The Sydney Roosters have slipped on a Wests Tigers-shaped banana skin in a shock 25-24 loss that could prove fatal in their pursuit of the NRL’s minor premiership.
Halfback Jock Madden was the hero for the Tigers on Sunday, kicking a 79th-minute field goal to snap a eight-game losing run.
The Tigers’ finals hopes ended months ago and they were ranked $10 outsiders at the Sydney Football Stadium.
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But led by co-captain Api Koroisau, Benji Marshall’s side produced one of the upsets of the season to turn the make-up of the top four on its head.
With two rounds remaining, the Roosters (38 points, +162) sit third after blowing a golden chance to move clear of the ladder-leading Warriors (38 points, +295) and second-placed Penrith (38 points, +294).
“It was a poor game from us,” said Roosters coach Trent Robinson, adding the result “wasn’t good” for his side’s top two hopes.
“There’s two games to go and it’s pretty clear.
“In the end we didn’t win today and the ladder is where it’s at and we know what we want to do.
“We still want to be the best team in the comp this year and the opportunity is still sitting right there.”
The best win of Benji Marshall’s tenure has thrown the NRL’s top four into chaos. (Getty Images: Mark Metcalfe )
In further bad news for Robinson, lock Victor Radley was placed on report and underwent a late head injury assessment.
The Roosters coach was unsure post-match if Radley had passed his concussion test.
Wests Tigers had every reason to not aim up on Sunday, especially when prop Alex Twal was ruled out with a head knock inside 60 seconds and Roosters winger Billy Smith touched down after just three minutes.
But unlike the past few months when they would have gone to water, the Tigers stood up for themselves.
“I reckon that’s as proud as I’ve ever been as a coach, given we lost Twaly who is probably our most experienced player,” Marshall said.
“We had guys, without sugar-coating it, who were on development deals playing against the team that was coming first.
“I’m just proud, proud of the effort, and I’d probably go as far as saying that as a club that’s probably one of our best wins we’ve had.”
Smith’s opener sparked the Tigers into life with Patrick Herbert setting up winger Jeral Skelton for two tries and back-rower Tony Sukkar for one inside 26 minutes.
Madden’s inability to nail any of the three conversions meant Sam Walker was able to tie the game up at 12-12 at halftime when he converted Smith’s second.
Tries to Solomone Saukuru and Koroisau, who took charge of the goalkicking and booted a 40/20, pushed the Tigers further ahead.
Robert Toia crashed over for the home side but Walker rattled the conversion into the left upright, giving the Tigers 15 minutes to defend an eight-point lead.
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The Roosters looked to have finally found their mojo after Mark Nawaqanitawase had a try chalked off before setting up Walker with a brilliant offload that cut the deficit to two.
After Hugo Savala was tackled off the ball, Walker made it 24-24 with a penalty goal with less than five minutes remaining.
A blunder from Roosters prop Naufahu Whyte put the Tigers back on the attack and when Radley was ordered off for his concussion test, they had time to get in position for a field-goal attempt.
Madden, who has missed the past month after a haematoma in his nether regions, calmly delivered.
“It was quite ballsy for him to play today,” Marshall said with a wink.
“I’m really proud. Under pressure, to kick that to win the game was awesome.”
Cronulla did just enough to beat the Titans. (Getty Images: Mackenzie Sweetnam )
Earlier, Cronulla snapped a shocking two-game losing streak to revive their NRL top-four finals hopes with a potentially season-saving 30-22 win over the lowly Gold Coast.
The victory was anything but convincing as the Sharks recovered from an eight-point second-half deficit to prevail at Skilled Park on Sunday.
Quietening some doubters, Cronulla will nevertheless bank the priceless two competition points and move on after staying in the hunt for an all-important double chance in the looming finals.
No team in NRL history has won the premiership from outside the top four.
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Signing off
Thanks for stopping by everyone – what a crazy game that second match was.
Be sure to tune in again next week when we do it all again.
Take it easy.
