Sydney Roosters roar into NRL grand final with 36-20 win over Dolphins
Sydney Roosters are through to their first NRL grand final in seven years after Mark Nawaqanitawase genius and a miracle Sam Walker injury comeback inspired a 36-20 demolition of the Dolphins.
The Roosters shot out to a 16-0 lead inside 27 minutes in front of a sold-out preliminary final crowd of 52,286 at Lang Park on Friday night.
Their defensive grit on the tryline, a feature of their finals campaign, limited the damage from a mini-Dolphins comeback, but two-try hero Nawaqanitawase has a box of unlimited magic tricks that he unfurled with a wow factor rarely seen on a rugby league field.
The Dolphins had won eight straight games to reach their first preliminary final, a wonderful achievement, but on this occasion it was the Roosters’ big-game players who stood tallest.
Walker returned in a record-equalling 27 days from a syndesmosis injury to orchestrate the backline in a masterclass to set up a decider clash with either Penrith or Newcastle.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson will be angling for his fourth premiership win in as many attempts.
An error or a moment of magic was needed to turn an early set-for-set stalemate, and the paranormal Nawaqanitawase provided it in the 18th minute.
The rugby-bound revelation’s pivotal moment was pure instinct and skill backed with supreme confidence.
Dolphins centre Herbie Farnworth hesitated with his pass for what would have been a Dolphins try had it hit the mark. The man known as “Marky Mark” swooped, raced 90m and the Roosters never looked back.
“Big players make big plays in big games,” Billy Slater said on Channel Nine commentary.
Dolphins bench impact man Kurt Donoghoe dropped the ball when he came on and then missed a tackle for a rampant Victor Radley to score.
Walker’s sublime lob for jumping Daniel Tupou had been well rehearsed and was perfectly executed.
The Roosters ran up an early lead they never surrendered. (Getty Images: Matt Roberts )
The Roosters lost bench rake Connor Watson to a category one HIA, upgraded by the independent doctor, in the first half and the St George Illawarra-bound utility will miss the grand final.
Dolphins winger Jamayne Isaako scored tries either side of halftime, but Nawaqanitawase collected a kick and flicked it back for Robert Toia to crash over.
When Nawaqanitawase bulldozed over for his second and Walker sliced through, it was all over for the hosts.
AAP
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Signing off
That’ll do me, thanks for stopping by everybody.
The Roosters are the first team through to the grand final and they’ll take on either the Panthers or Knights next Sunday for premiership glory.
Either way, I can’t wait. Be sure to tune in on Sunday for our live blog of the other prelim.
Have a good one!
Dolphins press conference: “We didn’t get it right”
“I don’t think we quite played our best. Some of the things we’ve been doing really well we didn’t quite get right tonight,” said Woolf.
“It came off the back of some ill-discipline from us. What we’ve done so well in the back end of the year defending our line – allowing three tries one off the ruck, that was disappointing, we haven’t done that in a long time.
“We did all but score in that first opportunity. It was a great effort from Mark to take that intercept but if he doesn’t take that we score. We didn’t quite recover.”
Gilbert says the motivation is there to go one better next year and that it’s a hard dressing room at the moment.
Woolf admits Katoa was hindered by the ankle injury he suffered in the first half.
He thinks the best is still yet to come for the Phins even amid losing Jamayne Isaako and Kodi Nikorima.
“I don’t think we’ve hit our ceiling yet. I don’t think we’ve hit our absolute peak during the year.”
Roosters press conference: “It’s about winning it”
Roosters coach Trent Robinson and captain James Tedesco are speaking now.
“I thought we were pretty clear on how we wanted to attack the ruck, both in attack and defence,” said Robinson.
It started there, then we had our choice on the back of that which allowed for freedom for individuals.
“I feel like we’ve been really clear on how we wanted to play, it was really simple, we haven’t over-complicated things. We’ve been really steely from our leaders on how we wanted to play.
“You could see they were physically ready to go tonight.”
Robinson has special praise for Mark Nawaqanitawase.
“It’s incredible, to watch him play, and it’s pretty rare what he’s doing to be such a carefree player.”
Tedesco echoes his comments.
“The stuff he comes up with every game, I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Tedesco.
“He says to me at the start of every game he just wants to do the tough stuff and then he does the freaky stuff. It’d be good if he stayed!”
Robinson is circumspect about the Roosters long wait between grand finals since their last one in 2019.
“It’s mostly internal (the pressure). It always is. You want to get the most out of it. It’s not about getting in the grand final, it’s about winning it – it’s pretty simple and that’s what I’m here to do,” said Robinson.
Robinson says he wasn’t sure about Sam Walker’s prospects at the start of the week but decided early.
“I wasn’t sure at the start of the week, I had to see him move and train and find out what his physical and mental state was. He fixed that up pretty early.”
Says Walker is good to go for next week after coming off early, it was just precautionary after not running much for the past month.
Robinson says Connor Watson is in the middle of doing his tests after his head knock but he’s hopeful he can play and says that was behind the decision to not play Spencer Leniu.
“It was either Hugo or Spenny was gonna be that fourth one there. Spenny is one of our leaders and I didn’t like having that conversation but he looked at me and said ‘whatever’s best for the team’ and went over to the guy that took his spot (Angus Crichton) and got right back to training.”
