He scored a try and joined Roosters legend Bill Mullins as the Roosters top try-scorer, but there was perhaps something a bit more soothing about the try than many think.
With Mini’s career seemingly hanging in the balance a few years back, due to chronic back problems, it seemed like such a feat was not possible, but through adversity, Mini battled back, and helped the Roosters to their first win in some weeks.
Another player eager to make amends is Todd Carney, who managed to rebuild some of the broken bridges, with the pass that led to Minichello’s try.
“Most of Todd’s stuff is about himself, getting himself right, and then playing some games – he’s an instinct player and he’s a touch player,” coach Brian Smith said of his playmaker.
“The other boys like to build those combinations and we’re a bit rusty, he hasn’t done a lot of training since the grand final last year really.
“We’re all hopeful that will all click into gear very soon.”
It was some pre-game planning that led to the move that resulted in a try, and the two seemed to click immediately.
“Toddy and I spoke during the week that we wanted to work together and work some little combo’s out,” Minichiello said.
“We turned it under a couple of times. I saw (the marker) was a bit wider or a bit loose, caught it off Toddy and it ended up being a good play.”
The match in reality, should have been a blow-out, but the Roosters were just not clinical enough to put the Knights away, and they slowly clawed their way back into the game with some desperate defence and attack.
The Knights had the chance to equal the scores, and send the game into golden point, when Peter Mata’utia scored on debut, but the kick from Wes Naiqama sailed wide of the posts.
“It could have been quite easy to pack up the tents and go home after that (Minichiello try) but I thought from there we fought hard and kept finding something for each other,” Knights coach Rick Stone said.
Jarrod Mullen added:
“We just needed the rub of the green to go our way a couple of times in the second half and I think we win the game.
“You make you’re own luck I suppose and we’ve just got to keep hanging in there every game and hopefully our luck will turn towards the back end of the games and we start winning some.”
Dally M Points
3 Anthony Minichello
2 Todd Carney
1. Peter Mata’utia