Cronk class act as Roosters thrash Knights
COOPER Cronk had a hand in all seven of his side’s tries, leaving predecessor Mitchell Peace in his wake as the Roosters thrashed Newcastle 38-8.
After walking out on his long-time NRL club after the signing of Cronk last year, Pearce’s Knights had no answers for the Roosters’ new No.7 and his partnership with Luke Keary.
The pair combined directly for no less than four tries, including what may well end the year as the try of the season off the final play of the first half.
Leading 18-8 and bringing the ball out of their own end, Cronk chipped for a flying Keary, who regathered and produced a magical flick pass as he was ankle tapped for Victor Radley to score.
The pair had earlier helped open the scoring in the sixth minute when Cronk changed the direction of play close to the line with an inside ball to Keary, before Latrell Mitchell stepped his way over.
A Cronk kick later led to a Jared Waerea-Hargreaves try, before the former Storm stalwart found a rampaging Keary, who pushed his way through Brock Lamb for the Roosters’ third.
The pair were at it again early in the second half when Keary was this time the provider for Cronk, grubbering for him to score and put the game beyond doubt.
Cronk’s other second-half involvements resulted in two tries to Blake Ferguson.
It served as a significant warning for how dangerous Cronk and Keary can be in partnership, after the Roosters started the season as favourites but were shocked by the Wests Tigers in the opening round.
Meanwhile, Pearce managed to set up the Knights’ only try in the first half when he grubbered early for fellow former Rooster Aidan Guerra.
But it was an otherwise unhappy night for Newcastle, who also lost Connor Watson to a shoulder injury.
Earlier, Ashley Taylor endured a horror homecoming as St George Illawarra destroyed his Gold Coast side in Toowoomba.
The Dragons won 54-8, with Taylor reported for tripping and twice kicking restarts out on the full.
The Toowoomba product was also forced to pass a concussion test at half-time as the unbeaten Dragons scored nine tries to one in the city’s first NRL game.