mighty Tigers being undefeated co-competition leaders!
jacksyd
Guest
With this forward pack, the clarity could easily be established by round 10.
jacksyd
Guest
Cronk looks old and slow. Could be the flop buy of the year and moving Pearce on for him could end up a big mistake. Tedesco is a very good player but not that much of a step up from the quality Michael Gordon provided. Friend is very slow at dummy half and the new play the ball rule makes him look even worse. Hargreaves and Napa very standard with no special skills. Other than Cordner, the Roosters have a very ordinary pack. Politis should have stuck with Pearce and Gordon and directed his cheque book towards 2-3 good forwards. Robinson has proven to be the worse coach when it comes to roster/success ratio.
DP Schaefer
Guest
uglykiwi, we can high five each other at the end of the comp. Seems we are two of the few who aren't rating the Roosters this year. I'm tipping a possible crash and burn. Should still make the 8, but only just.
MAX
Guest
Be it racetrack or paddock, a good weekend to be a Bookie.
Mushi
Guest
We were lucky in close games last year, this is a bit of mean reversion. I do love though how after one round we all have sudden clarity on the next 25 plus finals...
Mushi
Guest
Skd? If the answer is SKD you're asking the wrong question.
Roostermark
Guest
Better team won on the day as the Tigpies wanted it alot more and it showed. Still only round one and Premiership's aren't won then so I will reserve my judgement on the chooks season at around SOO time.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The plot thickens for the race for the wooden spoon , two early favorites have upset the predictions. Somebody has to win it .
uglykiwi
Roar Pro
Roosters dont have the forwards to win the premiership. I keep saying it; on that display I can not see them out muscling any forward pack. They will be lucky to make the 8. Hargraves: gone soft; is he still injured? Napa: dump him now; softest forward by weight in the comp Cordner: is he injured? The rest if them wouldn't make any other team.. Also; they need SKD back!!! he was the heart and soul of the that team; been cr@p ever since he left. Paul Carter has a lot to answer for.
Rooboy
Guest
Also, full credit to the Tigers!
Rooboy
Guest
The Roosters looked rusty and unfamiliar with the plays, if not each other. Too much ball panic, and tellingly they scored without a hail-mary pass involvement. They will improve and trounce some sides but yesterday was like Act 1 of Mighty Ducks or any of those other ugly duckling movies.
Knight Vision
Guest
Cleary is a very under rated coach, no doubt and today he beat probably the most over rated coach in the comp, Trent Robinson should of won quite a few more GF's with the cattle he's had to work with. If the latte sipping sombrero's have a poor season it wouldnt totally surprise if he's gonzki by years end. How in the world could the Roosters line up even look like losing against a team in the middle of a semi rebuild.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
I would say “good defence and a touch of luck from the tigers beats a clunky Roosters outfit” only things terrific about that game were the missed shot at goal from almost in front and a falcon try that’ll be shoved down our throat all season long. Good win though by the tigers. Rather win ugly than lose pretty. Or in my sides case, lose fugly.