Here are the results from the Roosters Harold Matthews and S.G. Ball competitions following an exciting Round 8.
Please note that the Tarsha Gale Round 8 fixture was cancelled on Saturday due to extreme weather conditions.
HAROLD MATTHEWS
In what was the final battle of the Harold Matthews season, the players got together prior to the game and talked about finishing off their last game of the season on a high before going into the bye.
The game was against a fifth place Illawarra team, which was always going to be a tough match on enemy ground.
The Roosters started slow and in the first half and the Illawarra team went in to score 16 unanswered points.
The Roosters had many opportunities to score but were unable to capitalise.
In the second half, the Roosters came out of the sheds with more intensity to put on three tries.
Darcy Clifton went in to score in the first five minutes, Michael Abdow and Kasimilo Koro brought the Roosters to within two points at 14-16.
Unfortunately, the game ended and the Roosters were unable to put on more points.
The Roosters U16s can hold their heads high after a solid outing and throughout a season where they never gave up and wore the jersey with pride.
SG BALL
It was a game that the U18s Roosters had to win in order to remain in contention to play finals football in a match up against the top four Eels team.
It was a wet and cold day at McCredie Oval, but the boys were focused from the word go.
They looked like the better team in the first half, though the opposing team was up 10-0.
Some inspirational words from the coach lifted the boys at the break which saw them hit back in the second half with two quick tries.
A try to the hardworking Michael Coleman near the line puts them back in the game before a 45-metre storming run from replacement Joseph Tuagalu, brushing his way through the defenders and fullback to score underneath the post making it 12-10 in favour of the Roosters.
The last twenty minutes was a game going back and forth for both teams trying to get field position to score points.
Parramatta scored in the final quarter and converted to make the score line 16-12.
A short kick off saw Chaise leap in the air to hit back the ball for the Roosters to have their chance to win the game.
The players worked their way up the field trying the best they could to score points.
It got to the last tackle and Ky Hill got a pass close to his knees, looked up and grubber kicked the ball past the defenders.
He picked it up, looked one way then to the next and gave an inside ball to his captain/halves partner Bailey hayward who went next to the posts to score.
A kick was needed to win the game, and that’s exactly what he did.
The Roosters won in a gritty 18-16 game to keep their finals hope alive.
