The Sydney Roosters recorded an impressive 35-14 win over the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in a first-versus-second Jersey Flegg blockbuster on Sunday afternoon at Wentworth Park.
Tyler Colley had the ball on a string, picking apart the defence with a try and two assists in a comprehensive performance. The Tricolours five-eighth amassed 15 points on his own, converting five tries and slotting a field goal in the dying minutes to keep his team on top of the competition ladder.
Match: Roosters v Sharks
Round 13 -
home Team
Roosters
1st Position
away Team
Sharks
2nd Position
Venue: Wentworth Park, Sydney
Sharks halfback Manaia Waitere had trouble collecting the kick off, affording Easts the opportunity to find first points with prop Tayson Fakaosi crashing over under the posts. Colley converted to give the hosts a 6-0 lead in the opening minute.
A strong attacking set placed the Roosters in a favourable position for the fifth tackle only seven minutes later. A brilliant option from Colley to chip towards the corner turned into more points, with Tavita Henare-Schuster snatching it out of the air to score.
The Roosters received a penalty within 20 metres of the try line, and they capitalised on field position once again in the 14th minute. Already proving his strength across the park, Colley used his fancy footwork to sidestep defenders and cross the stripe, converting his own try to give the Tricolours a 16-point lead.
The Sharks opened their account 10 minutes later, with Kristian Dixon racing through to collect a perfect attacking kick over the top of the Roosters’ defence, beating the fullback to score.
They found a second try shortly after, advancing upfield off a penalty and crashing over through a Chaz Jarvis cut-out ball to Noah Lester, cutting Easts’ lead down to 16-8 at half time.
An error from the Sharks coming out of their own end allowed the Roosters to produce a scrum play, spreading the ball out wide to Xavier Chatfield-Mooka who tip-toed down the sideline and bumped off Jarvis to score his side’s first points of the second half, with Colley converting from long range to give the hosts a 22-8 advantage.
The Red, White, and Blue found more points as halfback Braith Alexander poked a grubber kick into the in-goal, which was dived on by Owen Flaherty. Colley converted successfully from the left of the uprights, making the margin 20.
Retrieving possession off a Sharks’ error, Easts crossed the stripe again as Colley delivered an inside ball to Vaiala Tamati, who carried a defender across the line. Colley nailed the conversion to give the Roosters a 34-8 lead with 10 minutes left of play.
The visitors responded shortly after, with an attacking kick being deflected into the hands of Tully Wilton, who sent Henry O’Kane over the line in the 62nd minute, with Dixon converting to increase Cronulla’s points tally to 14.
A late field goal from Colley iced the 35-14 victory, cementing the Roosters spot as outright ladder-leaders in the Jersey Flegg competition.
Sydney Roosters 35 (Tayson Fakaosi, Tavita Henare-Schuster, Tyler Colley, Xavier Chatfield-Mooka, Owen Flaherty, Vaiala Tamati tries, Tyler Colley 5 goals, Tyler Colley field goal) def Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 14 (Kristian Dixon, Noah Lester, Henry O'Kane tries, Kristian Dixson goal)
