A Zahara Temara field goal in the dying minutes has seen the Sydney Roosters edge Parramatta 19-18 at a sunny McDonald Jones Stadium.
The Roosters were forced to dig deep after losing the lead in the second half, and with the clock dying down, Temara stepped up to nail the winning point from 10 metres out.
With the Hunter presenting perfect Rugby League conditions, the Roosters wasted no time getting proceedings underway.
Despite the clock barely displaying four minutes, the scoreboard attendant was already being troubled with Raecene McGregor placing a perfect kick over the top for a flying Brydie Parker, with the late addition to the squad scoring under the posts.
Parker opens the scoring
The Roosters continued to impress in the early exchanges, both with and without the football.
After repelling some early waves of Parramatta attack, the Roosters again found themselves on the front foot, doubling their advantage through Mya Hill-Moana in just the 12th minute.
With the game representing a critical point in the seasons of both teams, the physicality of both sides was on show for the healthy crowd in Newcastle.
Hill-Moana Crashes Over
Featuring a number of former Roosters in their side, the Eels fought hard and managed to strike back through Abbi Church after a period of sustained pressure.
The match reverted back into a tight arm wrestle, with both sides fighting for the ascendency going into half time.
A missed attempt at a penalty goal from Eels halfback Maddie Studdon was the only other threat to the scoresheet before the change of ends.
The second stanza began in enterprising fashion, with Olivia Kernick collecting a short kick off to put the Roosters right on the attack from the outset.
Smart Roosters catch Eels off guard
Isabelle Kelly crossed the stripe soon after, only to be denied by the bunker for a knock on.
The Eels took full advantage of the decision, crossing through Christian Pio after a pass rebounded off a Roosters defender.
Then came a cruel blow for the Tricolours.
A runaway Kelly was again denied by the bunker after racing 70 metres to score, with the Eels again capitalising on the decision by scoring in the very next set of six to take an 18-12 lead into the final 20 minutes of the contest.
The Roosters responded with some strong running through the middle of the park, spurred on by some strong charges from Hannah Southwell.
It was this fast, powerful running up the middle that saw the Roosters fight their way back into the contest, with Sarah Togatuki ultimately drawing her side level with a strong charge under the posts.
The Roosters nearly had the lead moments later, with a Temara penalty goal slamming into the upright.
It only delayed what was to come, with Temara cooly slotting the match-winning field goal in the 68th minute to complete a memorable performance.
NRLW Round 4 Highlights: Roosters vs Eels
