Robbo praises 'down and dirty' Jared after Roosters send out Premiership warning with fiery win over Storm

Trent Robinson has defended Jared Waerea-Hargreaves after his pack leader was sin-binned in a fiery, physical clash that saw the Roosters lay down a huge marker for the finals, defeating Melbourne 18-14.

The Kiwi hardman was sat down for ten minutes after an incident with Nelson Asofa-Solomona that sparked one confrontation too many for referee Adam Gee.

The official had warned both sides following a series of incidents – more handbags than melees – and dutifully binned Waerea-Hargreaves.

Asofa-Solomona had been in a running battle with Victor Radley – who was later badly concussed in a separate incident – and may find himself in hot water after appearing to throw a head butt at the Roosters lock.

“I didn’t know what he got sent for,” said Robinson of the sin bin. “I wasn’t sure exactly what the penalty was for, but the man’s physical. That’s what we love about our game is guys being physical.

“Jared decided to play that way and it ends up stifling these guys (playmakers) but he made it a forward’s game tonight.

“He got down and dirty and it cost him ten, but that’s what your lead prop does. He sets the tone for a game. Credit to him.”

The win itself is almost immaterial: it was the manner of it that matters. After a season that has often lacked intent from Robinson’s men, this was a major statement.

Particularly impressive was the manner in which the Roosters, with a four point lead and ten minutes to play, repeatedly turned the Storm away. Whisper it quietly, it was reminiscent of their Premiership goalline defence of 2018 and 2019.

“We wanted to come down and get a result,” said the Roosters coach. “I thought we were physical, we wanted to take it to them. We were scrappy on the back end of it, but it turned into a different type of game, a bit of a dogfight. We had to play that way.

“Most games are played in the midfield, but that game was stop start and was played either on our goalline or their goalline. You end up with hardly any tries, but we end up having to defend a lot on our goalline, and we held our hands up really well for most of the game. That was really pleasing.”

They will remain outside of the top four, but whoever gets them in September is now on notice, if they weren’t already. The middle rotation, with Matt Lodge, Waerea-Hargreaves, Siasiua Taukieaho and Lindsay Collins all together for the first time, will go there with the best.

The Roosters will count the cost, however. Radley was left convulsing on the field after copping a hip to the temple and Daniel Tupou, who left early with a groin injury, is almost certainly out of next week’s meeting with South Sydney.

Both Waerea-Hargreaves and Collins might have issues with the disciplinary: Jared was put on report for a high tackle to go with the sin bin and Lindsay was cited late on for a potential hip drop.

This result leaves the Storm’s position in doubt, with a crunch visit to Parramatta next week to decide whether they get the second chance in the finals.

Within seconds, it was clear that this was set to be one of the best games of the season. The intensity of the defence was like the finals had arrived early, and while it sometimes spilled over in the first half, it would be hard to argue that that did not add to the spectacle.

Melbourne will be without Tom Eisenhuth, so has a suspected high ankle strain, and were left without coach Craig Bellamy for the press conference after departing the stadium on full time with a migraine headache.

“I thought the Roosters got away to a really good start, as they have in the last month of footy,” said assistant coach Stephen Kearney. “We didn’t help ourselves and they got early possession on us. They made it really hard for us.

“We gave ourselves some opportunities at the back end of the game. Teddy scrambled really well and saved a couple of tries.

“We had our chances tonight, but I thought we probably weren’t quite good enough. The Roosters did really well.”

The pace was set early and barely let up. Justin Olam thought he had opened the scoring, but was found not to have grounded a kick.

The Roosters took immediate advantage, with Keary making his first major intervention to get Tupou over at the corner. It might have got even better, with Radley stopped just inches short. The bunker called the tackle high and Sam Walker took the two.

It got better yet. Joey Manu had shifted to the wing after Tupou went off, but nobody appeared to have told David Nofoaluma, who was caught well infield from a pinpoint Keary kick to make it 14-0.

Radley and Asofa-Solomona’s running battle was in full swing. The Rooster had his much larger opponent by the throat at one point, and in a second incident, the Storm enforcer seemed to attempt a head butt that went unseen by the officials on the field and in the bunker.

Waerea-Hargreaves then decided that Asofa-Solomona should take on someone his own size, lining up a shot on Cameron Munster that got him put on report, before taking his fellow Kiwi to the deck on the next carry, causing a another melee.

Referee Adam Gee had warned all parties that the next infringer would go to the bin, and was good to his word, dispatching Waerea-Hargreaves. Nelson joined him, though his departure was called by his own bench, not the ref – and for his own good.

The Roosters managed hang on for the ten minutes, but the dam eventually broke as Melbourne spread smartly through hands and got Xavier Coates in.

Another high tackle presented them with a shot in front of the posts, and with time expiring on the half, Nick Meaney reduced the deficit to six points.

The second half was, again, defined by the grind. Harry Grant went very close, only for Waerea-Hargreaves to intervene, and seconds later, Walker – much maligned for his defence – scythed down Kenny Bromwich with the line begging.

Inevitably after tow close calls, the Roosters went up the other end and made it count. Joseph Suaalii went very close over the top of Jahrome Hughes, but was held up. On the next set, he went one better, battering through Coates to score.

It was vital in the end. From the 57^th minute, when Suaalii scored, the Storm had over 70% of possession but managed only one Meaney try.

The defence was incredible. Melbourne racked up 22 tackles inside the Roosters’ 20m zone, but were repelled time and again. James Tedesco, as ever, was the hero late on. His trysaver denied Kenny Bromwich, and after Suaalii spilled a kick, he was on hand to mop up.

It was a gutsy end to a gutsy performance that will have been seen across the competition.