The Sydney Roosters have moved to the top of the NRL ladder for the first time in five years, leapfrogging Penrith with a 12-6 win over the Panthers.
With three rounds remaining, the Roosters are in the box seat to win the minor premiership thanks to a two-try showing from Daly Cherry-Evans and an electrifying performance from his halves partner Sam Walker at Parramatta Stadium on Thursday night.
Walker this week parked contract extension talks with the club until after their finals campaign and his clear mind helped Trent Robinson’s men gain just their second win over Penrith in 14 meetings since the start of 2020.
The Tricolours produced a strong defensive performance in the highly-anticipated clash. (Getty Images: Matt King )
Cherry-Evans opened and finished the scoring and still looks every bit an NRL player as rumours swirl that the 37-year-old playmaker will head to the Super League for a career swansong next year.
The Roosters, who have won their last eight consecutive games, face Wests Tigers, the Dolphins and South Sydney to round out their regular season.
Penrith, meanwhile, could drop out of the top two by the end of the weekend after being the competition leaders since Round 4.
In their first hit-out since losing captain Isaah Yeo to a pectoral injury, Ivan Cleary’s side lacked direction in attack and have now lost five of their past eight games.
The Panthers went desperately close to opening the scoring with a 14-pass move putting Brian To’o in the clear to touch down, only for the winger to step in to touch at the last minute.
The Roosters remained camped in their own half until a wayward Nathan Cleary pass fell to Mark Nawaqanitawase to relieve the pressure on Robinson’s side.
In an instant, the Tricolours were up the other end and Cherry-Evans burst past a flat-footed Isaiah Papali’i to score in the 20th minute.
Walker converted and the Roosters should feel aggrieved for not doubling their lead as halftime approached when Rob Toia had a try chalked off.
Nawaqanitawase was penalised for a disruptor penalty that Canterbury football manager Phil Gould described in commentary for the Nine Network as “a disgraceful call and a disgraceful rule”.
Walker kicked a penalty goal on halftime after a push and shove between Dylan Edwards and Connor Watson to make it 8-0 at the break, condemning Penrith to a scoreless first half for the second week running.
The Panthers were lacking spark, but with 15 minutes left Ivan Cleary threw Blaize Talagi on at five-eighth and they immediately reacted to the shake-up.
After pounding the Roosters’ line, Lindsay Smith slipped an offload away to fellow forward Moses Leota who powered over with a 67th-minute try.
Cleary kicked the conversion to make it 8-6, but the Panthers were unable to come up with a late knockout blow as Cherry-Evans scampered over with a 77th-minute match winner.
AAP
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Panthers press conference
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary and captain Nathan Cleary are speaking now.
“I felt like our execution let us down too often, especially at the wrong time,” Cleary said.
“It put us under pressure a lot. I thought we were pretty resilient to stay in the game, we just couldn’t put doubt in the opposition.
“I don’t think we’ll lose any friends tonight. They came up with some huge stops.”
Says Paul Alamoti will go for scans for a leg injury.
Nathan says the team will lean heavily on Lindsay Smith while Isaah Yeo is injured and points out they only had one real session this week and expects the attack to improve.
Says his own role doesn’t change too much.
Roosters press conference
Roosters coach Trent Robinson and captain Daly Cherry-Evans are speaking now.
“I thought we moved well, we defended well but we attacked in defence. We pressured their players and tackled well,” Robinson said.
“Cody Ramsey was outstanding. Dylan (Edwards) is an outstanding fullback and Ivan talked about him organising the line and Cody was exceptional in organizing the 12 guys in front of him.”
Says the team has built their winning streak on defence.
“We’ve just worked hard. All 17 guys really care about it, we know it’s the backbone,” Robinson said.
He thinks the team can still get better but being able to win games like this really sets the foundation.
Says it’s been a gift to coach Cherry-Evans this year and praises his performance and preparation.
Cherry-Evans himself hoses down talk on his future, says he’ll talk about it when there’s more to talk about.
Robinson says him and Sam Walker have not spoken much about Walker’s decision to reject the club’s contract offer and will not speak much about it until after the season but praised Walker’s professionalism.
Fulltime: Roosters 12 def Panthers 6
Jenkins gets the short kick off! Penrith have a chance to send us to extra time!
Penrith throw it around madly but the Roosters hold the line, intercept the ball and win the game!
They’re top of the ladder!
77′ Cherry-Evans seals it for Roosters
The Tricolours stack their right side and spread it that way and Cherry-Evans manages to fight his way over for his second try of the night and that should wrap it up for the Roosters! Barring a miracle, we will have new competition leaders!
Walker hits the post and it’s 12-6 with 90 seconds left.
