Roosters serve Dragons fourth consecutive loss

The Dragons were given a few late opportunities to get back in the game, however, disjointed attack, poor last tackle options and desperate defence by the Chooks kept them out.

Wayne Bennett will have a lot to say to his side, they were poor in both attack and defence this afternoon and will need to pick it up leading into the finals.

Match Details
St George Illawarra Dragons 12 were defeated by Sydney Roosters 20
National Rugby League - Round 23 - Sunday August 14, 2011 3:00pm
Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Referee: Ben Cummins and Gerard Sutton
Video Referee: Russell Smith
Touch Judges: Luke Potter and Adam Reid
Crowd: 14,141
Halftime: St George Illawarra Dragons 12 Sydney Roosters 10

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 Points - Jake Friend
2 Points - Braith Anasta (2 Conversions)
1 Point - Jason Nightingale

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS (12)
Tries: Matt Cooper, Trent Merrin
Conversions: Jamie Soward (1/1), Kyle Stanley (1/1)

SYDNEY ROOSTERS (20)
Tries: Jason Ryles, Phil Graham, Mose Masoe, Joseph Leilua
Conversions: Braith Anasta (2/4)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary Good afternoon folks and welcome to Win Stadium where last year's grand finalists the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Sydney Roosters take on each other.
The Sydney Roosters have taken out the Toyota cup with a 26 to 18 victory over the Dragons.
Both sides have announced a couple of late changes to their 17 named on Tuesday night. For the Dragons Mark Gasnier is out and will be replaced by Kyle Stanley in the centers. For the Roosters Shaun Kenny-Dowell is out and will be replaced by Kane Linnett. Todd Carney is also out, Braith Anasta shifts to five-eighth with Brad Takairangi moving into the second row and Tinirau Arona joining the bench. Nate Myles is also out and will be replaced by Boyd Cordner.
We have overcast conditions in Wollengong at the moment and we might have some rain during the course of the match.
1 min: Anasta kicks off to bring the match under way.
1 min: Dragons finish their set 30 out from the Roosters line before Jamie Soward puts up a bomb which Minichiello diffuses.
2 min: Roosters successfully complete their first set.
3 min: Jason Ryles is penalised for a flop on halfway. It was the last tackle too, the Dragons will go right on the attack.
4 min: Dragons spread it out to the right and Matt Cooper crosses the try line but it looks like he's been held up. Waiting on a video ref decision.
4 min: No try! Linnett and Pearce did very well to hold Cooper up.
4 min: Boyd puts in a kick ten out on the last and Friend fields it for the Roosters, he is tackled by Kyle Stanley a meter out. Stanley then pushes Friend back into the in goal and is penalised.
5 min: Roosters make it to the Dragons' 30 before Pearce puts up a bomb which is taken by Jason Nightingale in goal to give the Dragons a 20 meter restart.
5 min: Roosters make it to the Dragons' 30 before Pearce puts up a bomb which is taken by Jason Nightingale in goal to give the Dragons a 20 meter restart.
6 min: Beau Scott loses the ball 40 out from the Roosters' line just as the Dragons looked to be creating something.
8 min: Another great take by Nightingale after Pearce puts up another bomb 20 out from the Dragons' line.
8 min: Jamie Soward boots it down the field but it is fielded by Graham 30 out from his own line and he makes it to his 40 before being tackled.
9 min: Roosters will get a piggyback up the field after the Dragons are penalised for a high shot ten meters their side of halfway.
10 min: Possible try to Jason Ryles for the Roosters after a great dummy half pass from Jake Friend.
11 min: TRY
Russell Smith awards Ryles the try and Anasta has no problem adding the extras from right in front.
Sydney Roosters 6-0
12 min: Dragons are penalised 40 out from the Roosters line on the fourth tackle of the Roosters set.
13 min: TRY
More great service from dummy half from Jake Friend followed by a great offload by Brad Takairangi back to Friend puts Phil Graham over in the right corner. Anasta misses the conversion.
Sydney Roosters 10-0
15 min: Roosters make 50 meters on their set after the try before Pearce kicks it down the field and Nightingale fields it 10 out from his own line.
16 min: Roosters keep the Dragons in their own half at the end of their set before Soward boots it down field straight into the arms of Graham who make it to his own 30 before being tackled.
17 min: Brad Takairangi toes the ball through on the last only 30 meters out from the Dragons line and Soward is there to clean it up for the Dragons.
18 min: A massive kick by Soward on the back of a much better set from the Dragons enables his kickchasers to trap Graham in his own ten meter line.
19 min: Another great set by the Chooks they finish it only 40 out from the Dragons' line before Pearce puts up a kick which bounces dead in goal.
20 min: Soward put up a bomb 40 out from the Roosters' line on the last tackle and Graham diffuses it 5 meters out from his own line.
21 min: Pearce loses the ball 40 out from their own line after a nice break by Sam Perrett.
21 min: Jake Friend is penalised for hanging around in the tackle too long and the Dragons will get another 6.
22 min: Dragons get another penalty, this time it's for off side.
23 min: Ben Creagh loses the ball within a meter of the tryline and the Roosters are off the hook. The Dragons are disjointed in both attack and defence at the moment.
25 min: Roosters may have scored again here.
25 min: No try! Phil Graham knocked it on over the line, the try was on after the Roosters ran it on the last and Braith Anasta made a 30 meter run before kicking for Graham.
26 min: Minichiello is sin binned for an interference in the play the ball ten out from his own line after Ben Hornby made a 40 meter break before passing to Boyd who fell over 10 out.
