The Roosters Jersey Flegg team have pulled off a surprise victory over Canberra to post their second win of the season, despite having many regular players unavailable.
NSW Cup
The 3rd placed Sydney Roosters have lost their third match of the season, after going down 35-22 to 13th placed Canberra Raiders at Wentworth Park on Sunday, after the Raiders led 18-16 at half time.
The Roosters went into the match missing Cody Ramsey (NRL duty), three players (Reece Foley, Taylor Losalu and Kanaan Magele) through suspension and Hayden Barton (shoulder), Tommy Talau (knee) and Max McCathie (hip) through injury. Egan Butcher and Salesi Foketi, who sat on the NRL bench on Saturday, but weren’t used, did not play either.
As it turned out the Roosters could not overcome the loss of so many players but were competitive throughout.
The Roosters were first to score through speedy hooker Jaxson Allen. After a big charge from giant prop De La Salle Va’a, who went on to make many such charges through the game across three stints over 66 minutes, Allen linked with Benaiah Ioelu, playing in the unfamiliar lock forward position for all but 16 minutes of the match, and halfback and captain Toby Rodwell, to send right edge forward Aston Warwick through the line. Warwick was then able to pass back to Allen who raced away to score under the posts.
Three tries in ten minutes saw the Raiders lead 18-6 after 21 minutes, and the Raiders never lost the lead from there. Left winger Junior Pauga (28th minute) and Benaiah Ioelu (37th minute) picked up tries for the Roosters before half time to bring the score, at the break, back to 18-16.
The Raiders stretched the lead to 24-16 early in the second half, before Ioleu, one of the Roosters best on the day, scored in the 58th minute to bring the scores back to 24-22. However, two Raiders converted tries and a late field goal saw the Raiders run out 35-22 winners. Of great concern for the Roosters was a 54th minute non-contact knee injury to left edge forward and NRL squad member Blake Steep.
With that defeat the Roosters drop to 4th place on the ladder ahead of their Round 10 clash with 8th placed Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at Wentworth Park next Saturday.
Jersey Flegg Cup (Men’s Under 21s)
The 12th placed Sydney Roosters have won their second game of the season, after defeating 8th placed Canberra Raiders 28-20 at Wentworth Park on Sunday, after the leading 18-12 at half time.
The Roosters were once again badly understrength with Jake Elliott, Julius Mitchell and Jaxson Allen called up for NSW Cup duty, whilst Josiah Fesolai, Lachlan Dooner, Jackson Stewart, Enzo Giffier and Aholoka Toia head a fairly long Roosters casualty ward in the Jersey Flegg competition. However, the Roosters did welcome back edge forward Jackson Pennell for his first match of the season, and lock Jackson de Lisle who hadn’t played since late March.
Despite all this, the Roosters overcame those obstacles to post a most deserving win. It was a hard-fought victory, after the Raiders led 6-0 after just four minutes.
Fullback and captain Zac Sarfati crossed for two tries in the 6th and 22nd minutes and when Jackson Del Lisle crashed over near the posts in the 28th minutes, followed by a third successive conversion from Micah Leaupepe Perkins the Roosters were ahead 18-6 and heading for an upset. However, a converted try to the Raiders in the right-side corner right on half time got the Raiders right back into the game, trailing only 18-12 at the break.
When Raiders five eighth Braydon Darmody scored after 51 minutes and edge back row forward Jayze Tuigamala two minutes later, the Roosters 18-6 lead they held just before half time had been completely eroded and the Raiders now led 20-18 and the Roosters appeared to be headed for another defeat.
The Roosters, though, were not prepared to throw the towel in, and eventually the Roosters got sufficient field position to put on the play that would eventually win the Roosters the game, when clever deception by half Bo Peisley opened up a gap for right edge backrower Lance Tovio to charge through and score near the posts in the 58th minute. The conversion saw the Roosters take the lead back at 24-20 and through the bulk of the next 20 minutes the Roosters fought gallantly to keep the Raiders out. Two penalty goals in the final three minutes enabled the Roosters to stretch the score to 28-20 and notch their second win of the season.
The Roosters remain in 12th place on the ladder after the win ahead of their Round 10 clash with 5th placed Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at Wentworth Park next Saturday.
NSW Women’s Premiership
The competition for the Central Coast Roosters doesn’t commence until Saturday, 13th June.
Ron Massey Cup
The 8th placed Glebe Dirty Reds have dropped another game with a 40-16 loss to 9th placed Blacktown Workers at Wentworth Park on Sunday, after Blacktown led 16-12 at half time.
Roosters N.S.W. Cup squad member Kyron Fekitoa came off the bench to play left wing for Glebe, and scored two second half tries. However other Roosters NSW squad members that Glebe have used in recent weeks were not available. Rhys Dakin, Will Malloy and Michael Coleman were all called up for NSW Cup duty, significantly weakening the Glebe line-up.
Blacktown secured victory by scoring four unanswered tries from 32nd minute to the 54th minute to lead 34-12, after Glebe had 12-10 immediately prior to the first of those four tries. It is the Dirty Reds third loss in a row and the fourth of the season.
With that loss the Dirty Reds drop to 9th place on the ladder ahead of next Saturday’s clash against 2nd placed Mounties at Hinchinbrook.
Sydney Shield
The 6th placed Glebe Dirty Reds have picked up a vital Round 6 win, defeating the 5th placed Blacktown Workers 26-16 at Henson Park on Saturday, after Blacktown led 12-6 at half time.
Roosters Jersey Flegg Cup squad members Micah Leaupepe-Perkins (left centre) and Jacob Tinsley (hooker) both turned out for Glebe, with Tinsley scoring the first try of the second half that enabled Glebe to draw level with Blacktown.
Tinsley’s try was one of four second half tries scored by Glebe that enabled the Dirty reds to secure their third win of the season.
With that win the Dirty Reds rise to 5th place on the ladder ahead of next Saturday’s clash with competition leaders Mounties at Hinchinbrook.
See the latest results below for all the Senior Representative and Affiliate club sides.
| Competition | Home Team | Away Team | Match Info | Next Round | Ladder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW Cup | Sydney Roosters (22) | Canberra Raiders (35) | Match Stats | v Bulldogs | 4th |
| Jersey Flegg Cup | Sydney Roosters (28) | Canberra Raiders (20) | Match Stats | v Bulldogs | 12th |
| NSW Women's Premiership | Competition commences Saturday 13th June | ||||
| Ron Massey Cup | Glebe Dirty Reds (26) | Blacktown Workers (40) | Match Stats | v Mounties | 9th |
| Sydney Shield | Glebe Dirty Reds (26) | Blacktown Workers (16) | Match Stats | v Mounties | 5th |
