The Newcastle Knights have spoiled the return to the SCG get together for the Sydney Roosters, handing them a convincing 20-6 defeat and proscribing the glamour membership to only one attempt of their NRL season opener on Saturday afternoon.
The Knights scored 4 tries themselves and if it hadn’t been for a late four-pointer to the Tricolours’ Penrith recruit Paul Momirovski it could have been a whole humiliation for Trent Robinson’s males.
The Roosters had been imagined to be a pressure to be reckoned with in season 2022 following the return of a number of stars after long-term accidents - half Luke Keary (sidelined for twenty-four weeks with an ACL rupture), exterior again Joey Manu (a damaged cheekbone from a Latrell Mitchell sort out that required three plates and 12 screws) and Origin ahead Lindsay Collins (an ACL damage sustained in Might). However the Knights didn’t get that memo and performed elegant and dedicated soccer for a deserved win.
There’s no have to panic by any means because the Roosters have made the finals the previous 5 years regardless of shedding within the first spherical 3 times, together with in 2018 and 2019 once they gained the Premiership. Nevertheless it was a combined afternoon for the Tricolours, particularly for versatile lock Victor “The Inflictor” Radley. He was positioned on report for a crusher sort out within the twenty third minute after which went off within the twenty fifth minute for an HIA after unbiased medical doctors on the sideline raised alarm bells.
Radley had tackled Knights five-eighth Jake Clifford head-on and initially stayed out on the sphere. However medical doctors stated he quickly displayed apparent signs of concussion. With centre Billy Smith failing his HIA within the 53rd minute, the Roosters had been down to fifteen males.
The Roosters devoted had been out of their seats early when James Tedesco sailed over the road within the tenth minute, however the bunker dominated a Connor Watson obstruction. The Hunter followers had been on their ft when Dane Gagai - returning to the membership he spent six seasons with earlier than a four-season stint with South Sydney - strolled over unmarked for the Knights’ first attempt.
A fend and flick cross from Bradman Finest put his wingman Enari Tuala over for the Knights second, and the followers had been screaming as soon as extra. It was 10-0 and Newcastle had been swarming like bees across the Roosters. A Sam Walker penalty simply seconds earlier than the break prevented the embarrassment of a scoreless half for the Roosters to start out their 2022 marketing campaign.
However there was extra opportunistic soccer from Newcastle when a wayward cross between Roosters forwards Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Sio Taukeiaho went to floor. Clifford was there to scoop up the unfastened ball and race 40 metres to attain below the posts. His conversion giving the guests a 16-2 lead.
The Roosters weren’t capable of capitalise on the Knights being lowered to 12 males when Phoenix Crossland was sin-binned for an expert foul for holding again Walker. Winger Daniel Tupou did get shut within the left nook however the touchline and the defence of his reverse Dominic Younger ended any hope.
Then minutes later it was Dominic Younger’s assault - an aerobatic leap simply shy of the nook put up - that gave the Knights their fourth try to put the match past doubt. Momirovski scored his comfort attempt for the Roosters with 4 minutes left on the clock.
The upset win follows the Canberra Raiders’ 24-19 victory over the much-fancied Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and 2021 grand finalists South Sydney shock 11-6 defeat to 2021 cellar-dwellers Brisbane Broncos on Friday evening.
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