A first-half hat-trick from Cooper Toy helped the Sydney Roosters Harold Matthews team finish its pre-season trials with a 20-16 win against the Illawarra Steelers at Wyong’s Morrie Breen Oval.
The Tricolours scored five tries to one in a dominant opening 30 minutes, before momentum swung the Steelers way in the second half.
Roosters halves Ben Dufficy and Cassius Tia scored the opening tries, while left centre Toy ensured some great work from his team mates paid off on the scoreboard.
Toy scored his first try after the Roosters earned a line drop out, capped off a great passage of play by the left edge for the second, and fullback Dane Towns chased and caught a high ball before passing to Toy to complete the hat-trick as the Roosters went into half-time 20-4 ahead.
It was a Roosters double in the Harold Matthews trials, as the Club’s Central Coast team recorded a comfortable win against Manly.
The Roosters SG Ball won both 35-minute halves it played in a 3-way game against Manly and Illawarra, recording 12-4 and 12-8 wins respectively.
The Tarsha Gale side put in a strong performance with three 25-minute thirds, it was another great hit out for the girls after playing four 20-minute quarters in the squad’s first trial.
Sydney Roosters Head of Recruitment and Junior Player Development Daniel Anderson was pleased with what the players produced in very hot conditions.
“Central Coast Harold Matthews played really tough and stuck it to Manly. Motivationally it would have been really good for the coach, and would have been able to see a lot of blokes participate,” Anderson said.
“Easts Harold Matthews had a bit of a rollercoaster. When they had momentum, they scored a lot of tries and made it look really easy, but then Illawarra scored three tries in a row as well.
“They were a little erratic but it is very hot. They are still rolling through 26 to 27 players so when they get ready with their 17-man squad for round one, then I guess we will get a better idea.
“SG Ball played in hot, difficult conditions. We played Manly and Illawarra in their first stint so we got them when they were fresh. We will be OK, but there is a lot for the coach to work on.”
It was the second and final trial the club’s juniors had to impress before squads are finalised before the start of the season.
The Harold Matthews, SG Ball and Tarsha Gale competitions begin on February 6.