76′ Penrith blow a chance
Radley gets To’o right in the face around halfway and it’ll be a penalty and perhaps more, it was a bad shot. No, just on report.
Penrith have a golden chance now – full set, right in good ball.
They look to have something going down the right but Talagi gets too excited and throws a loose pass that’s picked off by Nawaqanitawase! Roosters hang on!
71′ Penrith lose their challenge
Talagi catches the Roosters offside deep in his own half and Penrith have a chance at more points….until Papali’i loses it two tackles later.
They will challenge, they’re looking for a strip….but they won’t get it. Roosters ball.
68′ Panthers go in at last
Walker is penalised for running a chaser off the ball and the Panthers have a fresh set inside the 20. They’ve brought on Talagi at five-eighth with Cogger moving to lock, can that spark them?
Toia makes a trysaver on Jenkins but knocks the ball out after he’s held. Penalty.
Eventually it’s Smith who cracks them, he clatters into three defenders and has Leota in support, the big man crashes over under the posts! Nice bit of skill from Smith.
Cleary converts and it’s 8-6 Roosters.
63′ Strip for strip
A steal from Cleary gives the Panthers another chance only for Radley to take it back off Leota!
62′ Panthers just can’t crack Tricolours
Edwards releases To’o down the left sideline and Penrith are on the attack, Cleary gets shut down by Radley and just manages to pop it out the back for Edwards, he kicks for Alamoti but it goes to ground.
We hit the Bunker and they rule the ball from Cleary was a knock on. Roosters hold their line again.
59′ More pain for Panthers
Nawaqanitawase loses the ball on his own 40, can the Panthers finally crack the Roosters line?
Nope, not this time. They got held in the middle of the field before Lussick’s kick is collected by Foketi.
51′ Panthers hold the line
Walker forces another drop out and the Roosters are building pressure nicely. Deadset, the way it’s going one more try might be enough…..
But they won’t get it here. Wong flies high to take a cross kick but gets mobbed by Panthers as soon as he hits the ground. Turnover.
47′ Edwards bombs one!
A high tackle on Edwards gets the Panthers out of their own end. Patea bursts into the clear only to be dragged down by Ramsey and Wong gets pinged for offside to give them a repeat set.
Cleary squares them up on the last and fires to Edwards, the space is there but he puts it down! A massively blown chance!
Second half is underway
Roosters get us started for the second stanza.
Halftime: Roosters 8 lead Panthers 0
Cogger loses the ball on halfway and the Roosters have one last chance at points.
Nawaqanitawase and Jenkins go up for a high ball, it hits the deck and Toia pounces on it to score!
It’ll take some checking but the ref gives it as a try and I think it’ll stand…..no, they’re saying Nawaqanitawase was a disruptor. That’s an awful decision, they haven’t called it like that in months.
Roosters retain the ball because Tago is ruled to have run someone off the chase. Panthers knock on Cherry-Evans kick at the end of the ensuing set and there’s a scuffle between Watson and Edwards.
The Roosters get a penalty for it and Walker knocks it over.
34′ Roosters can’t convert
Walker forces a drop out with a nice grubber and at the end of the next set Cherry-Evans goes high for Nawaqanitawase only for him to lose the ball.
31′ Walker saves the day
Watson drops a simple one on his own 40 and the Panthers are on the attack.
Alamoti has a shot to put To’o over but he holds it and then Lussick’s pass is sharply intercepted by Walker. Roosters are doing a great job in defence thus far.
21′ DCE opens Penrith up
Walker very nearly puts Foketi over and two plays late Cherry-Evans straightens off his right foot and curs through from close range to score!
He caught Henry and Papali’i a little flat-footed and what a score for the Roosters after all that defence.
Walker converts and it’s 6-0 Roosters.
19′ Roosters with a stand for the ages
Alamoti taps back a Cleary bomb, it falls for Martin and he finds Cogger who swings it left, it gets to Jenkins and comes back inside Henry, then to Cleary, Alamoti and To’o for the corner and he’s claiming it!
I think his feet hit the sideline and the Bunker confirms it. No advantage from the knock on though, so the Panthers retain the ball.
Cogger forces a drop out with a nice grubber and there’s another repeat set when Radley knocks on Lussick’s kick. Two more restarts and a Nawaqanitawase knock on gives them even MORE ball.
Geez, they’ve had a mountain of possession, almost five minutes straight. But in the end the Roosters hold as a loose Cleary pass falls for Toia! What a stand by the Roosters! And they get a penalty to boot!
10′ Roosters hold fast again
A set restart on the third puts Penrith on the attack.
Cleary goes high for Jenkins but Cherry-Evans does very well to come down with the ball. Roosters hang on.
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