‘Giant balls up’: Roosters win insane elimination epic over Titans

The Gold Coast Titans have been left devastated as a split second decision ended the club’s season after an all-time finish in Townsville.

The Titans were devastated after going so close. Photo: Fox Sports

The Sydney Roosters survive another week after claiming a stunning 25-24 win over the Gold Coast Titans in the elimination final on Saturday night.

Rookie halfback Sam Walker played the hero in the arm-wrestle, playing a 10 minute cameo that included kicking the Roosters to the 25-24 lead with two minutes left before coming up with a game-winning tackle.

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The Titans drew level with 10 minutes left when the Roosters’ Matt Ikuvalu dropped the ball into the arms of Jarrod Wallace to score the easiest of tries to make it a 24-all ball-game.

But after Tyrone Peachey missed a field-goal attempt by the closest of margins which would have given the Titans the lead, and Walker had one attempt charged down, the 19-year-old stood up.

While it looked like it had iced the game, the Titans chanced their arm one final time with seconds left on the clock.

Beau Fermor made a break and ran nearly the length of the field before passing to Phillip Sami, who was taken down by Walker.

Now just 10m out, the Titans passed across the field where David Fifita was waiting, but centre Patrick Herbert took it himself before inexplicably passing the ball into touch behind winger Corey Thompson.

Patrick Herbert passed too late. Photo: Fox Sports

Thompson raged at Herbert as the Roosters celebrated.

“This last play on the final siren was the craziest thing,” Cooper Cronk said on Fox League.

“Why didn’t Herbert just pass the ball?”

Greg Alexander added: “When they passed it out wide and you saw David Fifita raising his arms, saying ‘give me the ball’ — just hand it to him Patrick Herbert for god’s sake. Just give him the ball. There is no way the Roosters stop David Fifita in that position. I don’t know what Patrick Herbert was thinking.”

Cronk replied: “Patrick Herbert, if you had your time over again, give it to (Fifita) the guy who’s scored 17 tries and leads the competition in tackle busts.”

Alexander: “Just hand him the ball.”

Social media was left in disbelief over the dramatic finish that ended the Titans' season.

Herbert should've passed to Fifita. Thompson should've held his run when he saw Herbert take it to the line. Just one giant balls up #NRLRoostersTitans

— Christopher Reive (@ChrisReive) September 11, 2021

That is the worst last play stuff-up I’ve seen in the NRL. Titans had it. Go through the hands, score the try and knock the Roosters out. Instead, ball over the sideline. Chooks survive, through to semis #NRLRoostersTitans

— Jamie Pandaram (@JamiePandaram) September 11, 2021

That said, no doubt the @GCTitans will rally around Herbert, that's a scar to carry into next season and they have a lot of upside to come. Holbrook has them going the right way. #NRLRoostersTitans

— Tim Barrow (@TheBarrow) September 11, 2021

And a new footy term has been created when a team slaughters a try. @GCTitans just “Herberted” that. #NRLRoostersTitans#NRL#NRLFinals

— Brett Keeble (@BrettKeeble) September 11, 2021

Give it to Fifita! #NRLRoostersTitans

— Sarah Stewart (@SarahStewart_9) September 11, 2021

Bronze statue being erected outside @sydneyroosters Bondi Junction GHQ right now for Sam Walker. What a FG. What a game winning tackle. For theatre, one hell of a @nrl finals game. #NRLRoostersTitans#NRLFinals#NRL

— Robert Grasso (@RobertGrasso) September 11, 2021

NRL rule ‘no one wants’ sparks controversy

The scoring opened with a controversial penalty after Roosters lock Victor Radley was seemingly held off the ball as he went for a try after 10 minutes.

A pinpoint grubber from James Tedesco looked to have bounced perfectly for Radley but Titans five-eighth Tyrone Peachey clearly grabbed the arm of the Rooster as he went for the ball.

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Should this have been a penalty try or 10 in the bin? Photo: Fox League

Fox League’s Steve Roach said: “I think Radley was going to score for all money”.

But the video referee thought it wasn’t a penalty try, with Peachey being sent to the sin bin.

“Due to the proximity of Jayden Campbell, we can’t be confident the try would have been scored, however, it was a professional foul,” he said.

Gorden Tallis said that Radley was “denied the opportunity to score a try” and said “I would have given it a penalty try and not 10 minutes in the bin myself.”

However, not everyone was in the penalty try camp.

I'm a Chooks fan but also a former junior ref.

That's not a penalty try - Radley wasn't *definitely* going to score.

That's the test that needs to be met.#nrl#nrlroosterstitans

— Scott Phillips (@TMFScottP) September 11, 2021

At the other end, the Titans opened their scoring with a penalty goal of their own after an escort penalty when Josh Morris appeared to run in to block the kick chase as he turned in and ran into the Titans’ Brian Kelly.

The Roosters finally scored the first try in the 22nd minute when Matt Ikuvalu crossed in the corner to take a 6-2 lead.

Momentum is fickle in the modern game and the Titans got a golden chance when Jarrod Wallace took an intercept try to put the Titans 10m out.

And it looked like they’d broken the Roosters’ defence when David Fifita scored out wide, only for it to be denied for an obstruction.

To the letter of the law, Fifita had caught the ball on the inside shoulder of the lead runner as he ran from behind, but the lead runner didn’t come in contact with any defenders.

“If this goes to the letter of the law, it’s been very black and white in 2021, there is no doubt he’s on the inside of Herbert,” Warren Smith said.

Fans and commentators think this rule needs to change. Photo: Fox League

Roach added: “Yeah it’s on the inside, but I’d love to see common sense prevail because Keighran couldn’t make the tackle anyway. It was one-on-one and I know that Hutchinson could have assisted there.”

Smith doubled down, saying: “ (Keighran’s) man is Patrick Herbert, he’s entitled to follow Herbert in field knowing that nobody can run around the back of Herbert to Keighran’s disadvantage. It’s a tight call, it’s fairly technical but there is no doubt that the Bunker is 1000 per cent right.”

Tallis said: “He beat four guys and Keighran was sliding out, I’m a Titan.”

Fans were not happy with the call.

This is an example of the obstruction rule needing to change @GCTitans#Nrl#nrlroosterstitans

— Bernie Coen (@berniecoen) September 11, 2021

No one I know or have spoken to in rugby league wants that to be obstruction but under the current rules it is. Black and white. #nrl

— Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottlieb) September 11, 2021

The Roosters then scored on the next set of six after being awarded a high tackle penalty, with James Tedesco cracking the game open at 12-2 with a brutal 12-point swing.

The Roosters scored early in the second after a Tino Fa’asuamaleaui mistake allowed Sydney to spread it wide, but the big forward made up for it when he was in the right place at the right time as the ball fell in his lap.

The obstruction controversy continued when the Roosters were called up for the same issue.

Tedesco was called for obstruction as well. Photo: Fox League

While there was another obstruction called soon after, Warren Smith said “there’s been a plague of them tonight”.