Second-Half Surge Sends Roosters Past Panthers
Game Summary
The Sydney Roosters produced a stunning second-half turnaround to topple ladder-leaders Penrith Panthers 25-12 at Parker Street Reserve in Round 24 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup.
The Panthers started the brighter of the two sides, striking first when Jaxen Edgar crossed in the eighth minute after good ball movement out of their own half. Kurt Falls added the extras for a six-nil lead.
The Roosters hit back before half-time, with Max McCathie barging over from dummy-half in a captain's charge. Tom Rodwell's conversion levelled the scores at six-all heading into half-time, capping off an even, hard-fought first half.
The second half belonged almost entirely to the visitors. Rodwell opened the scoring with a two-point field goal to edge the Roosters in front 8-6, before crossing for a try of his own soon after to make it 12-6.
Egan Butcher's line-break set up Taylor Losalu for the Roosters' third try, and Reece Foley pounced on a loose ball in-goal for a fourth, with Rodwell converting both to blow the margin out to 24-6
Penrith found some late resistance when Jesse McLean crossed with under ten minutes remaining, Falls converting to bring it back to 24-12, but it proved too little, too late.
Rodwell put the result beyond doubt with a second field goal deep in the closing stages, sealing a 25-12 victory and lifting the Roosters into the top five for the first time since their return to the NSW Cup.
Talking Points
- The Roosters' defense was outstanding after half-time, restricting a Panthers attack that had scored freely all season.
- Tom Rodwell was central to almost everything positive for the Roosters, contributing a try, two field goals and four goals from six attempts.
- Penrith remain top of the table but by only one point, with their buffer at the summit now under real pressure heading into the final rounds.
- Reece Foley's opportunism at the back continues to be a difference-maker for Sydney, adding another crucial try to his impressive season tally.
Key Moment
Tom Rodwell's two-point field goal early in the second half proved the turning point, giving the Roosters their first lead of the match and sparking a run of 24 unanswered points that buried the Panthers.
What's next?
The Roosters will look to build on this statement win as they take on the Western Suburbs Magpies, while the Panthers must regroup quickly before they take on the Storm to protect their slender hold on top spot.
