Roosters deny resurgent Tigers thanks to late try
THE Sydney Roosters survived an almighty scare from a resurgent Wests Tigers to avoid being on the wrong end of what would have been the upset of the season last night.
James Tedesco almost provided the Wests Tigers with a farewell present by dismantling his future team, however the Roosters managed to scrape home in the dying minutes to secure a 22-18 victory.
On a cold, wet and windy night at Allianz Stadium, the NSW fullback showed why the Roosters will be paying him more than a A$1 million a year for the next four seasons.
But unfortunately for Tedesco, it was to no avail.
The Tigers clawed their way back from an early 16-0 deficit to take a two-point lead late in the match. While the Roosters were scrappy at best, they had little answer to the Tigers defence for the majority of the second half.
But the Roosters’ most potent attacking weapon, Latrell Mitchell, dived over late in the contest to deny the Tigers what would have been their second win on the trot.
The win for Trent Robinson’s men ends a two-game losing streak and ensures they stay in equal second position (third on differential) with the Broncos with two rounds remaining.
The Roosters put aside back to back losses to Melbourne and Manly as they approach the finals series.
It was the skills of Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, who offloaded on his way to the ground, that allowed Mitchell Pearce to dive over from close range to give the Roosters an early 6-0 lead. The Sun-Herald GETTY IMAGES
Pearce turned provider for the Roosters’ second try, hitting a barnstorming Aiden Guerra back on the angle with a lovely timed short ball.
Like two bulls charging at each other, Waerea-Hargreaves and Boyd Cordner collided heads in defence that saw both forwards leave the field in the 26th minute to undergo a concussion test.
It didn’t stop the flow of momentum, with an acrobatic effort from Blake Ferguson to bring down a crossfield Pearce kick allowing veteran Mitchell Aubusson to dive over in the corner for a 16-0 lead.
Just when it looked like the Roosters would pile on a score, the Tigers got themselves back in the contest when Luke Brooks put Josh Aloiai through a yawning gap.
A fumble from Michael Gordon provided the visitors with another opportunity on the stroke of halftime, with Brooks and Naiqama combining to show the Roosters faithful what they are in for next year when Tedesco strolled over to reduce the deficit to four points at the break.
Cordner and WaereaHargreaves returned in the second half, but a penalty against the Kiwi prop for a stray elbow on Tui Lolohea might see him in trouble with the match review committee.