Sydney Roosters 26 def Wests Tigers 22 (Golden Point)
The Roosters simply look like men possessed these days; the forwards are exploding at the line and looking almost gladiatorial – several Roosters big men streaming with blood and serious injury as the game wore on. However, it looks to be the Roosters halves pairing of Braith Anasta and Craig Wing that have given the previously struggling club – the injection of direction it needed.
The fact that the Roosters backed up only 4 days after their 90 minute match against the Warriors was astounding in itself, but to go into golden point for the 2nd time in 4 days was simply a marathon.
Flowing attack plays in the first half saw the Roosters attack the Tigers left hand edge. Amos Roberts getting two tries and boosting the confidence of his side. The Tigers coughed up plenty of ball and their opposition was capitalizing with near perfect completion rates. The Wests Tigers getting a much needed try on the stroke of half time.
After both sides went try for try in the first half, it was a sloppy misguided 2nd half from both sides. The momentum swung from side to side, no one taking advantage of the possession. The Roosters especially just couldn’t pierce the Tigers line after several sets and looked to have missed their window.
The Tigers were hit hard when Robbie Farrah was injured midway through period 2. Farrah hurting his hip and heading off for 10 minutes as he received pain killers for his injury. The Tigers missing him badly when he was off the field. The Rosters just couldn’t use the chances they were given during this middle period.
Patience paid off for Wests, when the Tigers scored a sublime try 12 minutes from fulltime, off a Brett Hodgson round the corner pass – it looked to be all over.
The Roosters, as they have done so often in previous weeks – didn’t lay down. A Braith Anasta bomb gaining the Roosters a penalty off Chris Lawrence – and the Sydney City side crashed over in the corner to tie things up, and making the conversion to go 2 points ahead.
When Liam Fulton was felled minutes before fulltime, the Tigers took the 2 points and tied things up – enforcing golden point.
The Tigers again looked all at sea during golden point. As they have done in the past, they panicked – missing a crucial tackle 6 call and handing possession to the Roosters on half way, a mistake that would cost them the game.
Braith Anasta continuing his superb form, running the ball on tackle 4 and flick passing for Roberts who found Monaghan to score. The Roosters are well and truly back – winning impressively, handing their coach another victory and extending his reign as a record holding caretaker coach.
If the Wests Tigers didn’t have confidence issues before, they now have a serious case of the jitters. Benji Marshall having a night he would rather forget, dropping several important defensive bombs and lacking focus as second phase passes came his way. Apart from the spark Brett Hodgson gave them tonight – the Wests Tigers looked to be just going through the motions and waiting for a team mate to make something happen. Keith Galloway was again their stand out forward, but he had little help – and the Tigers plan to throw plenty of second phase in tonight failed badly. Tim Sheens smartly trying to burn the Roosters out with plenty of ball movement after their 90 minute game last week – but the Tigers just couldn’t focus enough to pull it off.
The Roosters have now seriously shattered the Wests Tigers final hopes, even if the Tigers can scramble into the Top 8 – they aren’t showing the form thats needed to trouble the top sides. Unless something dramatic happens they are heading for a very early mad Monday.