NRL SEMI FINALS WEEK 2 : SYDNEY ROOSTERS v MANLY SEA EAGLES

Rugby League
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SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 21st, 2024 ALLIANZ STADIUM,SYDNEY

A Clash of Redemption and Resilience

This semi-final is a battle between a wounded Sydney Roosters side seeking redemption and a Manly Warringah side looking to continue their fairy tale run.

Roosters’ Journey: High Hopes Dashed

Heading into the finals, Easts appeared poised to challenge the dominance of Penrith and Melbourne, but their premiership hopes took a hit after a disastrous round 26 loss to Canberra (14-12) and injuries to key players Sam Walker, Brandon Smith, and Victor Radley. Despite a comfortable final-round victory over Souths, they were brought back down to earth with a 30-10 defeat in the qualifying final.

Penrith had the game sewn up by half-time, leading 24-0. While the Roosters got two tries back after the break, it was too late to worry the Panthers.

Manly’s Remarkable Comeback

Manly have bounced back from the low point of the 2022 “Pride Jersey” scandal, making their return to the finals for the first time since 2021. Although a round 27 loss to Cronulla-Sutherland cost them a home final, they had won six of their previous eight games to secure a top-eight finish. They also beat Canterbury-Bankstown twice in the space of three weeks, including a 24-22 elimination final win. The pro-Bulldogs crowd at Accor Stadium didn’t bother Manly as they came from 22-12 down – with tries to Daly Cherry-Evans and Totutau Koula. DCE finished off a brilliant wrap-around scrum play, while Koula sealed the game with a 30-metre run down the left sideline for Manly.

Plus, Reuben Garrick’s perfect four goals from four was vital.

Head-to-Head Matchups

Manly and the Roosters each claimed a victory in their 2024 matchups: Manly triumphed 21-14 in round 2, while the Roosters edged out a 34-30 win in round 21.

Key Player Returns

The Roosters welcome back Jared Waerea -Hargraves from suspension. With JWH heading to Hull KR next season, he’ll be driven to make one final push for an NRL premiership. Radley is part of the extended bench and could return to the starting side. Nat Butcher goes back to the bench.

Roosters

1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii 4. Joseph Manu 5. Dominic Young 6. Luke Keary 7. Sandon Smith 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Connor Watson 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Angus Crichton 12. Sitili Tupouniua 13. Naufahu Whyte , 14. Siua Wong 15. Spencer Leniu 16. Nat Butcher 17. Terrell May , 18. Zach Dockar-Clay 19. Fetalaiga Pauga 20. Blake Steep , 21. Michael Jennings 22. Victor Radley

Manly will field the same 17 from their win over Canterbury, with Jason Saab still unavailable.

Venue Factors

The Allianz Stadium surface could be a big factor in this game. This will be the second game there in 24 hours, so there may be some wear and tear, especially if there’s rain around. The Roosters will have the advantage of playing on their home ground, while Manly haven’t returned to the venue since their last encounter with the Roosters.

Manly

1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Tommy Talau 3. Tolutau Koula 4. Reuben Garrick 5. Lehi Hopoate 6. Luke Brooks 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Taniela Paseka 9. Lachlan Croker 10. Matthew Lodge 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Karl Lawton 13. Jake Trbojevic , 14. Ben Trbojevic 15. Josh Aloiai 16. Ethan Bullemor 17. Nathan Brown , 18. Clayton Faulalo 19. Jamie Humphreys 20. Toafofoa Sipley 21. Gordon Chan Kum Tong 22. Corey Waddell

Referee. Grant Atkins, Touch Judges, Phil Henderson, Matt Noyen, Bunker, Chris Butler.

Match Statistics to Watch

The Roosters have won just two of their last eight finals games.

Sea Eagles winger Tommy Talau has crossed the line 12 times in his last 13 matches.

Roosters captain James Tedesco is set to make his 250th NRL appearance.

The Sea Eagles have conceded 118 points across their last four games.

Roosters centre Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii boasts a perfect record at Allianz Stadium, converting 22 goals from 22 attempts.

Prediction

The Roosters struggled with cohesion last week due to the introduction of a new halfback and hooker. However, that combination should benefit from the experience they gained against the Panthers. The Roosters really need to find some better efforts from the likes of Joseph Manu, Joseph Suaali’i and James Tedesco. The Bulldogs showed that the Sea Eagles can be vulnerable on the edges and with Tom Trbojevic playing with one arm, the final line of defence is virtually non-existent. The Roosters need to work their plays on the edges bringing their star centres into the game as often as possible with Tedesco lurking as an option.

The Sea Eagles will once again turn to their champion halfback Daly Cherry-Evans to lead the way. He was masterful in the way he controlled the game against the Bulldogs, turning to his wealth of experience to remain calm despite being 10 points down well into the second half. Luke Brooks was forced into mountain of defence by the Bulldogs, who ran at him at every opportunity, he was subsequently a little flat with the ball in his first ever finals appearance. Look for him to play a much bigger part in Manly’s attack against the Roosters.

A Promising Showdown

This promises to be an entertaining contest, with both teams capable of launching dynamic and flashy backline attacks. If Tom Trbojevic isn’t too banged up from last week, the Sea Eagles have a real shot at causing the upset here. But I think the Roosters are the better side and should finish on top.

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