Sydney Roosters earn solid 24-6 victory over valiant Newcastle Knights
BOYD Cordner showed why he’s the frontrunner for the Blues captaincy in the Roosters 24-6 win over Newcastle.
Roosters
Don't miss out on the headlines from Roosters. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE NSW Blues captaincy debate is surely over.
If there was a conversation to be had over who will succeed Paul Gallen as Origin skipper, Boyd Cordner has ended it against the Newcastle Knights.
The Sydney Roosters co-captain was inspiring as his side clinched a 24-6 win over a brave Knights side at McDonald Jones Stadium.
In the end, it was the Roosters little men who got their side home.
NOT WORRIED: Ricky not stressed over rep snub
STAR: Reynolds rips Bunnies apart
Two second half tries to Luke Keary and Mitchell Pearce snuffed out any chance of a Knights Easter miracle win after the home side threatened for long periods in the final 40 minutes but could manage just one try.
Cordner was immense for the winners, charging for 167 metres and making 32 tackles with prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves not far behind and Blake Ferguson another fantastic contributor.
The only negative for the visitors was a leg injury to replacement forward Ryan Matterson.
The Roosters were near flawless in the opening 40 minutes and scored the only two tries of the half to lead 12-0 at the break.
Had it not been for some committed Newcastle defence, the margin could have been greater.
The Roosters made just one error with the football, completing 18 of 19 sets but only found chinks in the Knights armour on two occasions despite threaten Newcastle’s goal line for long periods.
It was the Knights who had the first scoring opportunity after just nine minutes when backrower Mitch Barnett claimed a try following a Brock Lamb grubber.
It went upstairs as a try but the bad luck that plagued the Knights with video referee decisions against the Bulldogs last weekend struck again with Barnett ruled to have knocked on before grounding the ball.
It took the Roosters until the 18th minute to strike and it came off the back of a great Jared Waerea-Hargreaves off-load in centre field.
With the Knights defence struggling to cover some razzle-dazzle from the visitors, the ball went from one side to the other before centre Joseph Manu wrong-footed Trent Hodkinson to score for a 6-0 advantage.
Their second try eight minutes from the break came off the back of sustained pressure with Mitchell Pearce finding Michael Gordon out the back and in a gaping hole close to the line.
The Knights had some chances of their own in the Roosters 20 but lacked composure at key moments against resolute defence from the visitors.
Trailing by 12, the Knights needed to score first to give themselves a shout in the second half and got their wish when Dane Gagai caught out Daniel Tupou to put his winger Ken Sio over in the corner.
Hodkinson’s conversion narrowed the gap to six points and with their tails up, the Knights suddenly had a sniff.
Gagai went agonisingly close when he shot down the short side to almost catch the Roosters defence napping only to be tackled just shot.
But again, it was a lack of composure under pressure near the Roosters line at other times that ultimately cost them.
Originally published as Sydney Roosters earn solid 24-6 victory over valiant Newcastle Knights
NRL stunned by Roosters star’s miracle try
The Bulldogs have beaten the Roosters in a thriller after a clutch four-pointer which outdid Mark Nawaqanitawase’s try of the year contender.
Marky miracle can’t save Chooks as comeback kings do it again
Despite scoring a try of the year contender on the back of some Mark Nawaqanitawase magic, the Sydney Roosters failed to claim victory, as the Bulldogs produced yet another comeback win.