NRL in disbelief as Roosters beat Sharks in ‘one of their greatest wins’

The Roosters have left the NRL in utter disbelief after going from next to no chance of making the finals to one of the great victories in the club’s history.

The Roosters have done the unthinkable. Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

The Sydney Roosters have pulled off one of the gutsiest finals wins the club has had, downing the Cronulla Sharks 13-12 at PointsBet Stadium.

After spending every round outside the top eight from round 11 until round 27, the Roosters are into the second week of finals and a clash with the Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park.

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But while the side have faced adversity all year, the Roosters have somehow pulled off a stunning victory.

After losing Joseph Suaali’i to a delayed concussion at halftime and Joey Manu to a hamstring injury, the Roosters then lost captain James Tedesco to a sin bin after he tackled Nicho Hynes after a line break despite not being square.

The score was 6-all at the time and it was considered a turning point the moment it occurred.

It was an unnecessary moment and immediately cost the Roosters as three plays later Ronaldo Mulitalo crossed to score and put the Sharks ahead.

But after missing the goal, the Sharks couldn’t put the Roosters to the sword, only able to kick another penalty goal during the sin bin period.

It left the door open and the Roosters walked through.

With 11 minutes left, a grubber ricocheted straight into the arms of Siua Wong to score and level up the game.

Siua Wong scored that massive try. Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Minutes later, Sam Walker, who had been dropped earlier in the year, slotted the field goal with what ultimately would be the match winning score.

While Hynes snapped off two field goal attempts, both were charged down with Tedesco stopping one, and Luke Keary saving the second.

“This will go down as one of their greatest wins,” Corey Parker said on Fox League.

Equally, Andrew Johns was in disbelief.

“I still cannot believe they won,” Johns said. “The adversity they went through. Players out of position. Tedesco, their captain, sin binned.”

Roosters. Amazing. Won’t see many braver wins than that.#NRLSharksRoosters

— Richard Hinds (@rdhinds) September 9, 2023

Even Tedesco was in disbelief at the result.

“One of the best wins I have been a part of,” he said on Channel 9.

“Unbelievable effort by the boys. I sort of let us down going in the bin I thought it would be tough to win.

“We lost a few others, key players. But that’s just … So proud of the boys.”

On the other side of the coin, it was absolutely heartbreaking as the Sharks have still yet to win a final in the Craig Fitzgibbon era.

That’s the end of Wade Graham’s wonderful career. Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Last year, the Sharks lost to the Cowboys and Rabbitohs to bow out in straight sets, while the Roosters drove the dagger in 2023.

It’s their sixth straight finals loss in a row, dating back to the 2018 preliminary final and have only won one final since the 2016 premiership.

“I don’t know what to say, it’s heartbreaking,” Hynes said on Nine. “So many errors cost us in the second half. You can’t give good teams that sort of possession. We let ourselves down.”

9.34pm — Roosters (somehow) hit the lead

Rugby league is the gift that keeps giving.

The Roosters are down both Joey Manu and Joseph Suaali’i but have somehow levelled it up with 11 minutes remaining.

A Roosters grubber on the Sharks line ricocheted up into the air and straight into the hands of Siua Wong.

It left Billy Smith needing to kick the goal and he made no mistake.

But the Roosters have hit the lead with Sam Walker giving the side an unlikely 13-12 lead with 7 minutes left.

9.12pm — Sharks strike as Tedesco binned

James Tedesco has just given the Cronulla Sharks the opening they needed.

With Joseph Suaali’i out through concussion at halftime and Joey Manu having just leaving the field with a reported hamstring injury, it was the last thing the Roosters needed.

After a Braydon Trindall break came to an end 30m out, Tedesco was kneeling after the tackle was made but not square at marker.

So when Nicho Hynes ran from dummy half straight to Tedesco, the Roosters fullback couldn’t help himself.

And referee Gerard Sutton had no choice but to send the Roosters captain for a 10 minute sit down.

The Roosters are down to twelve after James Tedesco was binned.

📺 Watch #NRLSharksRoosters on ch.502 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/F9YaKbZudc
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🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/uRKCmEcISSpic.twitter.com/1jbSG1oDnp

— Fox League (@FOXNRL) September 9, 2023

Corey Parker in commentary said: “That is a huge call, a huge call.

“On the replay, did not get to his feet, you can’t do that James Tedesco. That’s the right call.

“He didn’t need to do it, Lindsay Collins was right behind him.”

