Roosters Crow at Tigers Wet Weather Misery

The Wests Tigers form slump has continued massively with a 48-4 loss to the Sydney Roosters at a wet and cold Leichhardt Oval in front of just over 5,000 fans.

Despite a poor opening 10 minutes, the first half for the Tigers was quite promising with the Roosters being able to put just the one try on the board and that came after just four minutes, when Michael Jennings found open space chasing a Mitchell Pearce kick to score his 100^th career try and the first of the night from the Roosters. The try was followed up shortly after by a penalty goal from close range and the Roosters took an 8-0

The Wet conditions played havoc with the attack of both sides with plenty of drop balls and plays not going 100% correctly.

The usual 40/20 confusion reared its head again following a Luke Brooks 40/20, when Blake Austin took the quick tap at the 10m junction instead of the 20m junction and was called back by Gavin Badger, again questioning the validity of the rule.

The second half was one of hope and optimism for the Tigers who showed glimmers of getting into the game, however it wasn't to be with the Roosters putting the gearbox into full gear and racing away.

This was shown from their first set of six where they managed to force a repeat set and off the repeat set they scored through a barnstorming Sam Moa and that pushed the lead out to 14-0.

From there, the Tigers only possession of the ball was at the kick off because the Roosters began to steam roll the Tigers, and this resulted in a quickfire double to Anthony Minichello, a lucky Jared Warera-Hargreaves try off some sloppy clean up work at the back from the Tigers then thirdly Shaun Kenny-Dowall took advantage of some disinterested defence to score from dummy half to push the score out to 36-0.

The Roosters then managed to get another try this time to Daniel Tupou who got a fortunate bounce after Jy Hitchcox couldn't take a high kick and he raced over for his try of the night.

It wasn't all doom and gloom for the Tigers debutant, when Jy Hitchcox found himself in space off a Tigers short side raid and he got his first career try to take the score to 42-4.

The last try of the night summed up the way the Roosters played when Mitchell Pearce took two juggles of a pass before a falcon helped him to regather the ball and score, and after Maloney converted the Roosters secured their 48-4 win.

Next weekend, the Wests Tigers come up against a resilient Bulldogs team on Thursday night at ANZ Stadium, whilst the Sydney Roosters make the trip across the ditch when they take on the NZ Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium. 

WESTS TIGERS (4)
Tries: Jy Hitchcox
Conversions: Cory Paterson (0/1)

SYDNEY ROOSTERS (48)
Tries: Michael Jennings, Sam Moa, Anthony Minichiello (2), Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Daniel Tupou, Mitchell Pearce
Conversions: James Maloney (7/8)
Penalty Goals: James Maloney (1/1)

TEAM CHANGES: Plenty of changes for the Tigers tonight - Jy Hitchcox makes his NRL DEBUT, Luke Brooks returns at halfback, Kurtis Rowe moves to FB, Cory Paterson to the Win, Jy Hitchcox on the wing, Mitch Moses to 5/8, Blake Austin to Centre, Curtis Sironen to 2nd row, Adam Blair to lock and Sauaso Sue on to the bench

TEAM CHANGES: The Roosters on the otherhand have keep the changes to a minimum with Daniel Tupou returning in jersey 20, replacing Nene McDonald who played Holden Cup earlier, Dylan Napa will start in place of Sam Moa who drops to the bench

LATE TEAM CHANGE: James Gavet is OUT, Jack Buchanan is playing in jersey 21

After seemingly weeks of dry weather across Sydney, Leichhardt Oval brings us the usual wet conditions it normally gives us

1: The Badge calls time on and its game on at Leichhardt Oval, first possession with the Roosters, defending the Northern end of Leichhardt Oval

2: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Keith Galloway makes an unforced error.
Night couldn't start worse for the Tigers, Keith Galloway loses the inside ball and Roosters on the attack

4: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Michael Jennings. Kick to come.
Michael Jennings flies through the defence with his blistering speed to chase down the Mitchell Pearce kick and score the Roosters first of the night and his 100th off his career

4: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
James Maloney has no problems from the conversion from almost in front to extend the lead

8: PENALTY TIGERS: Opening penalty of the night to the Tigers, Dylan Napa penalised for a flop according to Gavin Badger

10: RTS takes an great catch at the back off the high ball in tough conditions but strong defence from the Tigers force the line dropout

11: PENALTY TIGERS: JWH is penalised for being too slow off the ruck, Penalty count now 2-0

11: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Curtis Sironen makes an unforced error.
Luke Brooks throws a no look pass to Curtis Sironen who loses it as it comes to him, Roosters get the ball on their own 10m

12: PENALTY TIGERS: Boyd Cordner penalised for a late tackle on Luke Brooks, Gavin Badger decided to put it on report as well

