Roosters hold out Broncos in thrilling finals clash

THE Roosters took a huge early lead but squandered it all to come from behind and narrowly beat the Broncos in the first finals match of 2017.

Boyd Cordner scores a try to get his side further ahead in the second half. Picture: Brett Costello

• PLAYER RATINGS: Mixed bag as Roosters take narrow win

• WHAT MATTERED: How Roosters v Broncos was won and lost

• ANALYSIS: Benji Marshall shows he’s still got it

LATRELL Mitchell was hailed as the next Greg Inglis long before he arrived in the NRL.

But in a thrilling kick off to the 2017 NRL finals series, the 20-year-old Sydney Roosters phenomenon well and truly stepped out of the Queensland superstar’s giant shadow last night when he came up with a memorable matchwinning try to sink Brisbane 24-22.

In a play Trent Robinson declared the boy from Taree was “built to play for”, Mitchell beat four Bronco defenders on an inspiring 30-metre charge in the final five minutes to put the Roosters now one game off playing in the grand final.

It’s a remarkable turnaround for a team that finished last season second last on the NRL ladder.

In front of 21,212 at Allianz Stadium, the Roosters stormed to an early 14-0 lead before they looked to have blown the game.

Latrell Mitchell scores the winning try. Picture: Brett Costello

The Broncos fought back to claim a 22-18 in the 71st minute.

Blake Ferguson almost cost his team the win when he tried to prevent a Benji Marshall 40/20 kick only to keep it in play for Corey Oates to bring up his second try.

But with the Roosters running out of time, Luke Keary hit Mitchell and the freakish young talent delivered his biggest moment.

Latrell Mitchell is Greg Inglis 10 years ago! #superstar @sydneyroosters

— Steve Smith (@stevesmith49) September 8, 2017

Mitchell had heard all about the Inglis comparisons but said: “At the end of the day Greg Inglis, you’ve seen what he has done in the game.

“I’m here to make my own legacy and my own name.”

Coach Trent Robinson added: “Look, it is really different finals footy.

“The (regular) round games are hard, guys stand up.

“That is the difference between reserve grade players and NRL players.

“But then in finals footy, that is another level again.

“Players find it sometimes too difficult, some guys stand up.

“Latrell, I’ve seen him do it through the age groups.

“The strength of him on that play and the speed and power in that sort of five metres, that won us the game.”

Earlier this year Mitchell was sent back to reserve grade to work for three games but since returning he has gone from strength to strength.

“He is still young,” skipper Boyd Cordner said.

“He got thrown into first grade because of his talent at a young age and we all know how good he is in those big moments.

Josh McGuire attempts to score during the first half.

“To be a complete football player he needed to go away and work on it.

“He went back to reserve grade and worked on a few things and got a bit of confidence back.

“He has been playing with that ever since and he has been awesome for us.

“He has come a long way, as a player and as a person as well, and that is huge.”

While their critics will say last night’s performance again exposed the Roosters inability to close out games, Robinson argued vital defensive plays at the death showed the true character of his team.

“I reckon most of you guys are sort of sitting there thinking ‘are these guys any good or not’,” Robinson said.

“Or ‘when are they going to play their full 80 minutes.

Ryan Matterson tackles Anthony Milford.

“But Daniel Tupou dives on that loose ball.

“Mitchell Pearce dives on that loose ball. Latrell Mitchell has those moments.

“There is two ways to win games and that is to be really dominant for a long period of time or it is the moments that you need to do to win a game.

“We quite haven’t found that at the moment.

“There is still a couple of opportunities to go that we can.

“But too many people have underestimated those moments.”

The Broncos will now have to back up next week to play the winner of Saturday’s sudden death shootout between Manly and Penrith.

FULLTIME-QUALIFYING FINAL

SYDNEY ROOSTERS 24 (B Cordner A Guerra L Keary L Mitchell tries M Gordon 4 goals) bt BRISBANE 22 (C Oates 2 B Hunt J Roberts tries J Kahu 3 goals) at Allianz Stadium. Referee: Matt Cecchin, Alan Shortall. Crowd: 21,212.