Full Time
80:00
6:00pm Fri July 21, 2017
Round 20 - Sydney Football Stadium (1988-2018), Moore Park / Gadigal - Crowd: 7121

Match Overview

The Roosters have all but consigned the Newcastle Knights to the wooden spoon with a comfortable 28-4 win at Allianz Stadium tonight.

Blake Ferguson opened the scoring for the hosts after ten minutes, after the Knights had put sustained pressure on the Roosters' line only to allow the opposition a journey to the opposite end to notch first points. They went ahead 12-0 at the 25th minute mark when Keary became the second tryscorer of the night.

Poetically, the Knights' first try was scored by a player who had played nine games for the opposition this season - new signing Shaun Kenny-Dowall kept the visitors in the contest at the half-hour mark with Newcastle's opening (and only) try.

Despite the Roosters' best efforts, the away team defended stoically to keep the margin to just eight points at halftime.

The Knights kept their tricolour opponents at bay for a further twenty minutes after the break, maintaining the 12-4 deficit until they finally broke - Daniel Tupou nabbed a sneaky try down the left wing despite suggestions of a knock on in the lead up, which was compounded when Isaac Liu strolled through beside the posts with twelve to go.

Connor Watson scored off a gem of a Blake Ferguson ball in the 74th minute to cap the win.

Newcastle will have some concerns over Chanel Mata'utia after a second half Blake Ferguson body check saw the Knights' outside back lay prone on the ground. Chanel eventually regained his senses and was medicabbed off the ground but seems almost certain to miss the side's clash with the Dragons at McDonald Jones Stadium next weekend.

The Roosters remain at home next Saturday and will look to keep the pressure on the Storm when they host the Cowboys at Allianz Stadium.

3. Connor Watson

2. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves

1. Mitchell Pearce