NRL finals week 2 live 2024: Sydney Roosters vs Manly Sea Eagles, semi-final live scores, team lists, news

For the first time in five years, the Roosters are through to the preliminary finals, heading down to Melbourne after demolishing a rattled Sea Eagles side.

The writing was on the wall for Manly inside the opening 30 seconds and the script never improved as the Roosters celebrated James Tedesco’s 250th NRL appearance with a crushing 40-16 win to book a preliminary final showdown with the Storm.

Two head knocks from the first two plays of Saturday’s sudden death semi-final showdown meant the visitors were always on the back foot, and they never recovered as their season came to a grinding halt at a sold out Allianz Stadium.

But while the Sea Eagles' 2024 campaign is over, the Roosters are marching on, with Trent Robinson’s side off to Melbourne next week where they’ll look to end their horrible recent record against the minor premiers with a grand final spot on the line.

The Roosters have lost 10 of their past 11 against the Storm and were knocked out of the finals at AAMI Park 12 months ago, but they will fancy their chances after their key men stood up a week after they were outclassed by Penrith.

The Roosters have booked a preliminary final against the Melbourne Storm, after blowing Manly off the park at Allianz. Picture: Getty Images

HIA DRAMA

The Sea Eagles needed everything to go their way but they were rocked just two tackles into the clash with Tolu Koula and Jake Trbojevic both taken from the field after suffering head knocks.

In one of the most dramatic starts to a game you will ever see, Manly lost two of its key starters inside the opening 30 seconds with Koula knocked out trying to tackle Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.

Manly lost Tolutau Koula after the first tackle of the game, after a collision with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. Picture: NRL Photos

The hero from last week’s win over the Bulldogs was immediately deemed a category one concussion and was ruled out of the contest, with more drama from the following carry when Trbojevic clashed heads with Lindsay Collins.

The workhorse lock stumbled as he got to his feet but was deemed a category two and was able to return to the field 15 minutes later.

It was a brutal encounter with Haumole Olakau’atu whacking Collins twice in the first half, while Reuben Garrick never looked comfortable after hurting his shoulder early on.

“It was surreal. You just don’t ever plan for anything like that,” Daly Cherry-Evans said.

“I thought we did our best considering, but that’s not the start you need in a semi-final game.”

TEDDY 250

Tedesco celebrated his big milestone with a best-on-ground performance that saw him score a double, set two up and run for a game-high 183 metres.

His short ball to Victor Radley got the night started but that was only the beginning as he and Daniel Tupou exchanged passes down the left before Tedesco crashed over to score.

The pair then combined two minutes into the second half when Tedesco threw a peach of a pass for the veteran winger to score after Manly’s Josh Aloiai wasted a challenge.

“It was incredible,” Trent Robinson said.

“He made a decision on how he was going to play tonight. You won’t see any difference in him from week to week because Teddy is quite shy so he doesn’t say too much or he’s not going to say ‘I’m going to do this’.

In his 250th NRL game, James Tedesco was the best on ground, scoring two tries and setting up two others. Picture: Getty Images

“Somewhere during the week he made a decision. He’s been playing like that all year, but that was another level tonight. That was exceptional.”

It was fitting that the five-time Jack Gibson Medal winner sealed the result when he finished off a slick game of pass the parcel, with the Roosters now two wins away from claiming the ultimate prize.

Tedesco wasn’t the only one to stand up on the big stage with young half Sandon Smith bouncing back in a big way from last week’s tough night in Penrith as he beat Daly Cherry-Evans and then Tom Trbojevic to score a slashing solo try.

EAGLES ROCKED

After back-to-back years out of the finals, the Sea Eagles will view this season as a success. But they’ll also wonder what could have been had they not lost an outside back so early on.

It didn’t help that superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic was dealing with shoulder and knee injuries, while Cherry-Evans was kept fairly quiet other than a lovely chip for Olakau’atu to score.

Despite a devastating loss to end their season, 2024 will still go down as a successful year for the Sea Eagles. Picture: Getty Images

HALL OF PAIN

The only concern for the Roosters going forward is the health of star forward Victor Radley who returned from a fractured scapula but only lasted 30 minutes before he went up the tunnel.

Radley suffered the injury back in round 26 but was always a hope of returning given he didn’t require surgery.

He’s now in a race to be fit for next Friday’s heavyweight bout, with enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves set to renew his rivalry with Storm giant Nelson Asofa-Solomona.

“I don’t think anybody thought he was going to play at the start of the week except for him, and he kept telling people he was going to play,” Robinson said.

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Originally published as NRL finals week 2 live 2024: Sydney Roosters vs Manly Sea Eagles, semi-final live scores, team lists, news