The Sydney Roosters are the 2018 Premiers after beating the Melbourne Storm 21-6 at ANZ Stadium.
Cooper Cronk played with a fractured Scapula and became the first player to win consecutive premierships with different clubs since Johnny Mayes did in 1973-74. Cronk was basically on the field as a second coach. He was on the field for 78 minutes making nine tackles and no runs. He never ran the ball but the Roosters protected him as best as they could. Roosters coach Trent Robinson praised Cronk”s efforts. “It’s legend status in our game. It’s not an understatement.” Also worthy of mentioning Blake Ferguson played the game with a fractured Fibula.
The Roosters were dominant from the start as most of the 83,000 people in attendance were chanting “Easts” to get them over the line. Cameron Smith and Billy Slater tried but to no avail, as their team, Melbourne looked uncharacteristically sluggish as within the first 10 minutes the Roosters kicked a penalty goal and Daniel Tupou scored the first try of the Grand Final. The try came after Luke Keary threw a cut-out pass to Tupou’s chest allowing him to score in the corner.
With the Roosters firing on all cylinders, Latrell Mitchell joined in on the action, scoring a powerful try while he bustled through Melbourne defenders.
Cameron Munster was sent to the bin for a professional foul which allowed Mitchell to take the penalty goal to make the score 14-0. Just before the stroke of half-time, Joseph Manu managed to use his athletic ability and give the Roosters an 18 to nothing handy lead to conclude the first forty.
As the game went on, the Roosters defence was way too strong for Melbourne to handle. It took them an hour to score.
The try came from an error and a fumble from the Roosters as Josh Addo-Carr pounced and raced 80 metres to score. The Frustration showed in Melbourne’s attitude culminating with Munster again being sent to the bin for a sly kick to the back of the head of a Roosters player. He became the first player since Terry Lamb in 1995 to be sent to the bin twice.
This allowed another penalty goal from Mitchell to make the score 20-6. To secure the Premiership, Luke Keary nailed a field goal which in his performance guaranteed him the Clive Churchill medal.
Slater played his final game of his career with no fairytale ending but he will always be remembered as one of the greatest fullbacks in the modern era of Rugby League.
The celebrations will continue at Bondi today.
Show your support for the Sydney Roosters by purchasing Sydney Roosters merchandise. See the links below.
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By Jesse Mullens
