After an intense and physical 80 minutes at Southern Cross Group Stadium, the young Roosters keep their season alive with a 26-18 win over the Cronulla Sharks in the Holden Cup.
The opening minutes had the intensity of an NRL game, with both sides running with plenty of intent and tackling with intensity.
It would would take fifteen minutes before we saw numbers on the scoreboard, with mounted pressure on the Sharks defence eventually leading to them breaking first.
The young Roosters would find themselves going in back-to-back through both Nick O’Meley with a barge over, followed by Jesse Marschke out of dummy-half.
After giving away a couple of penalties in a row, the Sharks found themselves opening their account through lock forward Billy Magoulias.
It wouldn't take long for the Roosters to strike back though, with O’Meley going over between the uprights for his second on the back of an amazing pass from Jesse Marshke.
The Roosters were looking red hot and determined to keep their finals hopes alive, closing the first half through more points when Sean O’Sullivan found a small gap and darted straight through on the left edge.
It was more of the same bruising football to start the second half, only this time the Sharks would be first to capitalise after Briton Nikora squeezed himself in on the wing to bring the scores to within twelve.
The physicality continued throughout the half and defence from both sides was desperate, which was a huge contrast to the back end of the first stanza.
A late penalty in Sharks territory would see O’Sullivan kick for a fourteen point lead and take it out of reach for the blue and black outfit.
Centre Jesse Ramien crashed his way over late for the Sharks, but it do nothing more than shorten the margin.
TRIES: O'Meley x2, Marschke, O'Sullivan
