The Sydney Roosters visited the Parramatta Eels at CommBank Stadium for the second leg of the Jack Gibson Cup on Friday evening.
First Half Fightback
Having conceded a try just eight minutes in, the Roosters needed one of their own to level the contest.
The breakthrough came through none other than Captain James Tedesco, splitting the defensive line to race away and score.
Easts hit the lead only four minutes later with a try to Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, before the Captain crossed again for a 12-point buffer at the break.
Scrum Plays Pay Off
Picking and probing at the Eels’ defence for the first 20 minutes, it seemed as though the Tricolours couldn’t quite make their way to the try line.
It wasn’t until they received a scrum on their opponent’s line that they were able to open their account for the evening, with Luke Keary setting up Tedesco to make use of the extra space out wide and score.
They found more points off a scrum with a similar play on the other side of the field, with Keary once again assisting the try with a perfect cut-out ball to Suaalii.
Collins Claims Chad Robinson Medal
On a night when the Roosters were crowing in attack, their defence remained a standout, with Lindsay Collins taking charge to desperately shut-down multiple plays and hold the Eels to 12 points.
With Jared Waerea-Hargreaves omitted from the line-up an hour before kick-off, Collins assumed responsibility – tallying 164 metres from 16 barnstorming runs and breaking three tackles.
Collins’ clinical defence proved his leadership, with the Maroons representative rushing to opposite edges to make two try-saving tackles at crucial moments in the game.
Skipper Steps Up
In what was a must-win game for the Red, White, and Blue, Captain Tedesco put in one of the performances of the season to lift his side to victory.
With the Roosters trailing, he led by example with a try to hit back for his side. Before the first half was over, he scored another to establish a strong half-time lead.
Having been forced from the field after 62 minutes, Tedesco went on to assist a try and break 11 tackles despite limited playing time.
Roosters Keep Finals Hopes Alive
With both Easts’ and Parramatta’s seasons on the line, it was the Tricolours who fought hard and came away with the crucial two points.
Despite falling behind early, the men from Bondi showed plenty of grit to get back into the game and eventually claim a comfortable victory away from home.
They’ll look for their fourth-straight win next week when they host the Wests Tigers at Allianz Stadium as their journey to break into the top eight continues.
