Roosters Win See-Sawing Contest

The Sydney Roosters have won a see-sawing contest at Remondis Stadium tonight in front of 12163 fans defeating the Cronulla Sharks 24-18.

The home team received an early Easter present before the game tonight, with news inspirational leader Paul Gallen would make an early return from the ankle injury he suffered in round one.

The skipper had an immediate effect on the home team making plenty of bustling runs early on to put his team on the front foot giving his outside backs plenty of room to move.

Ricky Leutele capitalised with the first try of the night after putting a neat in and away and palm on the chest of Sonny Bill Williams to race 45 metres down the left touch line to cross in the 15^th minute. Gordon hit the conversion sweetly from out wide to give his team a 6-0 lead.

The Roosters were quick to hit back with a try to in form Boyd Cordner in the 19^th  minute after he angled on to a short ball from Tuivasa-Sheck to level the scores at six all.

The Roosters crossed again in the 25^th minute after some end to end play from both teams which would set the tone for the remainder of the match.

Todd Carney tried a chip and chase but failed to regather and Tuivasa-Sheck made an electric run up towards halfway before drawing and passing for Maloney to race away and score giving the Roosters a 12-6 lead which they took into the break.

The home team came out firing in the second half and scored quickly through Sharks back-rower Wade Graham after a bust down the right from Blake Ayshford. Gordon levelled the scores with the conversion.

In perhaps the turning point of the match, Roosters winger Shaun Kenny-Dowall raced the length of the field to score, bursting onto a Carney kick across field after the Sharks had been attacking deep in the Roosters red zone.

The Roosters were beginning to control the game with some strong charges and a smart kicking game, trapping the Sharks deep in their own half until a Maloney grubber rolled dead.

The Sharks then scored an amazing 80m try after Jonathan Wright took a quick 20m restart and sent the ball to Leutele in space, who put another nice move on to send his winger Sosaia Feki on a 50 metre sprint down the left to score. Gordon again converted to level the scores once again at 18 all.

The knockout blow came in the 71^st minute when Rooster's half Mitchell Pearce backed up his own kick to put Jennings into space and eventually send Kenny-Dowall over for a double. Maloney nailed the kick from the sideline to give his side what proved to be an unassailable lead.

Next week the Roosters will take on the Dragons in the traditional Anzac Day battle with the Dragons while the Sharks will be at home again to the Panthers.

CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS (18)
Tries: Ricky Leutele, Wade Graham, Sosaia Feki
Field Goals:
Conversions: Michael Gordon (3/3)
Penalty Goals:

SYDNEY ROOSTERS (24)
Tries: Boyd Cordner, James Maloney, Shaun Kenny-Dowall (2)
Field Goals:
Conversions: James Maloney (4/4)
Penalty Goals:

LATE MAIL: Cronulla Sharks - Paul Gallen returns to the Sharks after being sidelined with injury. Chris Heighington shifts to the bench which sees Tinirau Arona start at lock forward. Michael Lichaa returns to the side after being dumped to the NSW Cup after reportedly signing with the Bulldogs for 2015 and beyond.

LATE MAIL: Sydney Roosters - Daniel Tupou has been ruled out due to tightness from training during the week. Shaun Kenny-Dowall shifts to the wing. Mitchell Aubusson comes into the starting side at centre.

Welcome to coverage of this Easter Saturday clash from Remondis Stadium between the Cronulla Sharks and Sydney Roosters. The Sharks have received an early Easter present welcoming back inspirational leader Paul Gallen. Both teams will be desperate for a much needed win tonight, the Sharks looking for just their second of the year and the Roosters looking to bounce back from 3 straight losses.

2: And were under way with the Sharks getting 1st use

3: Roosters make a break through Guerra and is brought down just short of the line

3: Sharks have defused a Roosters bomb on the last

4: PENALTY against SBW. Sharks have the ball 30 out

5: UNFORCED ERROR SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Michael Jennings makes an unforced error.
Jennings knock on after Carney bursts through & offloads

6: UNFORCED ERROR CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Sosaia Feki makes an unforced error.
Feki puts it down & Roosters have a scrum 10 out from their line

7: penalty against Gibbs for holding down too long. Roosters on the attack 10 out from Sharks line

8: Pearce coughs it up trying to offload, Sharks ball

9: UNFORCED ERROR SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Sam Moa makes an unforced error.
Moa spills the ball after some heavy contact from John Morris front on

10: Todd Carney grubber roles dead

11: UNFORCED ERROR CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Todd Carney makes an unforced error.
Carney goes for the intercept but couldn't hang onto the ball

11: Roosters ball 30 out

13: VIDEO REF for a possible Roosters try...

13: NO TRY, Minichiello cant quite get to the ball before it rolls dead off a Pearce grubber

15: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Scored by Ricky Leutele. Kick to come.
Leutele scores 1st points after going 45m to score after a nice palm on SBW!

16: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
Gordon hits it sweetly from out wide to add the extras

17: Some big charges from the skipper Gallen leading his team from the front

18: Repeat set for the Roosters after Jake Friend forces a line drop out with a well weighted grubber

19: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Boyd Cordner. Kick to come.
Cordner hits back running onto a Tuivasa-Sheck pass to score

20: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
Maloney levels the scores

22: Roosters consolidate their points with a solid set.

