An under strength Sydney Roosters side has dismantled Wests Tigers by 40-6 on a wet Sunday afternoon at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.
After a solid start by the Tigers, the Roosters first try came slightly against the run of play. Taking full advantage of a set restart, the Roosters ran a short side play. James Tedesco threw a perfect cut out ball to Joseph Manu who found Brett Morris. Morris kicked back inside and Tedesco was on the spot.
It was the first attack on the Tigers left edge, a good indication of what was to come.
They were in again just seven minutes later, again targeting the Leilua brothers and Luke Brooks on the Tigers left side. A terrific catch and pass from Lachlan Lam put Brett Morris into space and he was good enough to score.
The Tigers hit back just inside the first 20 minutes. After a captain’s challenge fell the way of Wests, Jacob Liddle did some nice work out of dummy half to plant the ball on the line. It was as good as it got for the Tigers.
While the Tigers went through perhaps their best part of the game, led by the elusive Daine Laurie, it was the Roosters who scored with five minutes to go in the first half.
Luke Keary held the ball up nicely for Sitili Tupouniua and he was too strong for Luke Brooks in a one on one contest.
The Roosters went into the break 18-6 leaders, with all three tries scored on the Tigers left side. Joey Leilua alone missed five tackles.
If anything, the Roosters turned it up a notch at the start of the second half.
Seven minutes in, Keary beat Brooks for pace and drew Laurie before a superb flick pass to Brett Morris who was in for his second.
Minutes later, a Keary grubber deflected off Luciano Leilua, wrong footing Laurie and giving Tedesco the easiest of tries.
The Roosters made it 34-6 with eleven minutes to go. Manu drifted across field and turned Lindsay Collins back inside into a huge gap. His pass to Fletcher Baker was a thing old forwards only dream about and the Roosters debutant was in.
Four minutes later, a Keary chip was taken uncontested by Manu, Collins was there for the pass and Brett Morris scored in the corner for back to back hattricks. Tedesco’s perfect conversion from the sideline just confirmed that the Roosters were having a day out.
For the Roosters, it was perfect preparation for next Friday’s match up with the Rabbitohs. Trent Robinson was critical of the Roosters flat spot but thought the second half was much more polished.
For the Tigers, Michael Maguire’s press conference was all about players taking accountability and not drifting in and out of games. Luke Brooks was a case in point. He made some line breaks this afternoon but his kicking game was way off the mark.
concerned supporter
Roar Rookie
You are genius, Big Mig, East s were ordinary, why did they let K. Flanagan go? Lusick"s dummy half play was so predictable
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Thanks for the tip CS, did put my money where my mouth is, just doubled my money x$2.20! As I said earlier like taking candy from a kid.... PS cant wait to play the chooks again, too good.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
mushi - the only thing the roosters can boast about is a bigger cap, they should re-brand themselves (again) as the "eastern suburbs sombreros"
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
CC – like taking candy from a child…
Spartacus
Roar Rookie
“Agree that the hyperbole should be eased.” Well it did wonders for Souths in round 1 and the Storm in round 2, mushi. If that form holds I hope they talk the Roosters up all this week like they were the NRL equivalent of Phar Lap or Black Caviar. “We’re 2 games in we really don’t know a lot new about any team yet” There is too much common sense in that comment mushi not when we are all busy picking “April premiers”.
mushi
Roar Guru
Agree that the hyperbole should be eased. We're 2 games in we really don't know a lot new about any team yet
mushi
Roar Guru
Got to love souths fans. With only one premiership in almost 50 years they've got to celebrate a round 20 game because they spilt their lollies in the finals again. Does souths predilection for choking get their fans early access to the COVID vaccine.
concerned supporter
Roar Rookie
Big Mig, Here is your chance to win big, the TAB next week have the Roosters favourite @$1.67, Souths,$2.20. Money where your mouth is.
Dutski
Roar Guru
Baker looked ok on debut, and with Nat Butcher growing in confidence we could be seeing the future of the club's forward stocks looking promising. Now if only we could find a player named Candlestickmaker...
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Good morning Big Mig. Somehow I feel that past results bear no relevance. If it was the case, tipsters would find their task a lot easier. Last season was a crazy year for obvious reasons & 2021 may provide more predictable results however that is not necessarily a good thing as supporters of all sides would like to think that their team is “a mathematical chance of making the 8” for as long as possible.
Spartacus
Roar Rookie
Souths face a massive task next week to arrest the early season juggernaut that is the Sydney Roosters. With an aggregate score over the first two rounds the chooks have scored 86 points to 10! Wow! Now, let's all just calm down and look at this rationally. Who have the Roosters played so far this year? A Turbo-less Manly in dry not wet conditions, and the Tigers coming off a 30-12 hammering by the Raiders in round 1. Also, did those sides fight to the end or roll over early and go belly up allowing the Roosters to play the game at their own pace without being pressured? Clearly we are looking at two teams in Manly and the Tigers who at this stage of the season are running 15th and 16th and who look to face an uphill struggle to climb off the bottom of the NRL ladder. Souths got ambushed by the Storm in round 1 in the first 30 minutes and even though they were the better side over most of the next 50 minutes they fell just short of finishing over the top of the Storm. Admittedly, Souths looked pretty ordinary against the Sea Eagles but given the wet conditions, having a player incorrectly sent to the sin-bin for 10 minutes and in a game where both teams were reduced to 15 vs 15 it was hardly a form guide for next week. IMO the Roosters will try to play up-tempo and with high energy in the first 30 minutes and try to emulate the Storm's blueprint in round 1. Souths need to survive an early onslaught by the Roosters next week and stay within 6 points by half-time. They need to complete their sets and have close to 50% possession by half-time and put the Roosters under pressure. So far this season the chooks have not been tested and although a 60-8 scoreline to the Bunnies is off the table I still expect Souths to win by 10 - 12 points if they have over 50% of possession and a high completion rate.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Arguably the Roosters have played the two worst teams in the comp, so its ok for Teddy and his bully team to steam roll the minnows, they’ll start to quiver once they play teams like the Storm, Panthers, Raiders, Eels and of course, this week they’ll be running scared against the Rabbitohs (lest we forget the last time they played the Rabbitohs beat them 60-8 scoring 10 tries v roosters Round 20 – 25th September 2020: Cody Walker 13′ Alex Johnston 17′ Alex Johnston 29′ Campbell Graham 31′ Corey Allan 49′ Cody Walker 59′ Cameron Murray 69′ Alex Johnston 72′ Alex Johnston 74′ Alex Johnston 77′