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NRL live round 26: Sydney Roosters SuperCoach studs fail amid injury crisis

The Sydney Roosters copped four injury blows and their SuperCoach scores suffered – well except for the great James Tedesco.

Tom Sangster and Michael Carayannis
8 min read
September 1, 2024 - 8:45PM
News Sport Network
8-minute Fletcher Sharpe hat-trick

A Teddy ton and a ton of injuries.

Tom Sangster wraps Sunday’s SuperCoach action.

SuperCoach winners:

* James Tedesco (102) - The Roosters were completely cooked with no bench and Teddy stepped up. Huge effort to crack a ton given the injuries at the Roosters and no doubt he won more than a few SuperCoach grand finals.

* Joey Manu (72) - No big attacking stats but work rate was huge with 21 runs and six tackle busts.

* Terrell May (67) - Huge return to form. The injury crisis meant mass minutes and May always delivers when he’s on the field.

* Kalyn Ponga (120) - Almost scored a ton in the first half. But like many of the Knights, he clocked off late in the game. Two tries and 10 tackle busts.

* Fletcher Sharpe (120) - One of the quickest hat-tricks you’ll ever see for the former cheapie, who has now become a Super POD.

Sam Walker down with a suspected ACL injury. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Sam Walker down with a suspected ACL injury. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

* Bradman Best (83) - Great return from injury with two try assists. Lit up the left edge alongside Ponga.

* Jayden Campbell (73) - Produced some horror defensive moments and poor errors but that doesn’t matter for SuperCoach. Very solid score in for a side that was dominated for much of the match.

* Dane Gagai (69) - Popular POD option produced the goods with a try assist and eight tackle busts.

SuperCoach losers:

* Sam Walker (9) - Confirmed ACL injury. He was the third most popular purchase this week.

* Angus Crichton (51) - A total of 17 in deductions for missed tackles, errors and penalties conceded. Rare average game in a stunning season.

* Dom Young (30) - This is what Young produces when given no attacking stats. Unfortunately it had to happen in the SuperCoach grand final.

* David Fifita (40) - Reduced minutes yet again for the SuperCoach stud. Hates the heat.

* Greg Marzhew (36) - Every Newcastle outside back went well except Marzhew. Was held up over the line at one stage and work rate was great as usual with 21 runs.

FULL-TIME: RAIDERS 14 ROOSTERS 12

So much to unpack here:

* Are the Chooks cooked after four injuries, two of them serious?

* Sam Walker suspected ACL injury and set to miss rest of this season plus plenty of next

* Brandon Smith knee injury and facing 4-6 weeks

* Victor Radley AC joint injury but thankfully doesn’t look too serious

* Nat Butcher out next week with category one HIA

* Elliott Whitehead binned twice and could face suspension for a karate kick

* James Tedecso cracked a ton despite the Roosters having no bench.

* Raiders not quite dead in race for top eight.

Daniel Tupou scored two ties but to no avail. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Daniel Tupou scored two ties but to no avail. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

80 MINS: TUPOU SCORES WITH 2 SECONDS ON CLOCK

How could this game get any crazier?

Well Daniel Tupou just scored a miracle try in the corner to take it to 14-12.

Luke Keary is kicking from the sideline to take it to golden point.

68 MINS: WHITEHEAD BINNED AGAIN

I can’t type at the pace required for this blog.

Elliott Whitehead has been binned for the second time this game and the Roosters now have a serious chance of victory while the Raiders are undermanned.

Whitehead, in a serious brain fade, decided to pull out a karate kick.

We’ll no doubt hear more about it but Mr Miyagi would be proud.

14-6 for the Raiders but Roosters have a wet sail.

60 MINS: AC JOINT INJURY CONFIRMED FOR RADLEY

On other days this would be bad news. But it’s actually good news for the Roosters given the carnage today (more below).

It’s just an AC joint injury for Radley. He’s in doubt for next week but shouldn’t miss too much time.

At least he’s no chance of being suspended.

54 MIN: SAVAGE GIVES RAIDERS BIG LEAD

There’s been so much injury carnage we’ve forgotten to speak about the actual game.

The Roosters look cooked here with Xavier Savage streaking away and taking the Raiders to a 14-2 lead.

That’s a big chase for the Chooks given they basically don’t have a bench and have players out of position all over the field.

53 MINS: RADLEY JOINS ROOSTERS CASUALTY WARD

What the hell is happening?!

Now Victor Radley has come off the field with a shoulder injury, joining Brandon Smith and Sam Walker in the casualty ward for the Roosters.

What a crazy afternoon on what has been a crazy weekend.

