NRL Round 12 2024: James Tedesco stars as Sydney Roosters win 44-16 over Canberra Raiders

In his last game before Michael Maguire picks his NSW Blues side, James Tedesco made a statement, playing a starring role as the Roosters cruised to victory in Canberra.

Dave Lyall

4 min read

May 25, 2024 - 10:07PM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA – MAY 25: James Tedesco of the Roosters in action during the round 12 NRL match between Canberra Raiders and Sydney Roosters at GIO Stadium, on May 25, 2024, in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

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The Roosters bounced back from their eight point defeat to the ladder leading Sharks in a Magic Round epic with a clinical 44-16 demolition of the Raiders on Ngunnawal land in Canberra.

Leading 18-6 at the break courtesy of tries to Victor Radley, Luke Keary and Joey Manu, the visitors went on with it in the second half, thwarting any hope of some late game heroics from Canberra.

The Raiders have come back from almost impossible positions to win their last two matches but couldn’t make it a third strike.

The Sydney Roosters bounced back from their Magic Round loss to Cronulla, producing an attacking matserclass against Canberra. Picture: Getty Images

Last week they led 12-0 to the Bulldogs before a pair of sin binnings and a brutal Dogs onslaught saw them down 20-12 after 42 minutes, only to come back and win 24-20.

Two weeks prior they rose from the dead to offset a 20-0 deficit against the Sea Eagles and win 26-24.

Today, they went down 24-6 early in the second half and when Young scored it looked like the comeback was on again, but the Roosters were having none of it.Raiders skipper Elliott Whitehead described the performance, where his side missed tackles, as embarrassing.

“I just think tonight we weren’t on. We didn’t turn up with that mindset that we have to go after them, you know, they get off to a good start and you know we lost the momentum at times,” he said.

“I felt sorry for the fans that turned up, we got a big crowd there and you know, an embarrassing performance from us, like what we dish dished out tonight wasn’t us at all.

“We showed the last two weeks what we are capable of doing and to put in a performance like that, I thought we had a good week of training too, and to put in a performance like that is not the type that we want here.”

ROOSTERS WIN IN ORIGIN TRIAL

If Michael Maguire and Billy Slater are yet to cement their State of Origin squads, today’s match could well have provided some answers.

Origin long shots Spencer Leniu and Luke Keary were outstanding, while Raider Hudson Young showed why he deserves a spot in the Blues squad for the Origin opener on June 5.

Young was one of Canberra’s best, continuing his golden run of try scoring form, notching his seventh of the year.

Leniu, in his third match back from an eight week suspension gave the Raiders conniptions every time he ran the ball. Granted the hulking front rower missed a tackle on Young that led to his try and spilt a ball, but his power and aggression is made for the Origin stage.

Fellow Roosters James Tedesco, Joeseph Sua’ali’i and Angus Chrichton did their chances no harm. Even veteran Daniel Tupou showed he would still be capable if called upon.

Tesdesco scored a brace of tries, while Keary, Chrichton and Sua’ali’I all grabbed one, with the latter also booting three goals.

Tedesco, who is facing a challenge from Penrith’s Dylan Edwards for his long held NSW fullback spot was back to his best, adding three try assists to his four pointers.

Post match Tedesco said he hadn’t gone into the game focussing on Origin.

“It’s not about making statements, it’s about playing footy and doing my best for us to win the game, so that’s important to me, especially as the captain, getting the two points and playing some good footy,” he said.

“That’s all I can really do.”

For Slater, Rooster Lindsay Collins gave no rise to question his incumbency, while Raider Xavier Savage continued his hot form this season.

Queensland have plenty of strike available on the flanks with the likes of Xavier Coates, Selwyn Cobbo and Murry Taulagi at Slater’s disposal, but they could do worse than hand a debut to Savage, if not now, but in the future.

BUNKER BUNGLES

When Keary scored the Roosters second try in the 11th minute off a crafty short Sam Walker kick it all looked pretty simple. It wasn’t.

The try was awarded, then correctly overturned when replays showed the Roosters number six had knocked on. No try. Or was it?

The Raiders were fuming after Luke Keary was controversially awarded a penalty try despite knocking the ball on. Picture: Getty Images

Raiders lock Morgan Smithies had clipped Keary as he ran through for the put-down and bunker official Adam Gee controversially recommended a penalty try. The contact was minimal at worst and Canberra captain Elliott Whitehead let referee Todd Smith know.

Fox Sports commentator Greg Alexander was firm in his belief that Keary was unimpeded.

“My initial thought was the contact from Morgan Smithies on Luke Keary was very minor, it might have turned his shoulder slightly but had no impact on him getting to the ball first,” Alexander said.

“I don’t think you can say that the touch, the slight touch that Morgan Smithies had on his arm had any impact on how Luke Keary grounded the ball.”

Later, Alexander softened his appraisal, offering the sin bin as an alternative to the penalty try.

“I thought, why don’t they bin him and just award a penalty and then sin bin him for a professional foul.”

The decision fired up the home side and within four minutes Nick Cotric scored at the other end, again with some controversy.

First Seb Kris dropped the ball cold on the fourth tackle and then on the next play Whitehead appeared to knock the ball forward when tapping back an Ethan Strange bomb, with Cotric the beneficiary.

The result, the Roosters and Raiders one controversial try each, the bunker nil.