Second half sizzle sees Chooks roast Knights

Embed from Getty Images

Sydney Roosters v Newcastle Knights

Despite troubling the Roosters for nearly an hour, Newcastle have fallen to a thumping 48-10 loss at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.

A competitive first half had Knights fans dreaming of a potential double over the Tricolours, but a six-try blitz in the last 25 minutes of the game allowed the Roosters to cruise into form.

The hosts were the first team on the board, after a neat break by Luke Keary eventually found the ball travelling in-field and James Tedesco shot through another hole to open proceedings.

From there it was a war of attrition through much of the rest of the first half, with the scoreboard not troubled until just before the break when Tautau Moga crashed over in the corner. They went into the sheds trailing 6-4 against the reigning premiers.

Straight after the break the Roosters shot from the blocks, Latrell Mitchell scoring a runaway try to give the hosts some breathing room, but after 49 minutes Newcastle kept the pressure up with Herman Ese'ese grabbing the visitors' second and the Kalyn Ponga conversion narrowing the gap to just two points.

That's as close as the Knights would get though. Captain Boyd Cordner started the Roosters rout at the 55 minutes mark, before Siosiua Taukeiaho, Victor Radley, Mitch Aubusson and Nat Butcher all got their names on the scoresheet, with a Newcastle error in the final minute handing Daniel Tupou the final try of the evening.

The result brings big concerns for Newcastle coach Nathan Brown as the red and blue have lost three on the bounce and desperately will be looking for two competition points when they host the Wests Tigers next Friday.

For Trent Robinson's men, it's a huge positive as the Roosters try to maintain their top four position and chase down the runaway Storm. They head to ANZ Stadium next Sunday where they meet 15th-placed Canterbury.