The Roosters have something to crow
about

A very solid performance by the Roosters to emphatically beat the Eels at Parramatta Stadium by 44 - 12.

The Eels had their best start ever this year and for the first 10 minutes seemed to have the 2002 champions on the back foot.

Patience prevailed for the Roosters, and it wasn't long before the team had stepped up a gear, sand the tries started to flow.

Half time and the Roosters were up by 18 - 6.

A solid performance by the Sydney Roosters in the second half saw the game slip away from the Parramatta side. Patience for the Roosters and unforced errors by the Eels helped them extend the scoreline.

The Eels now need to regroup when they travel across the Tasman for next Saturday night's match against the Warriors who will be hurting from their loss to the Bulldogs tonight.

Leagueunlimited players of the match:

3 - A Minichiello (Roosters) 2 - B Finch (Roosters) 1 - L Ricketson (Roosters)

Scorers: EELS 12 Tries: Hodgson, Lyon Goals: Hodgson (1/1), Witt (1/1) defeated by ROOSTERS 44 Tries: Finch x2, Hegarty, Flannery x2, Byrne, Hodges, Cross Goals: Fitzgibbon (3/6), Crocker (3/4)

By the clock:

Fine conditions for a change for the Friday night game

5th min: NEWS - Possession favouring the Eels early on but unable to capitalise on it.

7th min: PENALTY - Fitzgibbon for Roosters misses a shot at goal following a high shot by Chan on a Roosters player

12th min: TRY - Hodgson for Eels. Poor defence by the Roosters close to their line allows Richards to get outside his man and fly up the sideline. Hodgson is there in support and goes in under the posts. Hodgson converts his try from 20 metres in. Eels 6-0

23rd min: TRY - Finch for Roosters. The defence falling off tackles lead to almost a solo effort by Finch (pictured). Fitzgibbon adds the extra 2 from out in front. 6-6

28th min: TRY - Hegarty for Roosters. A beaut bust by Byrne then Minichiello had the Eels defence scrambling everywhere. Next play and the ball gets out to Hegarty who has no trouble crossing the line. Fitzgibbon misses the kick. Roosters 10-6

33rd min: PENALTY GOAL - Crocker for Roosters. Vaealiki penalised for being offside, following another busting run by Minichiello and Crocker has no trouble adding the 2 points. Roosters 12-6

36th min: TRY - Finch for Roosters. Following a penalty to the Roosters for an Eels player mouthing off at the ref, the Roosters are quick to get the ball to their end of the park and score. Crocker gets the conversion. Roosters 18-6

HALF TIME: The Eels started well but were soon taken over by the power of the Roosters

43rd min: NEWS - Hodgson (Eels) yet to take the field since the break, Currently under observation for blurred vision. Vaealiki has moved to fullback

48th min: TRY - Flannery for Roosters. A Parramatta mistake close to their line, and the Roosters are hot on attack. Great ball from Wing to Flannery, who scores right under the black dot. Crocker, with the easiest of kicks, nets the conversion. Roosters 24-6

54th min: TRY - Byrne for Roosters. Vaealiki (Eels) makes a horror mistake right in front of his posts. Finch dives on the ball, it's spread out wide and Byrne is over. Crocker, from the sideline, misses the conversion. Roosters 28-6

58th min: TRY - Lyon for Eels. Intercept try for Lyon to run 40 metres and touch down under the posts. Certainly against the run of play. The conversion is successful by Witt, filling in for an injured Hodgson. Roosters 28-12

61st min: TRY - Hodges for Roosters. Hodges decides to run from dummy half, and the gap opened for him like the parting of the sea. Fitzgibbon back on kicking duties, gets the conversion, 11 metres out from touch. Roosters 34-12

66th min: TRY - Flannery for Roosters. Sloppy pass by the Eels, and Flannery gets the ball. Surrounded by defence, he still manages to run 40 metres for an excellent solo try, his 2nd for the night. Fitzgibbon adds the 2 extra points. Roosters 40-12

70th min: NEWS - Penalty count now up to 7-3 in favour of the Roosters. Silly mistakes leading to frustration

80th min: TRY - Cross for Roosters. Finch looking to chip the ball through, does the dummy, and the ball ends up in Cross's hands for him to score out wide. Fitzgibbon from the touch line, hits the post and misses. Roosters 44-12

FULL TIME: The Roosters looked very good tonight, whereas the Eels have to fix their unforced error rate.