Full match highlights
Here’s all the plays that mattered from that one – geez, didn’t Marky Mark have himself a game.
It won’t come through on the tries but Whyte was also magnificent for the Roosters, he finished with 18 runs for 175 metres
Fulltime: Roosters 36 def Dolphins 20
That’ll do us! The Roosters are the first team through to the grand final!
76′ Farnworth gets one for Dolphins
Another consolation for the Dolphins, they run it on the last and Katoa goes wide to Tabuai-Fidow, he swings it out to Cobbo and Farnworth is on the inside to score.
Isaako converts and it’s 36-20 Roosters.
75′ Dolphins get a consolation score
A set restart puts the Phins on the attack and Katoa hits Finefuiaki short for the backrower to score.
It’s too little, too late but still a nice try.
Isaako pulls it wide and it’s 36-14.
68′ Walker puts Roosters into the grand final!
Katoa and Bostock get Smith high and the Roosters will have a full set inside the Dolphins 20, a try here will book their passage to the big one – if they’re not there already.
Walker forces a drop out with a nice grubber. The ruck gets quick, Walker runs it on the last against a retreating defence and he goes in to score to wrap things up!
This game is over. The Roosters are the first team through to the grand final!
Walker comes off with an early mark and richly deserved at that. Cherry-Evans misses the kick but it’s 36-10.
59′ Another beauty for Marky Mark
Wong throws an offload around his own 30, it goes to Tedesco and then to Walker and he pops a sensational pass to Radley, the lock forward ducks across field and hoofs a big pass out to Nawaqanitawase, he’s in a little bit of space but that’s all he needs!
He steps inside Nikorima and Cobbo to score his second try of the night and all but put the Roosters in the grand final!
Cherry-Evans can’t nail the kick but it’s 32-10 to the Tricolours.
55′ Roosters take control through Collins
Isaako had a shot at intercepting a Tedesco pass but he can’t snag it and knocks it on, it’ll be a Roosters feed on the Dolphins 40.
Robson goes short to Collins and he punches it in! The Roosters have a big lead now!
Walker converts and it’s 28-10 Roosters.
47′ Roosters score a controversial stunner
Cherry-Evans pokes a kick over that’s short and bounces but Nawaqanitawase gets it back, stays in, throws it inside and Toia is there to score a stunner!
They give it on the field but did Nawaqanitwase stay in? It’s so close but I think the ball is just in his hand as he touches the line. There’s only a frame or two in it.
They try has been confirmed! It’s as close as a thing can be but it’s on the board now. Cherry-Evans converts and it’s 22-10 Roosters.
44′ Isaako gets another
Katoa goes high on the last, Tedesco loses it, it falls for Isaako and he scores!
We’ll have a look at this, it might have touched Bostock and gone forward after Isaako got it….I think it’ll be a try AND IT IS!
The Phins are back in it! Can Isaako convert to bring them within four….not this time.
Roosters 16-10.
Second half is underway
Halftime: Roosters 16 lead Dolphins 6
Isaako loses the ball on a kick return! Roosters are on the attack but then Walker loses it as well. No advantage, Roosters feed with just a few seconds left before halftime.
Walker puts up a bomb, Cobbo claims it and that’ll do us for the first half.
High quality stuff, the Roosters take a nice lead into the break at 16-6.
HIA: Connor Watson and Jack Bostock
The Roosters utility has been ruled out with a Category 1 HIA after hitting his head in a tackle, that means he’s out for tonight and will miss the grand final should the Roosters win this game.
Bostock was clipped by Tupou and has also gone for an HIA but it’s only a Cat 1 and he should be back shortly.
35′ Isaako goes in for Dolphins
The Phins are challenging a knock on call on Bostock, who contested a bomb inside the Roosters 20 against Tupou.
They should get it – Tupou went out of the contest and got Bostock in the air. Phins get and it’s a fresh set inside the 20.
Tupou juuuust knocks down a Bostock pass that would have put Isaako over in the corner. Another set.
Katoa’s kick on the last is knocked on by Radley. Another set.
They go right, Tabuai-Fidow fires a ball to Isaako and he’s over in the corner!
God, it’s so close to being on the line…but TRY CONFIRMED!
Isaako becomes just the fourth player ever to score 300 points in a season and the Phins are back in it.
Can he convert, from touch…..of course he can!
This game is alive! Roosters 16-6.
28′ Roosters get another as dream start continues
Gilberts gets Nawaqanitawase high and gives the Roosters easy passage from their own end.
At the end of the set Walker goes high for Tupou and the veteran goes over Isaako to score! The Roosters are running riot!
Whyte comes off, he’s has a mighty first stint.
Walker hooks it left and it’s 16-0.
24′ Roosters add another
Donoghoe makes an error with his first touch and the Roosters have a full set inside the Dolphins 30.
Bostock knocks down a pass and gives the Roosters a fresh set. After a strong run from Whyte close to the line Robson goes short to Radley and he’s over!
Roosters have a nice lead early, they’re up 12-0 after Walker kicks the goal.
21′ Farnworth stands up
A restart late in the count gets the Roosters into the Phins half but a physical effort from Farnworth on Wong forces the error.
On report: Reece Robson
It was in that long run of unbroken play, but Robson got Katoa in an awkward tackle that had a bit of hip drop about it.
Katoa has been moving a bit ginger since, he’s had his ankle strapped but is playing on.
