FULLTIME! Roosters win!
Holmes converts.
Some consolation for the hammer. Nice pass out wide and he just streaks past the defenders.
Radley loses it forward.
Another kick through and another dropout.
RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! Ruled a knock on from Nat Butcher.
BUNKER TIME AGAIN! Suaalii is claiming another. Checking if it was forward.
Another close range effort and Walker salutes.
GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! HANG ON. He has! It was helped by the Cowboys defenders who turned him over like a pancake.
BUNKER TIME! Sam Verrills might have snuck over.
PENALTY ROOSTERS! Tupou was dragged out. Comes back for offside.
Walker extends the lead back to 14.
JWH just crashes through them. He roars after planting the ball down.
PENALTY ROOSTERS! For a high shot I assume? but the player was still running.
Cowboys go shortside on last. Tupou is there to wrap up. Changeover.
Cowboys are on a roll. A high kick for Nanai goes through everything and it is a dropout.
Val Holmes gets them within eight.
Wraparound from Robson and he goes over! Cowboys have some life.
Walker pilots another kick over.
Straight from the scrum and Verills slices through.
Roosters were on the attack and Joey Manu tries to find a way through but the ball is knocked down.
Been a sedate start to the second half. Both sides with a few errors.
PENALTY COWBOYS! Tackled without the ball.
Luciano Leilua tries another magic pass but this one doesn't come off.
Momirovski spills it.
KICK-OFF!
Here come the Cowboys after a brief shower which freshened up the ground at the SCG. The visitors are looking to finish strong again while the Roosters want to avoid a fadeout.
HALFTIME! Roosters hold an eight point advantage.
Sam Walker from the left side. He misses.
It's a winger wonderland at the SCG! Quick hands and Tupou flies over.
four-pointer.
PENALTY ROOSTERS! Defenders holding down.
Val Holmes with his first kick of the day. He strides in, he keeps it straight and nails it.
Cowboys have the ball in good position for the first time and get points! Good quick hands on the left with a lovely pass from Leilua sees Tualagi dive over.
PENALTY COWBOYS! High tackle from Suaaliii
Roosters go left and Tedesco throws it forward.
Cowboys go short and Daniel Tupou gets the win.
Keary stabs through a kick and Hiku can't do anything but take it dead.
Crichton tries to back his way towards the line and loses it.
RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! Manu judged to knock on.
BUNKER TIME! Joey Manu might have flown through the air and got that down. Has he lost it though?
Walker converts.
They dive over! An inside ball to Lodge sees the prop go over.
The pressure mounts! A high kick for Tupou is taken dead by Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow. Dropout 2.0.
Cowboys have lost the plot! They tried to pass it underneath their own sticks and it has to be batted out for a dropout now.
PENALTY COWBOYS! Hand on the ball.
PENALTY COWBOYS! A much needed penalty for them. They have struggled to gain any territory thus far.
The two bantamweights collide. Dearden on Keary and forces the error.
Lovely take from Joseph Suaalii. He charges onto the ball and takes the kick on the full then earns the side a penalty. All Roosters thus far.
First kick for Sam Walker this afternoon. Bright sunshine at the SCG. He takes his time. Hits the post.
..and they strike first! Victor Radley took the ball to the line then shovels it Joesph Suaalii to dive over.
Roosters have dominated the early exchanges and they get reward with CHad Townsend stepping out.
Wonderfully observed minute's silence at the SCG. Both teams go to their own ends of the stadium and we're almost ready for kick-off.
Here come both sides onto the SCG turf. Cowboys in their away jersey and the Roosters in their red, white and blue led out by the milestone man! We're set up for a fabulous clash. Lets go.
Happy Saturday! We kick off the triple header with a rare cracker at 3pm. North Queensland Cowboys make their maiden voyage to the Sydney Cricket Ground to face a hungry Sydney Roosters. Also it is game Game 200 for James Tedesco, the durable fullback for the Chooks, while the Cowboys hope to gain some ground on the Panthers after their loss on Thursday night. Also Vale Paul Green. Someone involved with both these clubs and we hope his family, friends and work mates are okay.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Ashley Klein
Touch Judges: Phil Henderson, Belinda Sharpe
Video Referee: Adam Gee
SYDNEY ROOSTERS (32)
Tries: Joseph Suaalii, Matthew Lodge, Daniel Tupou, Sam Verrills (2), Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
Conversions: Sam Walker (4/6)
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (18)
Tries: Murray Taulagi, Reece Robson, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
Conversions: Valentine Holmes (3/3)