Quentin Tarantino couldn’t write these scripts but Peter V’landys can.

45 MINS: BRANDON SMITH FACING 4-6 WEEKS

Brandon Smith’s season could also be over after he too suffered a knee injury. He suffered a medial injury which could sideline him between four to six weeks.

-Michael Carayannis

HALF-TIME: RAIDERS 10 LEAD ROOSTERS 2

Confirmation from Roosters that Sam Walker has a suspected ACL injury.

Still waiting on a diagnosis for Brandon Smith but he looked in serious pain.

37 MINS: ANOTHER SERIOUS INJURY FOR ROOSTERS?

The Roosters appear to have copped another serious injury blow with Brandon Smith limping off with a knee injury.

Elliott Whitehead was sinbinned for the hip drop tackle.

This could be catostrophic for the Roosters with finals only two weeks away.

30 MINS: WALKER INJURY ‘QUITE SERIOUS’

The Roosters have confirmed Sam Walker’s injury is “quite serious” but refused to elaborate on the exact nature of the issue.

But our sideline eye Michael Carayannis says there are fears Walker’s season is over.

There are concerns that Walker has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament which would not only end his 2024 season but impact a large chunk of next season.

The Roosters will need scans to confirm the extent of Walker’s injury.

13 MINS: ACL FEARS FOR WALKER

The Roosters have suffered a huge blow for their premiership tilt with playmaker Sam Walker suffering what appears to be a serious knee injury.

There are fears he has re-injured his ACL.

Walker fell to the ground attempting to chase a kick in Canberra’s in-goal. He immediately clutched his knee and limped from the field after just 12 minutes.

10 MINS: RAPANA FRACTURES CHEEKBONE

Canberra fullback Jordan Rapana has been rushed to hospital with a fractured cheekbone.

Rapana collided with Roosters fullback James Tedesco as the pair contested a high ball.

It will be Rapana’s final act as a Raider after deciding to join Super League club Hull FC next year.

Jordan Rapana comes off with a fractured cheekbone.
Jordan Rapana comes off with a fractured cheekbone.

FINAL TEAMS: RAIDERS FORCED INTO SPINE SHAKE-UP

The Raiders have been forced into a halves reshuffle for this afternoon’s clash against the Roosters with Jamal Fogarty ruled out due to a hamstring injury.

Adam Cook comes into the side at halfback.

Ricky Stuart has also shaken up his pack with Danny Levi to start at hooker for Tom Starling and Corey Horsburgh starting a prop for Josh Papali’i.

The Roosters are 1-17 with dummy-half duo Brandon Smith (calf) and Connor Watson (concussion) cleared.

Sunday, 4.05pm, Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Roosters

1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Michael Jennings 4. Joseph Manu 5. Dominic Young 6. Luke Keary 7. Sam Walker 8. Spencer Leniu 9. Brandon Smith 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Angus Crichton 12. Victor Radley 13. Nat Butcher

Interchange: 14. Connor Watson 15. Naufahu Whyte 16. Sitili Tupouniua 17. Terrell May

Reserves: 21. Zach Dockar-Clay

Cut: 18. Sandon Smith 19. Siua Wong 20. Robert Toia 22. Mark Nawaqanitawase

Raiders

1. Jordan Rapana 2. Albert Hopoate 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Xavier Savage 6. Kaeo Weekes 21. Adam Cook 15. Corey Horsburgh 14. Danny Levi 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Morgan Smithies

Interchange: 8. Josh Papali’i 9. Tom Starling 16. Ata Mariota 17. Simi Sasagi

Reserves: 18. Jed Stuart

Cut: 7. Jamal Fogarty 19. Zac Woolford 20. Emre Guler 22. Trey Mooney

FULL-TIME: KNIGHTS 36 DEFEAT TITANS 14

What a strange game.

The Knights looked like putting on a cricket score early in the second half when Fletcher Sharpe ran in a hat-trick in eight minutes.

But from there they put the cue in the rack and Titans finally found a bit of grunt.

SuperCoach winners:

* Kalyn Ponga (120) - Almost scored a ton in the first half. But like many of the Knights, he clocked off late in the game. Still, he’s the captaincy option to beat this week with two tries and 10 tackle busts.

* Fletcher Sharpe (120) - One of the quickest hat-tricks you’ll ever see for the former cheapie, who has now become a Super POD.

* Bradman Best (83) - Great return from injury with two try assists. Lit up the left edge alongside Ponga.

Final SuperCoach scores from Knights v Titans.
Final SuperCoach scores from Knights v Titans.

