3 minute read
Sydney Roosters centre Joseph Manu has starred as his team came from a 10-0 halftime deficit to beat Brisbane 24-20 in an NRL thriller at Suncorp Stadium.
Joseph Manu has won a battle of the centres against Brisbane's Kotoni Staggs as the Sydney Roosters won an NRL thriller 24-20 at Suncorp Stadium.
Manu scored a second-half double, including a 74th-minute effort when he dragged two Broncos over the line before finishing the game with eight tackle busts and two linebreaks in an all-action display.
Sam Walker, who shunned the Broncos to start his NRL career at Bondi, iced the game with a crucial conversion from the touchline before then setting up a try to Sitili Tupouniua which proved decisive in the 76th-minute.
Brisbane, after a week of off-field turmoil following a video of teammates Payne Haas and Albert Kelly fighting at a Sydney hotel emerged on social media, have now lost three in a row despite Staggs' stellar display.
Corey Oates completed his hat-trick with less than two minutes to play as the Broncos tried to snatch the win but Adam Reynolds' missed conversion proved costly as the Broncos received a penalty with seven seconds to play but had to go for a hail-mary try.
The drama-packed finish came after a first half dominated by Staggs.
After Oates had opened the scoring in the 19th minute, Staggs stole the show with a brilliant individual try in the 35th.
The Brisbane centre shrugged off Paul Momirovski before crashing through Walker and going over to have the home crowd on their feet.
Staggs ended the game with 182 running metres and 13 tackle busts in a great performance on a beaten team.
Manu took over in the second half as the Roosters mounted a comeback, wiping out their 10-point deficit within 14 minutes through tries to Walker and Manu.
Oates' second put the hosts back in front before Manu and then Tupouniua's late efforts got the visitors home, despite the dramatic late finish by the hosts.
"I loved the game. Thought it was a great game ... the Broncos nailed the game tonight. They came out and lots of guys had their best games of the year tonight and I loved it from our factor," Roosters coach Trent Robinson said.
"The team didn't waver.
"We had some tries scored against us but the team didn't waver."
Brisbane coach Kevin Walters felt his team were unlucky to come away with nothing.
"Thought we probably deserved to win tonight to be honest but rugby league doesn't always give you what you deserve," Walters said.
"If we provide that character every week we're going to be a good footy side."
The Tricolours lost Nat Butcher early in the second half to a HIA after his head accidentally collided with Haas's knee just when it looked like the Rooster was going to score.
A pair of Roosters were put on report with Butcher cited for a first-half crusher tackle on Ryan James, while Jared Waerea-Hargreaves was penalised for dangerous contact after he twisted James' knee in the ruck.
Brisbane half Reynolds appeared to hurt his right knee with his first conversion attempt of the night but Walters confidently stated after the match his captain will be fit to face premiers Penrith next weekend.
