The Sydney Roosters have completely destroyed Brisbane for the second time in 2020, putting on an absolute clinic to run out 58-12 winners at the SCG tonight.
Fullback James Tedesco was sensational for the home side, scoring one try and a whopping five try assists to totally outclass the hapless Broncos. He wasn't alone with young backrower Sitili Tupouniua also shining under the lights of the SCG, with two tries and a performance that is likely to have NSW backrower Angus Crichton and incoming superstar recruit Sonny Bill Williams likely starting from the bench when they are available for selection next weekend.
The Broncos failed to respond to the mid-week sacking of coach Anthony Seibold and despite some individual brilliance from David Fifita and Kotoni Staggs to get on the scoreboard, Brisbane still continue to fall towards rock bottom.
The Roosters opened the scoring with their first opportunity when James Tedesco ducked out of dummy half close to the line and hit Sitili Tupouniua with a short ball, which saw the young backrower crash over to score the first try. Kyle Flanagan converted and it was 6-0.
The Broncos ill-discipline reared its ugly head early, with several unforced errors, which was further compounded when Broncos prop Joe Ofahengauge was penalised in possession for unnecessarily dropping his knee into hooker Jake Friend's head while he was prone on the ground. He went on report and it gave the Roosters some valuable field position.
Things then began to get embarrassing for the visitors, when Isaac Liu simply strolled through the defensive line off a regulation hit up score under the posts. Flanagan converted and it was 12-0.
The Roosters then went up a gear, when Tupouniua then produced a superb offload to put Kyle Flanagan away, the Roosters halfback then found an ominous James Tedesco in support, who streaked away to score a trademark try.
Once again the Roosters continued to charge through the Broncos defence like a knife through hot butter, and once in position it allowed Flanagan to take the ball to the line and he found that man Sitili Tupouniua who charged over for his second try of the night.
The Broncos needed something heading into the break and it came through their superstar centre Kotoni Staggs, who scooped up a loose Roosters pass from Boyd Cordner and the NSW hopeful then raced away to score under the posts. His conversion narrowed the Roosters dominance on the scoreboard to 24-6 at halftime.
The Roosters picked up where they left off in the second stanza, when Drew Hutchison and Boyd Cordner combined down the left-hand side to put Josh Morris over in the corner to score. Flanagan missed his first conversion of the night and it was 28-6.
Josh Morris then turned provider, when he muscled through some feeble Broncos edge defence and found Tedesco who then provided his winger Daniel Tupou with a simple one on one draw and pass to score an easy try. Flanagan again converted and is was 34-6.
The Broncos needed some individual brilliance to give themselves a faint hope and it came through Titans' bound backrower David Fifita, who inside his own attacking zone, skipped across the posts and then powered away from two would be defenders to score a strong try. Staggs converted to narrow the score to 34-12.
Just as the lead was narrowed, it was extended yet again minutes later, when Nat Butcher latched onto a loose pass, which caught the Broncos defence napping and the backrower raced away to score under the posts to extend the Roosters lead to 40-12 with less than 20 minutes remaining.
The Roosters continued to dominate the Broncos, with tries coming through Josh Morris and another try to Tupou in quick succession and the Roosters hit 50 points late in the match. When you think of NRL tries, Brett Morris certainly has scored more than most, and he left it late to get in on the act, scoring off a terrific over the head pass from Tedesco to end the 58-12 rout.
The win for the Tricolours sets up an absolute blockbuster in the Nation's Capital next Saturday night as they look to avenge their Grand Final re-match loss to the Raiders in Round 10
The Broncos now wait on nervously as the Bulldogs look to spring an upset against the Raiders on Sunday, which would put them in last place. Things don't get any easier, when they face the first placed Panthers next Thursday night at Suncorp Stadium.