And the Sharks made them pay, scoring three plays later through Ronaldo Mulitalo.

Sin bin fair enough... Teddy very cynical tackle.

— The Mole (@9_Moley) September 9, 2023

Boy that was nuts from Tedesco. Wasn't even debatable for a binning, the backline is decimated
and Nicho had no room to work with anyway. #NRLSharksRoosters

— Jason (@JasonofSyd) September 9, 2023

9.02 — Welcome to the game Roosters

The Roosters have finally scored in the 44th minute, despite being hit with some bad news at halftime.

The Roosters picked up that Joseph Suaali’i had concussion symptoms at halftime and have ruled the flyer out of the remainder of the match.

Suaali’i had run 100m and made a line break in the first half, so the news comes as a big blow.

But after shifting Joey Manu onto the wing, a cutout ball from Sam Walker found Manu untouched and just like that, we’re all locked up at 6-all.

The Roosters start the second half fast! 🔥#NRLSharksRoosterspic.twitter.com/rZo4hbM6As

— NRL (@NRL) September 9, 2023

8.41pm — Gallen erupts over ‘crazy’ Sam Walker shot

A try and penalty goal are all that split the Sharks and Roosters at halftime.

The game is evenly poised at the moment but it’s not been without chances.

But it also sets up a fascinating second half.

Arguably the most controversial moment of the first half was Sam Walker’s shot on Braydon Trindall in the 22nd minute.

Walker launched himself at Trindall after the Sharks’ No. 6 dummied and straightened.

“He’s lucky he’s not in the bin for that,” Andrew Johns said on Channel 9.

Sam Walker was allowed to stay on the field. Photo: Fox Sports

But at halftime, Sharks legend Paul Gallen said if it wasn’t a half, he would have been marched.

“That tackle there, for me, if that’s a back rower a front rower, any forward in the game, they’re getting 10 minutes in the sin bin,” he said.

“We are seeing tackles like that all year. Because the halfback didn’t do any damage to the attacking player, he’s allowed to stay on the field. Crazy!”

8.08pm — Sharks score first

The teams had each had a try denied — the Roosters for obstruction, the Sharks came up short — but it’s Cronulla that’s scored the first four-pointer of the night.

The 16th minute strike appeared to be coming for some time with the Sharks attacking the Roosters’ line.

A sweet cut-out ball from Nicho Hynes found Sione Katoa unmarked to stroll over the line.

But a missed kick from not too far out by Braydon Trindall makes it 4-0.

That's a pearler of a pass from Nicho! 🤩#NRLSharksRoosterspic.twitter.com/DxbUCA7uZZ

— NRL (@NRL) September 9, 2023

7.30pm — Late changes for both sides

The Roosters and Sharks have both made a change to their starting sides.

The Sharks have lost Kiwi international Braden Hamlin-Uele through a knee injury.

It will see Royce Hunt come into the starting side, while Jesse Colquhoun comes onto the bench.

For the Roosters, it’s a direct swap with Egan Butcher to start with Fletcher Baker dropping back to the bench — otherwise they’re the 17 selected earlier in the week.

7.15pm — NRL’s pledge to end finals farce

ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys has vowed to secure the Sharks funding for the club to build a centre of excellence and to upgrade PointsBet Stadium.

If he can pull it off, it would end the farcical scenes that dominated the early part of the week after the Sharks secured a home final to play in front of 13,000 fans.

Good news Sharks fans. Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

PointsBet Stadium is still a construction site after the previous NSW government failed to fulfil a promise to fund the development of the stadium.

“The game is built on suburban rugby league,” V’landys told Newscorp.

“Our game lives and breathes from the tribalism that exists within our suburban communities.

“We’re going to continue to prosecute funding for the Sharks with the government.

“The previous government promised it, even right before the election (May, 2022), but never delivered.

“It’s a priority. We secured ($150 million in) funding for St George-Illawarra, we got Parramatta, we got the Bulldogs and the only one that missed out was Cronulla.

“So we’re going to be pushing it.

“We’re going to fix-up Shark Park (PointsBet Stadium) and we’re going to get a centre of excellence. That’s a priority for us.’’

In this whole situation, the Sharks have been faultless despite calls for them to move the game.

V’landys also said the NRL’s suburban ground policy would continue for week one of the finals in the future.

“The club deserved the right to select where they wanted to play,” V’landys added.

“It’s also about tribalism. This final series shows that we believe in that. Our communities, our suburban heartlands, that’s what makes our game so special.