Roosters survive Cowboys fightback at Sin Bin Round

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Sydney Roosters v North Queensland Cowboys

The NRL crackdown has come into focus yet again following the Roosters 30-16 victory over the North Queensland Cowboys in the final Saturday match of Magic Round.

The Roosters scored in just the sixth minute when Daniel Tupou crossed after the Roosters took advantage space on the outside and the Roosters winger scored. The Roosters were able to double their lead soon after when Sam Walker was able to turn on the magic when he ran through the middle of the field before giving it to Victor Radley who passed it back to Walker who scored and converted his own try.

A third try for the Roosters came after 25 minutes when the Roosters spread the ball from the left out to the right, catching the Cowboys defence short and Matt Ikavalu was able to cross over to score out wide. The goal kicking woes for the Roosters continued on their fifth try within the half hour mark when Angus Crichton scored after the Cowboys defence were just passengers in his crusade to the line.

Momentum turned for the Cowboys when Sitili Tupouniua became sin bin number 11 for the weekend after high contact. The Cowboys scored through Javid Bowen as the North Queenslanders were able to take advantage of the extra man. The Cowboys continued to take advantage of the extra man when Reece Robson who had been causing issues for the Roosters all night went through the middle and gave Scott Drinkwater an easy passage to the line.

The Cowboys were able to continue their momentum after half time when Valentine Holmes steamrolled Sam Walker and drew in James Tedesco to put Scott Drinkwater over for his second try of the game. Following the conversion, The Cowboys were back within two.

Goal kicking woes hurt the Cowboys when they elected to take a tough penalty goal attempt to level the scores but Valentine Holmes couldn't. The miss from Holmes was costly as the Roosters regained the momentum and it was more magic from James Tedesco to evade no less than 5 tacklers to put Angus Crichton over the line.

The NRL's sin bin crackdown hit its most farcical point of the round so far when Lachlan Burr was sent to the sin bin by Ben Cummins for "Forceful contact with the head" despite Burr being a victim of James Tedesco falling to the ground as Burr was moving into make the tackle and couldn't pull out.

The Roosters added a penalty goal to push the margin out to eight points before in the final ten minutes, the Cowboys attack capitulated and the Roosters took advantage of the extra man and Daniel Tupou scored his second try of the night.

Next weekend, the Sydney Roosters play host to the Brisbane Broncos at the SCG whilst the Cowboys are back in Townsville on Thursday night when they host the Newcastle Knights at QCB Stadium.