NRL 2022: Sydney Roosters win over Gold Coast Titans 44-16 | Match Report
The Titans’ season is officially hanging by a thread, after the Roosters finally played themselves into form by handing the Gold Coast their fifth straight loss.
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Justin Holbrook has promised to wield the axe on the terrible Titans after James Tedesco hammered another nail into the Gold Coast’s coffin with a sizzling hat-trick in the Roosters’ 44-16 thrashing on Saturday night.
After a shock loss to the battling Bulldogs last week, the Roosters got their season back on track with a 28–point hammering of the Titans in Mackay.
The Gold Coast’s finals campaign is officially on life support, with only two wins in nine rounds, and Manly veteran Kieran Foran may be wondering what he has signed up for after inking a two-year deal to join them.
After five straight losses the Titans are now anchored in the NRL’s bottom four and will need a remarkable turnaround if they are to back up last year’s drought-breaking finals appearance.
Titans coach Holbrook declared he would be making changes for next Saturday’s Magic Round clash with the resurgent Dragons.
“We were beaten all over the park,” he said.
“They beat us in every area of the game. We’re getting the week (training) right but we’re clearly getting it wrong once we’re out there.
“We were on the back foot from the start and never changed. We got beaten everywhere – attitude, effort, execution.
“We need some personnel changes. We can’t accept what we dished up tonight.”
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TITANIC SINKING FAST
The Titans need a serious attitude adjustment if they want to achieve their goal of winning two NRL premierships by 2030.
The players are either disinterested in defending or don’t receive the right coaching when it comes to the defensive side of the game.
The 2022 Roosters are by no means one of the NRL’s top teams but they were scoring touch footy style tries against the Titans with ease.
Centre Brian Kelly is having a terrible season and was exposed numerous times as the Roosters bolted out to a 20-point lead despite being reduced to 12-men when Lindsay Collins was sin-binned.
“We’re not working hard enough,” Titans captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui said.
“I’ve got to have a good look at myself and individuals need to too.
“This year we’ve taken 10 steps back. There’s no positives out of that.”
While young Titans halfback Toby Sexton had another tough night, Roosters rival Sam Walker produced his best game of the season.
TEDDY STILL NO. 1
With Melbourne’s Ryan Papenhuyzen putting heat on him for the NSW No. 1 jersey, Tedesco stepped up and piloted the Roosters back into the top eight.
He brought up his 100th NRL try and scored a first half double as the Roosters took a 24-10 lead into the break despite losing hooker Sam Verrills (fractured collarbone) early.
After some brief resistance from the Titans, Tedesco rounded out his treble and finished with 185m, 10 tackle busts and three line breaks.
“I was happy with my game. It was our best team performance and I was on the back of that,” Tedesco said.
“Our halves took control and allowed me to play my game. Across the park everyone was connected.
“We’ve been working hard since the start of the year but haven’t been clicking. We’ve got too many skilled players in our team to not come up with points.”
The Roosters haven’t hit their straps this season but that’s not due to a lack of trying from Tedesco, while wingers Daniel Tupou and Joseph Suaalii bagged doubles.
This game didn’t hit any great heights and the Roosters have been inconsistent this season but they have the cattle do some damage later in the year.Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson was mostly pleased with his side’s performance post-match, despite a mid-game lapse that put the Titans within striking distance.
Following two disappointing outings against the Bulldogs and Dragons, Robinson was looking for his players to attack with greater freedom, a request they delivered on.
“I thought we asked a lot of questions and for the most part I felt like our defence was quite good,” he said.
“I do feel like we made improvement today on how we wanted to approach the game and play the game.”
TITANS GRUBBER KICKS WREAK HAVOC
While the Roosters’ offence has been the issue in their two recent losses, their defence showed signs of vulnerability.
The Titans’ passing game caused few problems for the Roosters, but the chip and chase wreaked havoc from start to finish leading to multiple tries and even more near misses.
The Roosters’ backs grew more confident defending the grubber kick as the game wore on, but it was a weakness they would want to sure up in the coming weeks.
UNLUCKY VERRILLS
Roosters hooker Sam Verrills sustained a fractured collarbone in the win, with Robinson declaring Connor Watson his most likely replacement.
The Roosters hooker has had a tough run with injury in recent times, with eye surgery riddling his 2021 season and a broken thumb delaying the start of his 2022 campaign.
With the impending arrival of Brandon Smith, Verrils had expressed his desire to continue in the number 9 jersey moving forward.
An extended stint on the sideline will not do those plans any favours.
ROOSTERS - 44
Tries: Tedesco (3), Tupou (2), Suaalii (2), Taukeiaho
Goals: Walker (5/6), Momirovski (1/2)
TITANS - 16
Tries: Fermor, Lisone, Ese’ese
Goals: Sexton (2/3)
Crowd: 5,527 at BB Print Stadium
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