NRL Finals week one: Rooster upset Tigers
The Sydney Roosters upset the Wests Tigers at Sydney Football Stadium over the weekend.
The Roosters regained their form at the most opportune time coming away with a surprising win over the Tigers in week one of the finals. The Tigers were the better of the two sides in the opening half, taking an eight-point lead into half-time. After the break, the Roosters found their game and managed to draw even with the home side at full time. The game headed into extra time and the Roosters scored the next try to earn a hard fought 19-15 win.
Recap
The game started out slow with a penalty from the Roosters' Todd Carney the only thing to show after 20 minutes of play.
However, the Tigers were finally able to get across the whitewash with a try from Lote Tuqiri in the 27th minute. Benji Marshall followed up with the extra points and the home side took a 6-2 lead.
The Tigers kept the pressure on and Beau Ryan was able to take advantage with a try in the 36th minute, pushing the lead out to 10-2 heading into half-time.
After the break the Wests continued to be the better side, as Blake Ayshford darted over the try-line in the 48th minute, to extend the lead to 14-2.
In the 54th minute Robbie Farah kicked a field goal to add a little insurance to the lead, making it 15-2.
However, the third Tigers try seemed to wake up the visitors, as Braith Anasta forced his way across the line in the 60th minute, with Carney kicking the conversion to cut the lead to 14-8.
The Sydney-siders were able to keep the pressure on and Mitchell Pearce found his way over the whitewash in the 74th minute. Carney kicked his second conversion to get his side within one point.
With the match dying down, Anasta proved to be a hero, hammering a field goal in the 80th minute to knot the game up at 15.
The Roosters' strong form late in the match led to Shaun Kelly-Dowall forcing his way over the try-line in the 100th minute to earn the Roosters a stunning upset.
Analysis
The victory makes the Roosters the fourth highest ranked ladder club to win in the first week, putting them in a second week match-up with the Penrith Panthers.
Meanwhile, because the Tigers were the second highest ranked ladder team to lose in the first round, they will be taking on the Canberra Raiders in week two.
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