The Roosters put on a master class performance at Allianz Stadium on Friday night to defeat the Tigers 36-4.
It was a perfect night at Allianz Stadium after erratic weather conditions on Anzac Day. The Roosters took full advantage and had all the energy early with some strong goal line defence. It was Michael Jennings who made a cracking tackle on Mitchell Moses on their own goal line to force a double movement. In the next set, Tupou would score off a pretty pass from Jennings which saw him flirt with the touch line and get it down just inside the chalk.
It was all the Roosters in the opening 20 minutes, forcing two goal-line drop outs and a close call to Boyd Cordner who almost crashed over. Much like the Roosters, the Tigers defence was hanging on in what was a tight battle early on.
Jennings appeared to cross in the 20th minute but was denied after it was called back with the call being made that he was tackled in the play before. It wasn’t long after a strong defensive effort from both sides that Taukeiaho would go over for his first NRL try after a kick from Pearce got knocked back to the rookie from Boyd Cordner in the 25th minute.
It was all the Roosters as back rower Cordner would cross the stripe off a slick short pass from Pearce. This was shaping up to be a game that was ruled by the hopeful Origin Blues pairing.
Pearce assisted another try after a nice kick found Tupou on the wing for his second. The boys going into halftime holding a 22-point lead.
It was a back and forth affair to begin the second half with neither team’s defensive line looking likely to crack. It was the 52 minute mark however that Chris Lawrence looked to have crossed after catching a bomb from Mitch Moses, only to be denied for a knock on.
An offside penalty was ruled to the Tigers in the 56th minute of the game and Maloney took the two points in front of the uprights to make it four converted tries the difference.
Tupou was looking unstoppable as he crossed for his third try in the 63rd minute from what was a lethal left edge for the Roosters. It was right on 70 minutes when co-captain Mitchell Pearce did no harm to his Origin hopes as he picked up a loose ball for a runaway try, which was also his first for the season.
It was then the 76th minute of the game that Dene Halatau stormed over to score the first and only try for the Tigers. The Roosters would finish the game 36-4 in a commanding performance that put the boys back on the winners list in season 2015.
Crowd: 14,366
Tries: Tupou 3, Taukeiaho, Cordner, Pearce
Goals: Maloney 5/6