16: Kurtis Rowe throws an awful ball out towards Jy Hitchcox who can't take it on the jump and it goes into touch

19: A Good kick from Robbie Farah puts the pressure on the Roosters but a good pass from Anthony Minichello finds RTS who gets out of the ingoal

20: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Kurtis Rowe makes an unforced error.
Kurtis Rowe makes a mistake on the pick up and Roosters get the scrum 20m out from the Tigers line

21: Pressure off the Tigers with RTS losing the ball behind himself only for Luke Brooks to pull it out of his hands

22: PENALTY ROOSTERS: Aaron Woods penalised for being offside and the Roosters are going to take the 2

23: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Penalty goal attempt by James Maloney successful.
James Maloney has no problems from directly in front to add the extra 2 points

25: PENALTY ROOSTERS: Roosters get their second penalty in a row and they go on the attack

26: Good kick from the Tigers forces RTS into some indecision but he gets the ball away to Anthony Minichello

27: PENALTY ROOSTERS: Martin Taupau is penalised "unluckily" (the Badge's own words), after being concussed in the tackle

30: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Ava Seumanufagai makes an unforced error.
Ava Seumanufagai gets his first touch and with it he loses the ball

31: Daniel Tupou flies high for the kick chase but knocks it on and the Tigers get the handover 10m out

32: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Mitchell Moses makes an unforced error.
Mitchell Moses gets the ball on the last but before he can kick it he drops the ball around the halfway mark

33: UNFORCED ERROR SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Kane Evans makes an unforced error.
Kane Evans charges to the line but loses the ball close to it and the Tigers get the scrum 40m out from their own line

34: Robbie Farah tries the chip on the last but the Roosters get a touch and Aiden Guerra takes the deflection

35: UNFORCED ERROR SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Daniel Tupou makes an unforced error.
Daniel Tupou out jumps Jy Hitchcox again but can't control it yet again and the Tigers work it away from their own 10m

36: 40/20 WESTS TIGERS
Luke Brooks kicks a 40/20.
Luke Brooks put a kick in thats a 40/20, quick tap doesn't go right again, at least this time the ball boy put it on the sideline

39: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Dene Halatau makes an unforced error.
Dene Halatau gets hit in a rib tickler by Boyd Cordner and it forces the ball out, Roosters with a late chance in the first half

39: Great cover defence from the Tigers jams the Roosters attackers and force Daniel Tupou into touch

40: And with that, its half time at a wet and slippery Leichhardt Oval - its the Roosters in control 8-0

40: And were back underway at Leichhardt Oval - Tigers get the first possession of the second half

42: Kurtis Rowe is forced back into the ingoal and the Roosters get a repeat set

43: PENALTY ROOSTERS: Despite a 70m dropout, the good work is undone with the Tigers being offside

44: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Sam Moa. Kick to come.
Sam Moa charges onto the ball and gets over the line to score, Gavin Badger needed it checked though and after 2 replays its given

46: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
James Maloney has no problems converting from infront

48: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Anthony Minichiello. Kick to come.
A Good break then some excellent sliding on wet ground from Mini gets himself over the tryline for another 4 pointer

49: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
James Maloney has no problems converting from in front

51: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Anthony Minichiello. Kick to come.
Tries coming on tap now for the Roosters, Anthony Minichello gets the ball of Aiden Guerra who took an excellent catch himself

52: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
James Maloney has ZERO problems from in front

56: No communication at the back between Tupou and Minichello and the catch goes behind them both but no harm done

56: Play goes messy from the Roosters and the Tigers clean it up

59: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. Kick to come.
Some luck off the kick gives the ball to the Roosters and JWH will score one of the easiest tries of his career

60: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
James Maloney has no problems from close range once again and extends the lead even more

61: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Shaun Kenny-Dowall. Kick to come.
Shaun Kenny-Dowall goes from dummy half and finds a gap in the disinterested Tigers defence and scores another

63: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney unsuccessful.
James Maloney has his toughest kick of the night and misses it across the face

65: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Daniel Tupou. Kick to come.
Daniel Tupou gets the fortunate bounce off the Jy Hitchcox error from the bomb and there's another for the Roosters

66: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
Another successful conversion from James Maloney and the lead is extended

69: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Jy Hitchcox. Kick to come.
Tigers go down the short side and Jy Hitchcox has open space and he scores on debut

69: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Cory Paterson unsuccessful.
Cory Paterson pushes the conversion away and no change to the score

79: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Mitchell Pearce. Kick to come.
Mitchell Pearce has a juggle then another juggle and then a falcon then catches the ball and scores the try

80: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
James Maloney converts from close range

80: Full Time at Leichhardt Oval and the Sydney Roosters are comfortable 48-4 winners