* Jayden Campbell (73) - Produced some horror defensive moments and poor errors but that doesn’t matter for SuperCoach. Very solid score in for a side that was dominated for much of the match.

* Dane Gagai (69) - Popular POD option produced the goods with a try assist and eight tackle busts.

SuperCoach losers:

* David Fifita (40) - Reduced minutes yet again for the SuperCoach stud. Hates the heat.

* Greg Marzhew (36) - Every Newcastle outside back went well except Marzhew. Was held up over the line at one stage and work rate was great as usual with 21 runs.

54 MINS: SHARPE SCORES QUICKFIRE HAT-TRICK

This has to be one of the quickest hat-tricks in NRL history, with Knights winger Fletcher Sharpe notching three tries in the space of just eight minutes.

The Knights now lead 24-4 and the Titans appear to have put up the white flag.

This scoreline could be anything.

44 MINS: KNIGHTS SKIP CLEAR

The Knights have taken a commanding lead with Fletcher Sharpe the latest tryscorer.

Kalyn Ponga was again the provider by initiating a break on the other side of the field.

Kalyn Ponga is on fire against the Titans.
Kalyn Ponga is on fire against the Titans.

HALF-TIME: PONGA NUDGES TON

Bradman Best and Kalyn Ponga.

It’s a wonderful combination that we just haven’t seen enough due to injury.

But this time it was like reading poetry as Best made the break and passed inside to Ponga as he backed up through the middle

Ponga has already cracked 95 SuperCoach points.

The Knights lead 12-4.

20 MINS: PONGA STROLLS OVER

Kalyn Ponga has run through a gaping hole to put the Knights ahead 6-4.

With very little on, Ponga hit the afterburners and managed to surge through a Jayden Campbell tackle.

Ponga is on 69 points early in great news for captainers.

13 MINS: PONGA BURNED BY FIFITA

Jojo Fifita has opened the scoring in scintillating fashion by burning Newcastle fullback Kalyn Ponga for pace.

Fifita had debutant Jaylan De Groot unmarkled on the inside but decided to go himself.

“Ponga had him cornered, he just beat him for pace,” said Blocker in commentary.

The Titans lead 4-nil.

6 MINS: TRY DISALLOWED FOR KNIGHTS

The Knights have bombed a try with Greg Marzhew held up when Bradman Best was probably better served going himself.

Best is on his return from a hamstring injury.

Marzhew is still owned by 16 per cent of teams so the no try ruling may well be a deciding factor in many head-to-head finals.

FINAL TEAMS: TITANS MAKE MASS CHANGES

The Titans have been forced into big changes for this afternoon’s clash against the Knights.

Boom fullback Keano Kini has been ruled out due to a cork with Jaylan De Groot to debut at fullback.

Phil Sami is again out with Beau Fermor switching to centre and Isaac Liu coming into the starting pack.

Keenan Palasia is the new face on the bench.

The Knights are 1-17 with Bradman Best to return from a hamstring injury.

Knights

1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Fletcher Sharpe 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Jack Cogger 7. Phoenix Crossland 8. Daniel Saifiti 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Leo Thompson 11. Dylan Lucas 12. Brodie Jones 13. Adam Elliott

Interchange: 14. Will Pryce 15. Mathew Croker 16. Jack Hetherington 17. Thomas Cant

Reserves: 18. Kyle McCarthy 19. Sebastian Su’a

Cut: 20. Jackson Hastings 21. David Armstrong 22. Thomas Jenkins

Titans

22. Jaylan De Groot 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Brian Kelly 12. Beau Fermor 5. Jojo Fifita 6. Jayden Campbell 7. Kieran Foran 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Sam Verrills 10. Jaimin Jolliffe 11. David Fifita 13. Chris Randall 15. Isaac Liu

Interchange: 14. Josiah Pahulu16. Erin Clark 17. Klese Haas 19. Keenan Palasia

Reserves: 18. Tanah Boyd 20. Joe Stimson

Cut: 1. Keano Kini 4. Phillip Sami 21. Arama Hau

More Coverage

NRL SuperCoach winners and losers from Super Saturday
Wilson Smith and Patrick Woods
SC NRL Winners & Losers: Garrick stands tall, Panthers duo hit ton
Sean Teuma, Matt Jones

Originally published as NRL live round 26: Sydney Roosters SuperCoach studs fail amid injury crisis

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Original URL: https://www.thechronicle.com.au/sport/nrl/supercoach-news/nrl-live-round-26-supercoach-analysis-knights-v-titans-roosters-v-raiders/news-story/ac0581ee54a2b9204b3fd7575d150799