Roosters on Cloud Seven as Streak Extends in Fiery Clash

Forward Nat Butcher celebrated his 100th game in Club colours with a fitting performance, while returning forward duo Lindsay Collins and Siosiua Taukeiaho provided plenty of impact from the interchange bench. 

Captain James Tedesco was phenomenal in defence, saving numerous tries including an effort that denied the home side from stealing the result in the final remaining minutes.

On a chilly night in the Victorian capital, the Tricolours were greeted with a hostile reception but were far from deterred as they quickly got to work through the middle of the field.

Muscling up in defence, a forced error saw the side with possession just ten metres from the line, before Sam Walker opted for an early two-point lead with a penalty goal after three minutes.

Their own ill-discipline allowed the home side to strike back and an attacking grubber kick looked as if Melbourne had taken the lead - but desperation from Captain James Tedesco prevented centre Justin Olam from grounding the ball. 

Easts rolled through the middle with seven tackles up their sleeve, and on the very next set, a short-side raid saw Daniel Tupou cross in the corner thanks to quick hands from Luke Keary and makeshift centre Drew Hutchison.

Walker extended his kicking streak to fourteen with a pinpoint accurate conversion from the sideline, bringing the Roosters' lead to eight after a high-octane opening nine minutes. 

Victor Radley went inches from extending the lead, only to lose the ball over the line, before a backline shuffle ensued after Tupou exited the field of play, just as Joseph Manu burst through the defence to send Lindsay Collins charging downfield.

With the intensity rising with each set, tensions flared between the two combatants, but Trent Robinson's men would have the last laugh as a cross-field kick from Keary saw Manu rewarded as the centre scored untouched.

While their ill-discipline saw the Storm attacking their line, desperation from Tedesco and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves denied Cameron Munster, but following a high tackle, the sides come together in disagreement once more, with Nelson Asofa Solomona the main offender.

The two colossal Kiwis clashed on the very next tackle, and that was enough for referee Adam Gee, who sent Waerea-Hargreaves to the sin bin as the Bondi Wall denied incoming Rooster Brandon Smith, forcing an error. 

James Tedesco kept his composure after a heated five minutes, taking down a rampaging Xavier Coates as the Storm went wide, with both sides guilty of scrappy play as halftime neared.

Coates would get over the line as the Storm shifted out to the right with their advantage in numbers, with the lead returning to eight points following the successful conversion.

Two hitmen collided as Radley levelled out Olam in a bruising tackle as the Bondi Wall stood tall, with a high tackle allowing Melbourne to close the scoreline to 14-8 as the sides took to the sheds. 

The electric atmosphere surged as the second half began with both sides trading blows, and it was a case of another missed opportunity for the Red, White and Blue as a forced pass went to ground following a number of sets attacking the line.

Suaalii soared to claim a spectacular catch as both sides exchanged penalties in a closely-fought arm wrestle, with Tedesco and Waerea-Hargreaves combining once more to deny Harry Grant with the line begging.

A legs tackle from Walker on Queensland Origin teammate Felise Kaufusi denied the charging back rower, and the Bondi Wall held firm once more as Munster lost possession metres out.

Suaalii was denied over the line as the home side displayed their own desperation, but the young winger was able to ground the ball on his second trip to the in-goal as the Tricolours took an 18-8 lead with 20 remaining. 

An error on the line gave the Storm a chance to reply, and while the defence converged to force a forward pass, a break through the middle saw Nick Meaney dive over to score with Easts' lead now to four. 

With fatigue and frustration coming to a boil, an error saw Melbourne with possession in the red zone, and following multiple sets on the line, the Storm finally crossed over to score - or so it seemed. 

In one of the finest defensive efforts of the season, Tedesco and Egan Butcher held up a barnstorming Kenny Bromwich from grounding the ball, sealing the result as the Roosters held on to claim a famous 18-14 victory. 

In the final round of the 2022 regular season, the Sydney Roosters will face off against arch-rivals the South Sydney Rabbitohs in their very first match at the brand-new Allianz Stadium.

Sydney Roosters 18 (Daniel Tupou, Joseph Manu; Joseph Suaalii tries; Sam Walker 2 goals; Sam Walker penalty goal) def Melbourne Storm 14 (Xavier Coates, Nick Meaney tries; Nick Meaney 2 goals; Nick Meaney penalty goal)