Hit For Six: Roosters Salute SCG with Stirring Final Session

Mid-season signing Oliver Gildart made his Roosters debut from the interchange bench -  coincidentally against his former side - while backrower Nat Butcher claimed an incredible four tries with Angus Crichton bagging a double.

Halfback Sam Walker kicked a perfect twelve from twelve conversions to earn him a 24-point tally, etching himself in Club history by recording the second most goals in a match for the Roosters. 

Kicking off on a dry track in the winter chill, the men from Bondi set out early to establish dominance in defence, keeping their opponents behind the 30-metre line on the opening set.

While the Tigers earned a seven-tackle set from a misfired kick, the Roosters landed the first blow as Victor Radley burst through the line before Joseph Manu took three defenders with him to score after an offload from Matt Lodge.

Unfortunately, a Bunker intervention saw the try overturned after Lodge had continued play after being tackled in an early let-off for the visitors.

Luke Keary and Sam Walker showed composure with the boot to earn consecutive line drop outs as pressure mounted, but after Joseph Suaalii careened for the corner after a bat-on from Manu, it was another missed chance as the pass was called forward.

An error from Wests just a few tackles later opened up another opportunity, and it was third time lucky for the Tricolours as Nat Butcher charged onto a Walker grubber to dot down under the posts. 

Walker's conversion saw the Roosters take a 6-nil lead after a scrappy first fourteen minutes. 

Easts continued to control the match both with and without the ball, and their next opportunity would come after a kick-out on the full, it was Angus Crichton spinning and scoring with ease on the other side of the ruck.

The bustling backrower found himself on the scoresheet for a double as the confident Roosters continued their roll-on, keeping the Tigers well inside their own half, taking an 18-nil lead.

Butcher was sure to match his budding second rower as he breezed past the defence off a Keary pass to touch down for his third double for the season as the difference blew out to 24 points. 

Crichton might not have scored the next four-pointer, but could easily claim bragging rights as he punched through the line to send James Tedesco over for the side's fifth try just minutes later. 

An error from the kick-off saw Tedesco opt for a Captain's Challenge, which was unsuccessful, handing their opponents possession ten metres from their line - but the defence stood tall once again, holding off to bring the halftime scoreline to 30-nil.

The second stanza began as Joseph Suaalii took a swirling torpedo bomb with ease, before being hit head-high - and after the young winger was able to continue on, it was bench utility Connor Watson ducking, diving and weaving his way to the line as the scoreline hit 36 with as many minutes remaining. 

The one-way traffic continued as makeshift centre Drew Hutchison breezed past off a left-side shift to find himself over the line as the Roosters hit 42 points as Walker's perfect kicking record stayed intact thanks to a bounce off the upright.

Butcher then grabbed his first career hat-trick after a razzle-dazzle fifth tackle sequence, which saw a Keary bomb taken by Suaalii who put the backrower through to step inside and crash over. 

Daniel Tupou added to his tally after a Joseph Manu bust resulted in Keary putting the towering winger over for his nineteenth try at the venue as they reached a half-century of points.

Oliver Gildart took the field for the first time in Red, White and Blue and the Roosters continued to rally as Tupou and Crichton took Staford To'a into touch, and quick hands saw Tupou score in the corner with the final touch coming off the Englishman.

The defence was quick to converge as Tigers five-eighth Adam Doueihi broke through, and while he didn't score on that occasion, the visitors breached the line from a long-range intercept. 

Not deterred from their minor slip, the scoreline returned to a 60-point difference as Walker and Butcher combined to see the forward bag an incredible fourth try before Lodge reached over to bring the score to 70 as the Roosters romped to an incredible 72-6 win. 

The Sydney Roosters travel to the Victorian capital next Friday night to face off against the Melbourne Storm in their Round 24 clash.

Sydney Roosters 72 (Nat Butcher 4, Angus Crichton 2, Daniel Tupou 2, James Tedesco, Connor Watson, Drew Hutchison, Matt Lodge tries; Sam Walker 12 goals) def Wests Tigers 6 (Brent Naden tries; Adam Doueihi goals)