Ladder ramifications are huge
So with this result the Roosters drop to third and now the Warriors, by a single for-and-against point, are top of the league.
The Panthers are in second.
The Roosters-Dolphins game next week now shapes as a monster because a Phins victory would put them into third place.
Can’t wait.
Fulltime: Tigers 25 def Roosters 24
IT’S OVER! THE TIGERS HAVE PULLED OFF THE UPSET OF THE SEASON!
79′ Madden gives Tigers the lead
May intercepts a Whyte offload and they will have the last chance of regular time!
They will have one shot. Madden is the man, you would think. It’ll be from about 25 out.
HE’S GOT IT! HE’S GOT IT!
THE TIGERS LEAD 25-24!
76′ Walker levels us up with epic kick
Savala has been tackled off the ball and it’s a Roosters penalty, 35 metres out and ten in from touch. It’s right on the edge of Walker’s range and they will go for goal to try and level.
It’s on Walker’s good side, but he’s had a shaky day with the boot.
Here he goes….NAILS IT!
We’re level at 24-all!
73′ Roosters score a screamer as epic finish looms
WHAT A TRY!
On the last tackle the Roosters spread it, Radley kicks it and it’s a shocker, Nawaqanitawase bats it back inside, to Butcher and then to Radlet, then back to Nawaqanitawase who spears through the middle of the defence and flicks a no look pass to Walker who scores one of the tries of the year!
There is still plenty of time left and the Roosters are charging down the hill. Walker just sneaks the kick through and it’s 24-22 with six minutes left.
72′ Marky Mark denied by the Bunker
Wong bats it on to Toia who finds Nawaqanitawase, he steps inside three defenders and wrestles with a few defenders before reaching it out to…..well, I’m not sure?
It’s not great, but the fingers never left the ball. I think they’ll confirm this try….no, they won’t! We go upstairs and they deny the Roosters!
Been a weird weekend for the Bunker and that’s another one tinged with controversy.
Tigers ball.
68′ Tigers get a lucky break
The Roosters get a penalty for a strip on Wong, Robson taps it quickly and loses the ball! The Tigers are one set closer.
65′ Toia brings Roosters back
A Walker chip is deflected into Toia’s arms, he has Nawaqanitawase, those two have barely seen the ball today, and he’s dragged down but Luai clips his chin. Penalty.
Two plays later they go to their right at last, Toia beats two defended with consummate ease and scores!
The Roosters needed that really badly and they need this kick from Walker – but he hits the post! Tigers lead is still 24-16.
64′ Koroisau is dazzling
Koroisau nails a 40/20 and the Tigers are after more points! The dummy half is on fire at the moment.
Madden looks to find Herbert with a grubber on the last but Smith does a great job to just clean it up in time! Roosters barely hang on.
60′ More points for Tigers as upset looms
Koroisau swings down a short-side and goes through the hands to Tupou and he’s away! He fires the pass back inside for Koroisau to get a very well-deserved try and the upset is well and truly on here!
Koroisau converts his own try and at 24-12 we are set for a mighty final quarter!
55′ Tigers hold on again
Skelton obstructs Smith on the kick chase and the Roosters have a chance to level.
But two tackles later, just after the side is awarded a set restart, Radley is penalised for obstruction himself!
Tigers hang on again.
50′ Tigers rookie goes in for another
Luai hits Fainu short and he pops a sensational pass to Bula, he’s in the clear and draws Ramsey to find Saukuru to score his third try in just his second first grade game!
Terrific work from the Tigers, put that down to their defence at the other end.
Koroisau has taken over the kicking and he swings it through. It’s 18-12 to the Tigers.
48′ Roosters off day continues
Koroisau goes for a 20/40, don’t see many of those, and it goes out on the full by about a metre. That puts the Tigers under serious pressure.
After not a flash set a rebounded kick gives them six more tackles, then a set restart on the fourth. This is lots of consecutive tackles but the Roosters keep looking very scattered.
