Source : the age
Suncorp Stadium: It must have been bittersweet for so many league fans watching Mark Nawaqanitawase in full flight on Friday night.
The powerhouse winger produced another passage of absolute magic to set up a vital try in the second half as the Sydney Roosters booked a spot in next Sunday’s grand final courtesy of a 36-20 win over the Dolphins.
On the other hand, the NRL only gets to enjoy Nawaqanitawase another 80 minutes before he returns to rugby union and the Wallabies. What a bloody shame.
Of all the superstars in action at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night, Nawaqanitawase was a standout. He bagged a double, set up Toia, and casually caught countless times with his big right hand out in front.
A week after his miracle flick pass for a try against the Cronulla Sharks, and a fortnight after one of the most spectacular intercept tries you will ever witness against the Penrith Panthers, Nawaqanitawase somehow stayed in the field of play to set up a vital try for Rob Toia.
The Dolphins trailed 16-10 early in the second half, and because they were coming off the bye, the locals expected the home team to be too fresh and finish over the top.
But a flat Daly Cherry-Evans kick sailed across field, Nawaqanitawase watched the ball bounce and briefly baulked in the hope Herbie Farnworth would commit to the tackle.
Nawaqanitawase then tried to get on the outside of his English rival, and despite getting tackled, somehow held the ball long enough before tossing it back in-field.
Bunker official Ashley Klein had a good look at the passage of play before agreeing Nawaqanitawase got rid of the ball before his right boot appeared to hit the touchline.
Toia scored, and the Dolphins virtually never recovered. Lindsay Collins scored next from close range, and when Victor Radley launched a monster cutout pass to an unmarked Nawaqanitawase to score approaching the hour, the Roosters were entitled to start daring to dream about a third title in nine years.
The win means Cherry-Evans gets a chance to sign off from the NRL after 16 seasons with another title.
Ditto, Angus Crichton who is set to join Nawaqanitawase in the Wallabies jersey next month.
The only sad news about the Roosters’ win was the independent doctor ruling Connor Watson out with a category-one concussion, which will rule him out of the decider in what would have been his Roosters’ final hurrah before joining St George Illawarra en route to the PNG Chiefs.
There will also be a nervous wait for Victor Radley who was penalised twice for first-half tackles on Farnworth, including one high shot and another where he came down on the back of the centre’s legs. He can only hope the match review committee believes Radley’s body weight mainly landed on the ground – not Farnworth’s legs.
On paper, the Roosters have one of the best rosters in the premiership, and anything other than a grand final appearance would have been viewed as a disappointment.
Coach Trent Robinson’s side is beautiful to watch when the passes stick and they back themselves to throw the ball around.
Their goal-lone defence this finals series has also been rock solid. The one try they conceded before half-time would have been a huge talking point had the Dolphins won in a thriller given the doubt about Jamayne Isaako put down in the right corner.
Isaako dived into the corner with part of the ball appearing to hit the touchline. Klein, however, was quick to give it the green light.
The Dolphins’ only other try also came about from a James Tedesco error after he spilled a high ball.
The big-game experience will hold them in good stead in the decider. They will have the luxury of an extra two days to recover compared to the winner of Penrith and Newcastle, while a front-rower like Spencer Leniu will be super fresh after not seeing any game time against Redcliffe.
It’s been a strong last few minutes but this will be a disappointing end to what has been a tremendous season for the Dolphins, who earned a home preliminary final in their first taste of NRL finals footy. They’ll rue what could have been but have plenty to build on in 2027 and onwards.
The Roosters have looked like a grand final team all season, even when they were blowing results with error-prone performances, and they’ll take confidence into next week knowing they beat their grand final opponents away from home in their last meeting (12-6 over the Panthers in round 24, or 23-22 over the Knights in round 21).
Roosters 36, Dolphins 20 with two minutes left
It’s too little, too late but the Dolphins are at last showing their ability to score out of nothing, Isaiya Katoa offloading to Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, who fires a cutout ball to Selwyn Cobbo. Cobbo turns a pass inside for Herbie Farnworth who runs away to score, and the Dolphins cut the deficit to 16.
