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Trent Robinson has hailed Joey Manu as the best centre in the game after a match-winning performance in the second half that saved the Sydney Roosters from a second Brisbane boilover in as many years
Manu delivered two second half tries to reverse a deficit and lead his team to a 24-16 win at Suncorp Stadium, with Trent Robinson answering the question of his man being the best centre in the world with a simple: “Yeah.”
“Kotoni Staggs did a good impression of it there, he was Mr Olympia for a bit and it was incredible watching him play, but Joey Manu is a well-rounded incredible centre who works hard, great team guy but loves moments,” said the Roosters coach.
“He can be a great player, and there are some great centres out there, but this guy loves playing moments as well as doing the work in between.”
Trailing 10-0 at the break, Manu forced the game to his will with a dominant display that turned the game around and averted the upset, with eight tackle busts and two tries the highlights of his evening.
The New Zealander stole the spotlight from Kotoni Staggs, who had picked the biggest opponents of the year to produce his best performance, scoring a superb solo try and causing constant headaches in attack and defence.
Sam Walker was also influential, scoring one and creating another as well as finally finding his range from the tee: his two conversions were ultimately the difference between the sides.
“Everyone wants to talk about Sam and his defence, and he’s working hard on it, but the thing that hasn’t stopped is his ability to play his footy,” said Robinson of his young halfback.
“We don’t tell him to park everything, forget your footy knowledge and get your D on, we’re saying to get it on at the same time as playing footy. It comes out in bucketloads.
“It’s a long work. This wasn’t a breakout game, it’s one of a couple of years of work. He’s got to work really hard for a couple of years to set a foundation for his career. One game won’t change that but he’s on the right path.”
Brisbane showed that they can mix it with the best, but lacked the staying power when the Roosters decided that they wanted to play.
Kevin Walters could turn to Staggs, as well as the ever-excellent Payne Haas and new recruit Adam Reynolds, but his team remain a work in progress and this will be an important staging post on their journey back to prominence.
“I learned a lot about the team and the character that we have,” said Kevin Walters. “It’ll put us in a good position moving forward. If we provide that character every week we’ll be a good footy side.
“Our second half was where it went front. We got two good ball sets in the second half and found two errors. Apart from that, I thought we were really good.
“Defensively we were good: Joseph Manu got two tries out of dummy half but he’s a good player and he finds a way.
“We didn’t do a whole lot wrong in that second half, but we’re still learning. We battle on hard which is what we want to see from our players.
“The message was to get the ball to him (Kotoni). We’ve been trying to do that, and we controlled the possession a lot more tonight which allowed Adam (Reynolds) to get the ball to him and for Kotoni to get himself more into the game.
“I’m happy for Kotoni because he’s been under pressure and he got to show people why we think he’s special.”
The Roosters, however, have a well of resilience and talent that comes with years at the top. If the sign of a champion is winning when you don’t play well, then the Roosters have a lot to look forward to this year.
“I loved the game,” said Robinson. “I thought it was a great game. The Broncos nailed the game, I thought a lot of guys had their best of the year.
“I loved that from our side, we had guys that had bad games and good games but as a team, we played well.
“We went toe-to-toe at the start and were 10-0, but you’ve got to learn to win in lots of ways in rugby league.
“You can put your foot to the floor and gap a team but you gotta win uncomfortable as well. Early in the season, finding our new selves, it was a great way to win.”
The Broncos set out to make a mark early on. Tesi Niu’s attacking impact has been much maligned so far in 2022, but the first try was a showcase of what he can do.
On receiving the ball from Adam Reynolds, Niu squared up just enough to interest the defence and then pinged it long to Corey Oates, who touched down his 101st in a Broncos jersey.
The Broncos were clearly up for it – evidenced by a miracle escape from behind his own sticks by Selwyn Cobbo – and they were making life very hard for the Roosters.
It took until the half hour mark for the Chooks to make an error, but their 100% completion rate was worth little they had never realistically threatened the Broncos line.
When they did make a break through Kevin Naiqama, the scramble was good and the door shut quickly.
If Tesi Niu has been quiet this season, Kotoni Staggs has been near non-existent. But when the Broncos centre got some decent ball, he showed everyone what he can do.
Niu isolated Staggs against Paul Momirovski and he disposed of the Roosters defender with ease before carrying Sam Walker over the line with him en route to his first try of the year.
The manner in which Staggs despatched Momirovski, one of the best tacklers in the comp, was proof of what he can offer when given service.
The Roosters had barely threatened, but should have scored on the stroke of the siren. Joey Manu was the architect with his feet, dribbling a kick through for Sitili Tupouniua, but the usually effective back rower bombed the opportunity.
Brisbane rode their luck again early in the second half. Nat Butcher seemed to have a clear run at the line, but was felled by a Herbie Farnworth ankle tap and then lost the ball as Payne Haas came to cover.
The resistance couldn’t last. Angus Crichton stepped inside the Broncos’ sliding defence and slipped it to Sam Walker, who showed strength beyond his side to get under Niu and score.
The Roosters weren’t letting up. They piled on possession – 78% in the first ten minutes of the second half – and eventually it told, with Manu crashing over tired tacklers.
Brisbane were learning the hard way how difficult it can be to keep pace with the top teams: their excellent first 40 was undone within 15 minutes.
The Broncos’ resolve was tested, but it was not spent. Kotoni Staggs produced a momentum-changing tackle to dump Daniel Tupou into touch in his own end and then a line break to get Brisbane up the field.
Reynolds then lofted a kick that Oates lept highest to claim, returning the lead to the hosts against the run of second half play.
Suddenly, the Roosters looked rattled again. Jared Wharea-Hargreaves was put on report, Victor Radley dropped one cold and James Tedesco, with the numbers in his favour, failed to hold a pass.
The Chooks don’t know when they’re beat. Little was working in attack but Joey Manu again made the difference.
It wasn’t a subtle approach, barging on the last tackle close to the line, but the Kiwi international overpowered several Broncos and got the ball over by the smallest of margins.
Sam Walker, much maligned with the boot in 2022, finally found some form to nip his side back in front with five to play.
As if to confirm his new found form with boot, Walker then sealed the deal. His kick caught the Broncos out and Tupouniua redeemed his earlier mistake by dotting the ball down.
Brisbane had time to make it interesting. Reynolds created a hat trick try for Oates – who was left limping heavily afterwards – but missed a relatively straightforward conversion that could have created a two-point field goal opportunity to save the game.
With the siren gone and one play to go, Brisbane tried the Hail Mary. It was appropriate that the game ended with the ball in Staggs’ hands, the man that the Broncos went to when they need to win the game, but he was caught in possession.
It wasn’t to be for Brisbane, who fought so hard, but in the end, the champion Chooks have a way of getting things done.