Roosters rout crumbling Cowboys

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Sydney Roosters v North Queensland Cowboys

A second-half surge has seen the Sydney Roosters consign North Queensland to a second-straight heavy defeat, the Tricolours winning 42-8 in front of 21,143 at Allianz Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Prop-forward Lindsay Collins - backing up from Queensland's nervous Origin win in Perth on Wednesday - opened the scoring at the five minute mark, but the Cowboys held tight for the next 20 minutes with the scoreboard untroubled for that time.

Just before the 20 minute mark Siua Wong left the field with a suspected MCL injury but it didn't phase the Roosters, who minutes later scored their second after five-eighth Sandon Smith set up centre Billy Smith.

They backed this up immediately with a freakish kick bounce benefiting Robert Toia, who in turn found Connor Watson for the hosts' third try.

Stemming the flow of points against them, the Cowboys struck back just after the half-hour mark with Braidon Burns getting the visitors on the scoreboard. Neither side added further points before halftime, the Roosters taking an 18-4 lead into the sheds.

The second half initially started quietly before an explosion of tries and a complete capitulation in defence from the Cowboys. From the 47-minute mark, the hosts ran in four tries in 12 minutes, Billy Smith, James Tedesco, Mark Nawaqanitawase and Daniel Tupou all notching four-pointers.

The scoreline being blown out to 38-4 took the air out of the contest and once the Cowboys settled things a little and tightened their defensive resolve, they ultimately looked like a more cohesive team. The game gone, they did score a consolation try fifteen minutes from fulltime with Murray Taulagi crossing - just - in the corner.

The home side capped the win with Nawaqanitawase grabbing a brace with a bizarre final try six minutes from the siren, a movement he started with a right flank break, several passes inside and a sideline-aimed grubber that had to be flicked back inside before the rugby convert snapped up the ball and scrambled over in the corner for a remarkable four pointer.

Roosters are on another level #NRLRoostersCowboys pic.twitter.com/dtVdXiUf3C
— NRL (@NRL) June 22, 2025

The Roosters will now enjoy a bye before hosting the Tigers in a fortnight; while the Cowboys' bumbling mid-season slump is offered a shot at redemption with a derby contest against the Gold Coast at Robina next Sunday.