When it’s all said and done the Roosters were the best team all year and deserved the Premiership. They showed great resolve to fight back from 18-8 down to win 26-18.
Manly drew first blood when they went wide to the left and sent Jorge Taufua over in the corner. Manly were seemingly on top until the Roosters gained useful field position.
On tackle five they spun it to James Maloney who kicked for the right wing. The ball came bouncing away and ended up in the five-eighth’s hands again. This time he kicked to the left for a flying Daniel Tupou who opened the account for the tri-colours.
The Roosters led 8-6 at half time after a Maloney penalty goal.
Manly started the stronger of the two in the second half. A controversial penalty try ignited things for the team from the Northern beaches with Steve Matai extending the lead to 18-8.
With the game seemingly slipping away from the Roosters, Sonny Bill Williams stepped up. He took a fantastic ball in the middle of the field to put the Roosters on the attack. A couple of plays later and Aiden Guerra strolled through a gap that made the gashes in the Titanic look tiny.
Admittedly for Manly they looked like they’d hit an iceberg. Their cool, crisp play began to descend in one out running and their once bone jarring defence was sitting back.
The Roosters took full advantage. Once more Sonny Bill sliced through the line, handing the ball to James Maloney. Minichello loomed in support with Maloney’s pass looking more than forward to the fullback.
Play continued with Minichello delivering a cut-out ball to Shaun Kenny-Dowall who went over un-touched in the corner and the score stood at 20-18 to the Roosters.
However Manly seemed to recover from their slumber and began to pressure the Roosters more and more. The Roosters managed to get a set on the Manly line with Maloney stabbing a grubber into the in-goal.
The kick was seemingly going dead until a lightning quick Michael Jennings planted the ball just short of the dead-ball line. Up 26-18 it seemed the Roosters had the wind in their sales.
However Manly’s veterans began to step it up, giving a hint the match was far from over. The Roosters absorbed wave after wave of Sea Eagles attack but the Bondi wall stood firm.
As the minutes counted down it became clear that the Sea Eagles had nothing left. Their play became disjointed but still they would not give up. With two minutes remaining Daly Cherry-Evans kicked the ball from an optional restart, giving Manly a set 20 metres out from the Roosters’ line.
But it wasn’t to be for the men in maroon and white. They went wide, positioning Taufua outside his man but the cavalry arrived in time for the Roosters to pile him into touch.
Then the celebrations began with it dawning on every person in red, white and blue that the Roosters had won the 2013 Premiership and that they would lift the Provan-Summons Trophy.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson has won a Premiership in his very first season as a head coach in the NRL. For some unknown reason though Daly Cherry-Evans was handed the Clive Churchill Medal as best on-field even though James Maloney was seemingly the man who marshaled the Roosters’ attack.
Congratulations to the Roosters, they were the best team all year and ensured they were the best team on the day that mattered most.
Replies
How is it a duplicate blog? Mine's a match report, the other one's a 25 word comment.
Wtf crow. You are just as bigger mystery as dce getting Clive Churchill
I happen to agree with DCE getting the medal. He was the best player on the field for about 70 mins so why not. Where does it say that the winning team has to be awarded the medal?
I can't really say dce stood out me that's all. I didn't notice him much. No problems with which team I just woulda gone with player that came p with big plays at big moments. Usually this would result in them being from winning team. Can't say I have read the manual for selection criteria hahhaha
Hey Roosters, &*$#*& off!!! This website is Parramatta.