27 min: More disjointed attack by the Dragons and the Roosters are off the hook again as BJ Leilua fields Darius Boyd's kick a meter out from the try line.
27 min: Dragons have the ball on halfway and should go on the attack again.
29 min: TRY
Trent Merrin spins the Roosters' defence around and strolls over for a try. Soward converts the try.
Sydney Roosters 10-6
30 min: Fien throws a forward pass on his own 20 and the Roosters should go on the attack here.
32 min: Pearce goes to the air on the last and Jason Nightingale plucks it out of the air before Graham is able to gather it.
33 min: Soward pass is intercepted by Guerrera 30 out from the Dragons' line and the Roosters will get another shot here.
34 min: Perrett is tackled into touch by the cover defence only five meters out on the third tackle.
35 min: Arona is penalised for a hand on the ball and the Dragons will get a piggyback up the field.
38 min: TRY
Fien puts up a perfectly weighted bomb on the last and Matt Cooper leaps above the Roosters' defence to score. Kyle Stanley adds the extras.
St George Illawarra Dragons 12-10
39 min: A much better set from the Dragons and they make it to the Roosters' ten meter line on the last, however some desperate defence by the Roosters forces the Dragons to rush a few passes and forces an error by Darius Boyd.
40 min: A beautiful kick from Mitchell Pearce on halfway is too much for Nightingale and he is forced to bat it dead as the Roosters' defence are running through. However the half time hooter gets the Dragons off the hook.
41 min: Soward kicks off to bring the second half underway.
41 min: Minichiello fails to play the ball correctly after only the second tackle and the Dragons will go on the attack 20 meters out.
42 min: Soward puts up a bomb on the last and Minichiello plucks it out of the air in his own in goal.
43 min: Dragons are penalised on halfway and the Roosters will get an opportunity to go on the attack.
44 min: Anasta loses the ball a few meters out from the try line but Beau Scott is penalised for a grapple and the Roosters get a penalty.
45 min: TRY Connecticut Wildcats
Masoe muscles his way over the tryline as the Dragons' defence is caught napping. Anasta nails the conversion.
Sydney Roosters 16-12
46 min: Pearce puts up a bomb 40 out on the last and Kyle Stanley diffuses it 15 out from his own line and runs back to the 40 before being tackled.
48 min: Kane Linnett steals the ball from Boyd 40 out from the Roosters' tryline Boyd attempts to steal it back but it goes forward and the Roosters will get a scrum feed.
49 min: Roosters attempt to run it on the last ten out from the tryline but Cordner is tackled a meter out from the line and it's a change over.
50 min: Soward puts in a stabbing kick on half way and Minichiello runs back to his own ten before being met by the Dragons' defence.
51 min: Kane Linnett is tackled a meter out from the try line after the Roosters make 60 meters on their set before Pearce puts up a bomb.
52 min: Jamie Soward saves a bad set for the Dragons with a good kick which finds touch only 15 out from the Roosters' line.
54 min: Another great set by the Roosters and they finish it five meters out from the Dragons line before Anasta is pinned for a forward pass.
55 min: Hornby loses the ball 10 meters his own side of halfway and the Roosters will get another chance.
56 min: Anasta puts in a grubber 10 meters out on the last and Matt Cooper knocks it on a meter out from his own try line in trying to clean it up.
57 min: Anthony Mitchell throws a loose pass and Dan Hunt loses it in trying to clean it up.
58 min: Anasta throws a beautiful pass for Minichiello who is in space but he loses it.
59 min: Ben Hornby puts up a bomb 40 meters out from the Roosters' line on the last and Sam Perrett fields it five meters out.
60 min: Darius Boyd fields Pearce's kick ten meters out from his own line and runs it back to his 30 before being met by the Roosters' defence.
61 min: Hornby puts in a kick on the fourth 10 meters from the Roosters' line and it goes dead. Brett Morris has just come off the field injured.
62 min: Pearce's kick goes out a meter out from the Dragons' line to give both sides a breather.
64 min: Minichiello is tackled seven out from his own line after fielding a long grubber from Hornby.
65 min: Boyd runs the ball back to his own 30 after a kick from Pearce goes straight down his throat.
65 min: Friend is penalised on halfway for a high shot on Dan Hunt.
66 min: Intercept by Leilua on his on 10 to get the Chooks out of trouble.
67 min: Pearce puts up a bomb 40 out from the Dragons' line on the last and his chasers are able to gather the ball but they just can't get over the tryline.
69 min: Minichiello fields a Soward chip kick 20 out from the Roosters' line.
71 min: TRY
Beautiful try by the Roosters after a bomb by Pearce is followed by a great kick chase by the Roosters and they are able to get it back, Friend passes it back to Pearce to stabs in another kick which is taken by Leilua who scores. Anasta's conversion attempt is unsuccessful.
Sydney Roosters 20-12
72 min: Dragons attempt a short kick off and Perrett fields it on his own 20 meter line.
72 min: Anasta puts in a chip kick 15 out from the Dragons line but it goes dead in goal and the Dragons will get a 20 meter restart.
77 min: Dragons will get one last chance to pull a win out after Perrett knocked on only a few meters out from his line.
78 min: Dean Young is penalised for feeding the scrum incorrectly.
79 min: Nightingale makes another great kick return after fielding a kick in goal. He is tackled 30 out from his tryline.
80 min: The Roosters will get one last chance to score. 80 min: Roosters are penalised for interfering with a player in air on full time.

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