On the last Walker puts in an awful cross kick that Tupou takes in the in-goal under no pressure at all! That’s 16 tackles in a row in the red zone and they barely fired a shot!
Second half is underway
Roosters kick us off and we’re halfway home.
Match report: Sharks get it done against Titans
Cronulla have snapped a shocking two-game losing streak to revive their NRL top-four finals hopes with a potentially season-saving 30-22 win over the lowly Gold Coast.
The victory was anything but convincing as the Sharks recovered from an eight-point second-half deficit to prevail.
Quietening some doubters, Cronulla will nevertheless bank the priceless two competition points and move on after staying in the hunt for an all-important double chance in the looming finals.
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No team in NRL history has won the premiership from outside the top four.
To snatch a top-four berth, though, Craig Fitzgibbon’s side still likely need to beat Parramatta next week and Melbourne in the final round and hope the fourth-placed Dolphins lose to either the Sydney Roosters or Titans.
But they are still in the race at least after rebounding from successive defeats to their wooden-spoon bound St George Illawarra neighbours and fellow 2026 also-rans Canberra.
And for the eighth time in nine games, the Sharks won without injured playmaker Braydon Trindall.
Trindall sat anxiously on the sidelines after dislocating his shoulder against Canberra last week, his return date still unknown.
His halves replacement Niwhai Puru had a mixed game.
While he improved his record to four from four while deputising this season for either Trindall or Sharks general Nicho Hynes, Puru’s ill-discipline also put his side under pressure at times.
Just like in their losses to the Dragons and Raiders, Cronulla started promisingly and bagged the opening try of the game.
This time it was Ronaldo Mulitalo who crossed first, the prolific winger moving past the great David Peachey on the Sharks’ all-time leading try-scorers’ list with his 111th four-pointer for the club.
Only club legend Andrew Ettingshausen (165) remains above Mulitalo.
But the celebrations were short-lived, with Jojo Fifita quickly replying for Gold Coast to level up the scores at 4-4.
Even after Sione Katoa put the Sharks back in front, the Titans responded to regain the lead through AJ Brimson after Puru’s back chat gifted the Titans a penalty, an extra 10 metres and field position to strike back.
Like Mulitalo, Phillip Sami became the Titans’ highest-ever try-scorer with his 78th four-pointer that gave the hosts a 16-8 lead at the break.
But Cameron McInnes, Addin Fonua-Blake, Katoa and Mulitalo all scored after a halftime rev-up from Fitzgibbon to keep the Sharks in the 2026 title race.
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Halftime: Tigers 12 level with Roosters 12
A forward pass from Luai puts the Roosters on the attack just before the break and with a few seconds left Walker goes down the blind and rips a pass out to Smith to score his second try of the afternoon.
Tigers don’t like the pass but it stands. If Walker can convert it’ll be all square – and he does! We’re level at 12-all.
37′ More pain for Roosters
Fainu drops it could inside his own 30 and the Roosters have a chance at points before the break.
But Wong loses the ball as he hits the ground. The Roosters will challenge and they’ll get this one, his hand never left the ball.
Next play Robson goes to put a kick in and it’s snaffled up by Koroisau, he gets coat-hangered by Robson who gives away a penalty and goes on report and now the Tigers have a chance at further points before the break.
29′ More joy for Tigers
Another error, this time from Collins, and the Tigers have another chance. The Roosters are well, well below their best at the moment.
And the Tigers have punished them for it! Again it’s down the right, Madden and Bula combine on the inside before Herbert shows quick hands to put Skelton over for his second!
The battling Tigers are well on top! They need a goal from Madden to make the most of it but he can’t nail it from touch.
Tigers up 1206.
24′ Rattled Roosters concede another
Smith drops the ball cold in the shadows of his own crossbar, Herbet picks it up and flicks it away for Sukkar to score!
What has happened here? The Tigers are in front! Once Madden converts…wait, he’s sprayed it badly! But still, it’s 8-6 and the Roosters are rattled!
dan