It has been a big week in rugby league since South Sydney Rabbitohs superstar Latrell Mitchell ended his and opponent Joey Manu’s seasons in a spiteful addition to the ‘Book of Feuds’ at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
That’s all we have spoken about for a week.
It’s become so consuming on social media, members of both Mitchell and Manu’s families have come out and begged people to move on.
After all the controversy, it’s easy to forget the Rabbitohs put 54 points on the Roosters and only really extended themselves for a few periods during the game.
The Roosters were running on fumes long before their showdown with their archrivals. In a twisted way, perhaps it was good for them that we were all talking Latrell Mitchell and Joey Manu since last Friday rather than the score.
Ricky Stuart’s Canberra Raiders couldn’t have cared less what happened to the Roosters last week. Their entire season was on the line on Thursday night in Mackay.
(Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
This was meant to be about the Raiders. Keeping their season alive.
Instead, the Roosters dragged themselves out of the dirt again and proved once more just how great a club they are winning 40-16 and they doing it without Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, who was ruled out just before kick-off.
All signs pointed to the Raiders.
While Matt Ikuvalu scored for the Roosters early, it was Canberra’s two tries before and after that would have sent alarm bells ringing through Trent Robinson’s coaching box.
Elliott Whitehead crashed over in the 5th minute and Josh Papalii in the 18th.
It’s not like the Roosters to bleed tries like that. Both times, Roosters tyro Siosiua Taukeiaho was there.
Flat-footed, heels dug into the dirt, couldn’t stop the Green Machine.
Some might find him underrated, but Taukeiaho is the heart of the Roosters – the health metre they go back to.
Canberra had all the momentum. Then the game went into a rhythm. A rugby league arm wrestle.
The Roosters welcomed it like a warm blanket.
With the Raiders’ season on the line, the Roosters grew instead of Canberra. The Tricolours found their way. It doesn’t matter who they throw on the field.
Raiders invited trouble and the Roosters were happy to burn them.
Seven minutes into the second half, Roosters rookie Egan Butcher went to the line inside his own half and dropped a ball back on the inside to a flying James Tedesco. Incredibly, the Raiders weren’t ready for it. Sydney scored on the next play.
You don’t play finals footy if you can’t pick up Tedesco floating ahead of your defensive line.
The game was gone then.
Later, Jack Wighton grubber-kicked for the in-goal and failed. The Roosters transitioned into attack faster than Canberra could stop them and the Roosters roared up-field.
Adam Keighran got his hat-trick in the 50th minute. Canberra just couldn’t keep up.
So many like writing the Roosters off but Robinson has instilled a system at his club that can be barely challenged. No matter who goes into that jersey, they play. They run. They push up.
Under fatigue, athletes do different things.
It’s quite clear that under fatigue, an athlete in a Roosters jersey grows another leg.
They play like their lives depend on it.
While no expert is mad enough to predict the Roosters to come close to lifting the trophy, the scary prospect is what they can do to opposition sides and their campaigns.
The Roosters are the premiership assassins that the game didn’t know it needed.
Peter C
Guest
JWH wasn't even in the srting line-up 24hrs out.
HENRIK
Guest
Lol, ok princess
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Jealous? Forever in Our Shadow, Pride of the League, 21 Premiers, 60-8, 54-12....I think it's Rabbit Envy.
HENRIK
Guest
Got to love how the Jealous effeminate myrtlee and cardinal idolators come out to bag the chooks when they are the Club with the Hollywood Superstar owner and a team full of bought Stars that he likes to parade in front of his celebrity mates in the Sheds after games. BAhaha
steveng
Roar Rookie
:laughing: :laughing: you missed the point, anyway the crucial decision was the telling decision and that is part of the course as "The raiders had over 60 % of possession in the second half of the grand final" has nothing to do with it if a decision like Ben Cummins made affected the GF result! Mate, I'm optimistic but mostly pessimistic with what has happened in the NRL lately as, the Bunnies and whatever they do and happens in the playoffs I consider a lottery with the way things have gone.
Murray Fosts
Guest
The raiders had over 60 % of possession in the second half of the grand final, they have no one to blame but themselves. I almost hope the rabbits win the GF this year just so you and ya mate STF UP. But I look forward to them bowing out in straight sets even more .
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The Raiders are lucky they weren't playing a top team with a full roster because they could have let in 70 or 80 points. Rapana and Clintsmith? along with big Pap did well but with the season on the line, most of the others were horrendous. The performance reminds me of the Broncos under Bennett and then Seibold at the end of the season when they just held up the white flag. It could signal the start of some tough times for the Raiders. The tilt at a title might have completely run out of steam.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Its part of the course BM as saint Trent and his rants are unchallenged and he's made out to be the holly one. That tackle by Klokstad (which he was put on report for) and was made into an 8 point try and then that conversion kick 'that missed' the tackle was much softer than the same tackle that was allowed when Rapana did the same in the R19 game when the Raiders beat the Eels 12-10 and Sivo was taken out in the last second of the game! The refereeing and game handling inconsistencies that the NRL goes through a season is astounding and really leaves fans scratching their heads round by round. Its not worth complaining as this is the NRL in the last 20 years and anything and any decision will be made, lets see what happens in the next 4 week and in the finals? As this happened to the Raiders in one GF when the refereeing was atrocious against who else "the Roosters" with Ben Cummins etc etc
Onya.
Guest
The biggest help to the Roosters, was a pitiful overall performance by the Raiders. The Raiders looked good early, then nothing!
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
I was about to write an article about how Manu V Trell will affect the Tigers v Bulldogs game.... :laughing:
Steve
Guest
The Raiders were that bad last night I'm surprised the Roosters didn't score more points. They were absolutely putrid...and that's being kind. To top it off for the hapless raiders they couldn't buy a penalty or a 50/50 call as the referees seemed to be too scared to do anything to upset the Roosters. Maybe they were fearful of copping a spray from Robbo?
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
The Raiders have lost 14 games this year, I doubt it was anything that Latrell-Manu did. Considering the one sided penalty count to the roosters, 3 Raiders on report, an 8 point try for the roosters, and an Ikavalu shoulder charge not cited, that referee shake up of Robbo's last week and $40k fine was well spent.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Is this a joke…“How Manu v Trell helped Roosters recover from Bunnies thrashing to conquer Raiders” as the Raiders performance last night was that bad that the game was over in the 46th minute. This game wasn’t anything that the Roosters did but how bad the Raiders were.
Ja ja klazo
Guest
Amazing that the Manu incident somehow managed to creep into the match report for a game the week later, but the media seems hell bent on squeezing every last drop out of it. Great effort by the roosters. Drew Hutchison has taken his game to another level, he looks like he has a lot of time with the ball and made some great decisions. he has an ability to put up a really awkward kick. It doesn't look that spectacular but it just floats around enough to cause indecision in the receiver.