Round 7: Roosters v Dragons preview
An historic ground for another historic ANZAC clash.
Since its beginnings in 2002, the traditional ANZAC Day clash has been played almost exclusively at the Sydney Football Stadium, save for 2008 when it was unsuccessfully transplanted to ANZ Stadium, only attracting 22,000 attendees and being too far from the city to attract crowds from the city-based marches earlier in the day.
In 2019 however, the demolition and rebuild of the SFS sees the match transfer to its sister venue, the Sydney Cricket Ground. While the venue isn't best suited to rugby league, it is indeed steeped in the game's history - having hosted countless first grade rugby league matches since it was first adopted by the NSWRL in 1913. A near-full SCG will no doubt provide a very special afternoon for all in attendance.
To the match itself - it promises to be a corker. Both sides stumbled to open the season, but have regained traction. The Roosters managed to do so quicker, and are undefeated since the first round loss to South Sydney. St George Illawarra on the other hand fell to both the Cowboys and Rabbitohs before recording one-point wins over Brisbane and Newcastle, then smashed Canterbury a fortnight ago before scoring late to down Manly 12-10 over Easter.
The premiers' last start saw them take down Grand Final runners-up Melbourne once more, albeit in much tenser circumstances. A golden-point field goal to Latrell Mitchell got the Tricolours home 21-20 in the Good Friday Grand Final re-match.
A quick squiz at the teamlists shows the Roosters have some issues - Luke Keary (concussion) has been ruled out, with Mitchell shifting to the halves. Joey Manu returns from suspension in the centres, and there is good news in the forwards with Jake Friend returning at hooker. That pushes Victor Radley back to lock and Zane Tetevano to the bench.
The Dragons are far more settled and have named the same side who got the chocolates in Wollongong last Saturday night.
Last meeting: Round 20 2018 - Roosters 36 Dragons 18
Honours between these sides were shared in 2018, with the Roosters dominant in the run to the finals and eventual premiership, 18-point winners in Round 20. This had come after the Dragons were comfortable winners 24-8 on ANZAC Day earlier in the season as they cruised over the first two months of the NRL premiership.
Overall across 17 ANZAC Day clashes since 2002, the Dragons have lifted the cup on eleven occasions to just six for the reigning premiers.
Who to watch: There's a NSW back-row showdown brewing in this one. Sydney Roosters' captain Boyd Cordner has toiled admirably in the first part of the season, recording an 87% tackle efficiency and notching up 134 average running metres per game. He's also snaked his way to the tryline on three occasions this year, already matching his efforts across 23 games last year.
His opposite number is his Blues teammate Tyson Frizell. Having missed a couple of games in the first few weeks of the season, 'Friz' has returned from a lacerated testicle (ouch!) and gone about his work fairly quietly across his four matches so far this season. Back to full fitness, the Corrimal Cougars junior needs to raise the bar with Origin approaching - and what better way to do that than against his state captain.
The favourite: Equal competition leaders, reigning premiers and unbeaten since Round 1 - the Roosters have strong backing from the punters here.
My tip: I'm throwing the 2019 form guide out the window here - the Roosters are due a loss and the Dragons have the wood when it comes to this traditional match. Keary is a huge loss as well - and while Latrell Mitchell is more than capable, it's likely to throw the Roosters off too much against a team boasting the quality the Red V possess. So with that in mind, it's the Dragons by 8.
