Roosters Show Premiership
Credentials As The Raiders Bow Out

The Sydney Roosters showed why they are favourites to win this year's premiership with a convincing 38-12 victory over the Canberra Raiders this afternoon at Aussie Stadium.

Rated as underdogs,the Raiders were looking quite good trailing only 4-0. But when full back Clinton Schifcofske was sin binned in the 35th minute, the Roosters scored two tries to go into the halftime break with a 14-0 lead.

The second half was nothing short of a casual stroll in the park for the Roosters as they piled on the points to embarrass the Raiders.

Not everything however went the Roosters way as they have numerous woes with Luke Ricketson, Michael Crocker, Anthony Tupou all coming out of the game with injuries while Luke Ricketson and Brett Finch were placed on report.

For the Raiders, season 2004 is over and it's now time for the Mad Monday pub crawl and end of season trip, looking back on a season that they will be dissapointed with.

McIntyre System update: The weekend's results mean the Roosters and Panthers get a week off. Dragons and and Raiders have been eliminated. Next weekend: Saturday 18 September: Broncos v Cowboys (at Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville). Sunday 19 September: Bulldogs v Storm (at Aussie Stadium)

Scorers: ROOSTERS 38 Tries: Minichiello 2, Fitzgibbon, Walker, Hodges, Fittler, Flannery Goals: Fitzgibbon 5/7 defeated RAIDERS 12 Tries: Smith, Chalk Goals: Schifcofske 2/2

Aussie Stadium Referee: Paul Simpkins

By the clock: Big news for the Raiders as Ruben Wiki is a late inclusion in the second row after he tells coach Matty Elliott at 2 o'clock this afternoon that he is right for today's game.

0 min: Kick Off and Brad Fittler breaks the record of Norm Provan of most finals appearences.

7 min: News: Tyran Smith is placed on report for a dangerous throw on Michael Crocker.

8 min: News: The Rooster have had 2 sets of six inside the Raiders territory but the Raiders have held them out.

13 min: News: Raiders second rower Ian Hindmarsh is down on the ground with a cheekbone injury after being on the end of a headclash with a team mate.

16 min: News: Brett Finch is placed on report for a dangerous throw on Clinton Schifcofske.

19 min: News: Roosters second rower Michael Crocker has been taken off the field with an injury.

22 min: Try-Roosters: Craig Fitzgibbon scores after running onto a perfectly placed grubber kick put in by Brett Finch. Fitzgibbon is unsuccessful with the conversion. Roosters 4-0.

27 min: News: Raiders interchange player Josh Miller is down injured.

27 min: News: Roosters stalwart Luke Ricketson is placed on report for a head slam on Josh Miller.

29 min: News: Joel Monaghan is held up over the line after jumping up to catch a cross field bomb by Mark McLinden.

32 min: News: Chris Walker and Adam Mogg have a disagreement and all the players run in but referee Paul Simpkins quickly puts an end to the matter.

35 min: News: Raiders fullback Clinton Schifcofske is sent to the sin bin for holding down in the tackle.

35 min: Try-Roosters: Roosters winger Chris Walker runs around Joel Monaghan to score near the corner. Craig Fitzgibbon hits the posts with the conversion. Roosters 8-0.

38 min: Try-Roosters: Roosters centre Justin Hodges after a Brett Finch punt kick manages to bounce the right way for Hodges. Craig Fitzgibbon is successful with the conversion. Roosters 14-0.

Halftime Report: After a promising start by the Raiders the class of the Roosters is starting to become too much for the Raiders and if the Raiders want to avoid having big score racked up against them they will need to contain halves Brett Finch and Brad Fittler and also stop hooker Craig Wing.

44 min: Try-Roosters: Captain Brad Fittler scores under the posts after being put into a gap by Brett Finch. Craig Fitzgibbon is successful with the conversion. Roosters 20-0.

49 min: Try-Roosters: Anthony Minichiello takes advantage of a gap in the Raiders defence to score next to the posts. Craig Fitzgibbon is successful with the conversion. Roosters 26-0.

53 min: Try-Roosters: Anthony Minichiello scores his second try of the afternoon after Shannon Hegarty bats back a cross field bomb from Brett Finch. Craig Fitzgibbon is successful with the conversion. Roosters 32-0.

57 min: News: Roosters lock Luke Ricketson is on the sideline getting a dislocated finger seen to but he is able to make it back out onto the field.

59 min: News: Roosters lock Luke Ricketson is taken from the field with a dislocated finger.

64 min: News: Raiders fullback Clinton Schifcofske is struggling in back play with an injury.

71 min: Try-Raiders: Interchange player Nathan Smith scores after Anthony Minichiello makes a mess of a bomb put up by Raider fullback Clinton Schifcofske. Schifcofske is successful with the conversion. Roosters 32-6.

74 min: Try-Roosters: Chris Flannery runs 30 metres to score in the corner after running onto a perfectly placed flick pass from Chris Walker. Craig Fitzgibbon is successful with the conversion. Roosters 38-6.

77 min: News: Shannon Hegarty is denied a try by the video referee after it is ruled Hegarty was held up over the line.

78 min: News: Interchange player Nathan Smith is down injured after receiving an accidental knee to the head from Luke Ricketson.

80 min: Try-Raiders: Winger Marshall Chalk scores next to the posts after backing up a break made by Jason Croker. Clinton Schifcofske is successful with the conversion. Roosters 38-12.

Fulltime Report: In an outstanding display the Rooster showed why they are considered favourites for the 2004 premiership. ----------------------------------------- Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - B Finch (Roosters) 2 - A Morley (Roosters) 1 - A Tupou (Roosters) -----------------------------------------