Roosters 36, Dolphins 20 with three minutes left
The Dolphins aren’t giving up just yet, Kodi Nikorima weaving across field in pursuit of a line break before being bundled into touch by Mark Nawaqanitawase.
But a Hugo Savala error and a Nat Butcher six-again gives the Dolphins another scoring chance, and this time they take it with Isaiya Katoa sending a charging Kulikefu Finefeuiaki over the try line.
Roosters 36, Dolphins 14 with five minutes left
The Roosters are almost toying with the Dolphins now, Sam Walker forcing a goal-line dropout with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow just quick enough to win the race to Walker’s grubber and bat the ball over the dead-ball line.
We’re into the stage of the game in the six-again era when the losing side looks out on their feet, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Tricolours grab a couple of late tries here.
And there’s the first of them – Walker running himself on the last tackle and the exhausted Dolphins defence unable to stop him.
It’s been a dream return to the field for Walker, who has earned an early shower with the result in the bag. Or at least, that’s the hope for Roosters fans – if he’s aggravated his syndesmosis injury that could turn into one of the big stories of grand final week. In any case, he’s off the field now.
Roosters 36, Dolphins 10 with 12 minutes left
That’ll do it – there’s still plenty of time left but the Roosters are almost certainly headed to the grand final.
Sam Walker produces a great offload inside his own half to send Victor Radley on a line break from inside the Roosters’ half, and Radley looks to the right and sends a long, looping pass to Mark Nawaqanitawase. The talented winger can do no wrong tonight and he shows tremendous strength to beat his man and get to the tryline.
Roosters 32, Dolphins 10 with 21 minutes left
A big Robert Toia run gets the Roosters into attacking territory, then it’s simple stuff as Billy Smith makes a strong charge and gets a quick play-the-ball, and Lindsay Collins follows it up with a bullocking run near the line for a good old-fashioned front-rower’s try.
That’s an easy conversion for Daly Cherry-Evans and the Roosters lead by 18 points midway through the second half. This will be an uphill battle for the Dolphins to win it from here.
Roosters 28, Dolphins 10 with 24 minutes left
So that’s two contentious bunker try decision tonight, both concerning a winger possibly going into touch before a try, but in fairness each team has benefited so it’s probably all square regardless of whether you think the tries should have been denied or awarded.
Meanwhile the end-to-end action continues, Isaiya Katoa lobbing a dangerous kick over the top for a chasing Jack Bostock, but Salesi Foketi finds himself in the right place to clean it up near his own tryline.
The Dolphins have had 20 tackles inside their opponents’ 20 metres, compared with the Roosters’ nine, but haven’t been able to convert that territory into points so far.
Now Jamayne Isaako, who has scored all the Dolphins’ points so far, pulls off a super leap to defuse a bomb down his own end.
Roosters 22, Dolphins 10 with 28 minutes left
What a start to this second half it’s been.
The Roosters hit back with some genuine razzle-dazzle – after a Daniel Tupou line break down the left, Daly Cherry-Evans sends a crossfield kick towards right winger Mark Nawaqanitawase, who tries to run around his defender, heads to the sideline, then flings a pass infield and Robert Toia takes it and crashes over the tryline.
The bunker checks if Nawaqanitawase stepped over the sideline before throwing the pass, and it’s very, very close. The bunker eventually gives it the green light, and the Roosters have the try. Another freakish bit of attacking flair from Nawaqanitawase, which has resulted in a couple of tries tonight.
Roosters 22, Dolphins 10 with 32 minutes left
Chaos in the opening minutes of the second half as Isaiya Katoa puts up a bomb, James Tedesco leaps over Jack Bostock but drops it, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow gets it for the Dolphins and the ball finds its way to Jamayne Isaako who touches down in the corner.
But was there a Bostock knock on in there as well?
The bunker is taking a close look at it… and they rule it’s a try!
Huge start to this second half for the Dolphins and they’re right back in this one.
Roosters 16, Dolphins 10 with 36 minutes left