23: Carney kicks low and Tuivasa-Sheck brings it back in good field position

23: Jono Wright defuses a Pearce bomb 10 out from his own line

26: VIDEO REF for a possible Roosters try. Carney previously tries a chip and chase, but the Roosters come up with it and run 70m

25: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by James Maloney. Kick to come.
try awarded to Maloney after backing up an amazing run from Tuivasa -Sheck

26: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
Maloney converts his own try from in front

27: knock on from Minichiello and the Sharks have it 30 out from Roosters line

28: UNFORCED ERROR CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
John Morris makes an unforced error.
Morris puts down a tough chance from Gordon

28: Penalty Roosters. They have it on the halfway line

29: Intercept from Wright and the Sharks are on the charge

30: PENALTY Sharks, 10 out from the line..

31: Sharks go close a couple of times but Roosters hang on

32: Gordon goes through off a nice inside ball from Gallen

33: Graham forces a repeat set for the Sharks

33: PENALTY Sharks, Gallen takes the quick tap

34: UNFORCED ERROR CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Sam Tagataese makes an unforced error.
big Sam knocks it on running onto a short ball from Carney

36: UNFORCED ERROR CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Sosaia Feki makes an unforced error.
Feki rules to have knocked on after a high bomb from Pearce

36: Roosters scrum 10 out from sharks line...

38: Sharks hang on with some brave defence. They will work it out from their own line

38: Sharks kick goes dead, 20m tap for the Roosters

39: Graham defuses a Roosters bomb on the last

40: Halftime at Remondis and the Roosters take a 6 point lead into the sheds. They have made big metres with the ball in hand, but some unforced errors are hurting them at the end of their sets lacking the polish they displayed all last year. A much improved effort from the Sharks tonight so far with Gallen leading the way with some bustling runs. They also will be looking to finish off their attacking raids after a number of chances went begging.

40: Were back underway and the Roosters bring it back through Liu

42: A big 1st set from the Roosters making 80m but the bomb from Pearce bounces dead

42: VIDEO REF for a possible Sharks try...Ayshford made a bust down the right and they immediately spread it left for Wade Graham to crash over...

42: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Scored by Wade Graham. Kick to come.
And the try has been awarded. We have a ball game on our hands tonight!

42: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
Gordon pilots it over from close range

44: Sharks consolidate their points completed their set, Minichiello defuses the bomb on the last

46: Heighington bursts through, Sharks on the attack

46: Kenny Dowall defuses the cross field kick

48: Repeat set for the Roosters after some enterprising attack took them upfield

49: SBW strips it out of Gordon's arms and dives over, but he knocked on in doing so

51: UNFORCED ERROR SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Anthony Minichiello makes an unforced error.
Mini didn't play the ball correctly. sharks ball 40 out from Roosters line

53: bit of push & shove between Nuuasala and Vave

54: Roosters getting the better of the yardage battle at the moment, both teams competing hard though

56: Friend chips to the corner to trap Gordon 5 out from his line

56: SKD bursts down the left but a one on one strip sees Wright burst back downfield

58: A Sharks offload hits the deck and the Roosters come up with it

58: UNFORCED ERROR SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Boyd Cordner makes an unforced error.
Cordner was ruled to have knocked on a Roosters bomb

60: Sharks penalty...they have it 25m out from Roosters line...

61: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Shaun Kenny-Dowall. Kick to come.
SKD races the length after bursting onto a Carney cross field kick

63: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
Maloney adds the 2 points from in front

64: Maloney chips into the corner again for the Sharks to work it out from deep in their half

66: Maloney forces a dropout with a neat grubber off the inside of his boot

67: Roosters rubber goes dead

68: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Scored by Sosaia Feki. Kick to come.
The Sharks have gone 80m to score from a quick 20m tap. Wright spread it left for young Leutele who put on a nice move to send Feki down the sideline

68: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
Gordon adds the 2 & were level again!

70: Carney kick bounces up for Minichiello to bring it back

71: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Shaun Kenny-Dowall. Kick to come.
SKD crosses after Pearce backed up his own bomb to regather the ball and put Jennings into space who set up his winger nicely

73: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
Maloney hits it sweetly from the sideline

74: Roosters complete their set

75: Sharks kick at the end of their set but Mini catches it & brings it back

76: Maloney grubber roles dead, another 20m tap for the Sharks

77: Carney chips over the top but u can put Minichiello in the slips because that was a blinder!

78: VIDEO REF for a possible Roosters try...

78: NO TRY. Penalty Sharks after SKD was offside from a Jennings touch of the ball

79: Plenty of passes thrown in that set as Sharks search for the opening, but it doesn't come

80: Maloney drills it into touch & the Sharks cant pack the scrum in time.

80: The defending premiers have returned to winning ways in a see-sawing contest against a much improved Sharks outfit.
Thanks for joining us and have a very Happy Easter folks.
Stay tuned for the match report coming soon..